Toughie No 3685 by Beam
Hints and tips by Whybird
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
We live in interesting and unusual times, that much is now clear, if it wasn’t already: Beam on a Tuesday? Whatever next? Anyway, whatever cosmic upheaval has brought this about, I am delighted that I have finally had the chance to blog one of his puzzles. Beam, initially in his back-page guise, and then in Toughie form, was the first setter whose individual style and craft I really started to understand and appreciate. Of course, that was back in the day when he was more verbose, with as many as 7 or 8 words a clue…
Having been working through backlog of Sunday Toughies, some featuring Beam in full-on Tough Toughie mode, I was worried about what I might face here, but he has been kind, whilst still giving us a challenge – notably parsing 5d, which was much harder than the solving part, and almost worth an extra difficulty star alone. All of the usual suspects are there (royalty, initials, sweethearts), just the innuendo lacking to spare my blushes at breakfast. Amongst many fine clues, I’m giving my prizes to 4d, 9d, 14d, 29a and 30a. Overall, another masterpiece in concise complexity! Thank you, Beam, for another excellent puzzle.
Please let us know how you fared and what you thought of the puzzle.
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Sunday Toughie No 224
by Beam
Hints and Tips by Sloop John Bee
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All the Beam trademarks and a little of the difficulty today. In the unlikely event of needing a hint, I have provided hints for eight of the fourteen across clues and seven of the sixteen down clues.
A sudden opportunity to have solar panels installed means a busy week in the Beehive. I will try to give an extra nudge or two in between trips to the skips and or coffee shop.
A selection of pics and music included may or may not be bonus hints
Here we go, Folks…
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Sunday Toughie No 221 by Beam
Review by Sloop John Bee
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This puzzle was published on the 19th of April 2026
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Toughie No 3674 by Beam
Hints and Tips by crypticsue
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BD Rating – Toughie Difficulty * – Enjoyment ***
A typical Beam crossword which only took a tiny bit longer to solve than one of his Thursday back pagers
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Sunday Toughie No 221
by Beam
Hints and Tips by Sloop John Bee
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I found this Toughie from Beam at the easier end of difficulty, but your experience may vary. I got an early start, as this was available at 23:18 last night, and although most of his trademark clues are here, we again have a slightly unusual Queen in 20d.
A generous 32 clues today and I have hinted half. I will try and give an extra nudge or two if required and able to do so.
Here we go, Folks…
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Sunday Toughie No 218 by Beam
Review by Sloop John Bee
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This puzzle was published on the 29th of March 2026
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Toughie No 3663 by Beam
Hints and tips by ALP
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BD Rating – Toughie difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***/****
Beam’s back with his usual flurry of synonyms, the Queen, a sweetheart, and – of course – no anagrams. Scant sauce though, so maybe he listened to Jane – of whom I know we are all thinking, especially having seen today’s latest update. Everything crossed.
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Sunday Toughie No 218
by Beam
Hints and Tips by Sloop John Bee
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Only slightly harder than the last from Beam, and that may be just due to losing an hour’s sleep last night. A typical Beam puzzle, well under 6 words per clue, single word answers, a variation on his usual sweetheart and an initial letters to finish.
A reminder to let me know if you are interested in the forthcoming Mid-Year Bash All are welcome, and it should be a good time.
14a and 14d clues today and I have hinted half, I hope you find the checkers to finish, but I will try and give a nudge or two if required/asked.
Here we go, Folks…
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Sunday Toughie No 215 by Beam
Review by Sloop John Bee
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This puzzle was published on the 8th of March 2026
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Sunday Toughie No 215
by Beam
Hints and Tips by Sloop John Bee
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Beam has provided a very pleasant and not too tough Toughie today. I was pleased to have something a little easier than last week’s, as no matter what tricks I used, I couldn’t get the puzzle until 00:10
Beam has brought us a generous and symmetric 16a and 16d clues today. When selecting the clues to hint, I found that the across selection was equally symmetric, so I let that guide an equally symmetric selection of downs. That may have left a few of the trickier clues unhinted, so I will endeavour to help with a bonus hint or two if you ask.
All the Beam™ trademarks are there, sweetheart, the Queen, single word answers and no anagrams. I spotted quite a few definitions by example? hence the question marks. I expect you will find the checkers to finish, as this was much more straightforward than last week.
Here we go, Folks…
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