Sunday Toughie No 240
by Light
Hints and Tips by Sloop John Bee
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Light has given us a rather deceptive crossword today. A Spoonerism that isn’t and cricket references that aren’t crickety. A couple of the answers were easier to bung in than parse, but I think I have them now.
14a and 14d clues and I have hinted half. I will try and nudge some that hit the cutting room floor if asked.
13a, 16a and the non-spooner 3d are my favourites today; which ones did you like?
Here we go, Folks…
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Toughie No 3748 by Sparks
Hints and tips by Gazza
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
Thanks to Sparks for an enjoyable pangram.
Please leave a comment telling us how you fared and what you liked about the puzzle.
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Toughie No 3747 by Silvanus
Hints and tips by ALP
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BD Rating – Toughie difficulty */** – Enjoyment ****
Friendly wordplay from Silvanus with just a sniff of GK (1a, 12a, etc). Nothing overly exotic and all typically fair. Not really a Toughie – just a very enjoyable crossword. The floor is yours.
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Toughie No 3746 by Zenas
Hints and Tips by crypticsue
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BD Rating – Toughie Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ***
The first actual Toughie of this week has been set for us by Zenas
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Sunday Toughie No 238 by Beam
Full Review by Gazza
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This puzzle was published on 16/08/26
A very gentle puzzle from Beam this week.
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Toughie No 3745 by Hudson
Hints and tips by Whybird
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Welcome to another Toughie week.
Hudson has given us a puzzle which feels just about the perfect level for a Tuesday Toughie. There’s nothing outrageously obscure (the Scottish chimney being a possible exception but that crops up reasonably regularly) but there are a fair few that required some thinking about. And all that with a good sprinkling of top-notch surfaces. There’s been quite a lot of congestion around the podium, but I’m going with 26a, 12d and 23a just being pipped by 14a. But 4a really needs an honourable mention too. Thank you, Hudson, for a wonderful start to the week.
Please let us know how you fared and what you thought of the puzzle.
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Toughie No 3744 by Elgar
Hints and Tips by crypticsue
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BD Rating – Toughie Difficulty ****** – Enjoyment *****
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Toughie No 3743 by Dharma
Hints and tips by ALP
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BD Rating – Toughie difficulty ** (ish) – Enjoyment *****
Sluggish start, Speedy Gonzales finish … once I’d refound my Dharma legs. Often the way with him, I find. Yet another belter – smart and fresh with just the right amount of chew. A few gentle gimmes to get you going and then some real meat. I thoroughly enjoyed this. The floor, as always, is yours.
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Toughie No 3742 by Weatherman
Hints and Tips by crypticsue
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BD Rating – Toughie Difficulty * – Enjoyment ***
Weatherman set us an enjoyable, not very difficult, Toughie, where the unknowns were fairly clued
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Sunday Toughie No 237 by Hudson
Full Review by Gazza
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This puzzle was published on 09/08/26
What a lovely surprise to find that Hudson has joined the ranks of the Sunday Toughie setters with this cracking puzzle.
Across Clues
1a Fish cut by sailor (8)
SKIPJACK: a verb to cut or skive off (school, say) and a common word (often followed by ‘tar’) for a sailor. Continue reading “Sunday Toughie No 237 (full review)”