Putting the words to lights – crossword clues explained in plain English
Hints and tips for completing Sunday Telegraph Cryptic crosswords
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BD Rating – Difficulty * – Enjoyment ***
This Sunday Virgilius provided us with an easy cryptic which was a delight to solve (and revisit for the review) with many fine clues; my top favourites are highlighted in blue.
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
Thanks to Virgilius once again for a super start to Sunday – it didn’t take me long to solve and, apart from a groan at 19a, I did enjoy the experience. If there was a “themette” this time, I certainly didn’t spot it!
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
Hola from the Vega Baja! No, you’re not cracking up – it’s not Wednesday! I’m just standing in for gnomethang as he’s a bit short of time this week.
This is wonderful stuff from Virgilius as usual and with an added bonus, which everyone (including me) seems to have missed last Sunday, there’s a link connecting 4 of the down clues!
Continue reading “ST 2604”
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
Afternoon All!. We had a pretty tricky puzzle from Virgilius which I downgraded to *** difficulty as I was being a bit dense on the Sunday Solving. The enjoyment of the wordplay, however, warrants a **** in my book. What makes increases the difficulty here is Virgilius’ accomplishment of superb surface readings and aptly chosen synonyms – you look and gasp sometimes (particularly the two &Lit clues). There is a convincing story that is very difficult to crack to get the real definition.
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ***
A trickier offering from Virgilius this week with great clues and enjoyment factor throughout. Lots of ‘read the clue carefully’ and hidden words all added to make this solver at least very happy at the end of the Sunday morning brain stretcher. My favourite clues are highlighted in blue, my top favourite being 26a. Continue reading “ST 2602”
BD Rating – Difficulty */** – Enjoyment ***
After two weeks of puzzles with messages and themes, Virgilius returns to a straightforward yet beautifully crafted example of a Sunday prize puzzle. Didn’t take me long but I did enjoy myself, my top favourite being 19d although my ‘also-rans’ are highlighted in blue too.
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
Afternoon All!. As usual Virgilius does not disappoint with his puzzles and this was a special one to nod to the fact that is puzzle number 2600 in the ST series. Continue reading “ST 2600”
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Afternoon All!. In common with many of the weekend crosswords last week Virgilius used the occasion to send his BEST WISHES to JOHN (Halpern, setting as Paul in the Guardian and Punk in the Indy) and his wife TALINE on their wedding day. These words are hidden in the unchecked letters in rows 4,6, 10 & 12. I’m sure we all echo those sentiments. We had the usual very enjoyable puzzle from Virgilius with some great images created.
BD Rating – Difficulty **/*** – Enjoyment ***
Well this one certainly divided the blog posters on Sunday. We either thought it was straightforward or tricky, the latter ‘camp’ finding the right hand side being particularly slow in penny-dropping moments. I was in the ‘tricky’ corner but having now gone through all the wordplay for this review, I am not entirely sure why.
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Thanks once again to Virgilius for a superb start to Sunday – the crossword didn’t take that long to solve, so it was great to have time to enjoy the clues for a second time in order to prepare this review. Some of my favourite clues are marked in blue.