Toughie No 3461 by Chalicea
Hints and tips by ALP
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BD Rating – Difficulty * – Enjoyment ***/****
Very, very gentle from Chalicea today. No exotic fabric, no (thank goodness) periodic table – just a fun spatter of botany and Greek.… Continue reading
Toughie No 3445 by Chalicea
Hints and tips by ALP
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BD Rating – Difficulty * – Enjoyment **/*** – Vocab ***
Lumme, Chalicea has been quintessentially Chalicea today, working her magic dictionary – and my app-scrolling thumb – hard.… Continue reading
Enigmatic Variations 1683 (Hints)
Parking Offence by Chalicea
Hints and tips by Gabriel
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Chalicea is another prolific setter encountered in all the usual places. For instance, in the Magpie series where she invariably sets at the A-grade level. This typically indicates fewer degrees of freedom and an accessible endgame that doesn’t suffer from GWIT (“guess what I’m thinking”). This puzzle is no exception.
In true Phibs style, I told Gemini: “in a thematic crossword puzzle, we are asked to identify a parking offence and the person performing it” to which they responded laconically with:
“Offence: OVERTIME
Person: METERFEEDER (someone adding money to extend time)”.
Was that helpful? You decide.
Continue reading “EV 1683 (Hints)”
Toughie No 3421 by Chalicea
Hints and tips by ALP
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BD Rating – Difficulty * – Enjoyment **/***
Chalicea’s back with her magic (South African, Scandi and Scots today) dictionary, a couple of semicolons and even a bonus Quickie clue (19d).… Continue reading
Toughie No 3393 by Chalicea
Hints and tips by ALP
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BD Rating – Difficulty * – Enjoyment ***/****
Huzzah! I predict total agreement for once. That must be a first.… Continue reading
Toughie No 3365 by Chalicea
Hints and tips by ALP
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BD Rating – Difficulty * – Enjoyment ***
Very light indeed. I think, for once, we can all agree on a difficulty rating.… Continue reading
Toughie No 3349 by Chalicea
Hints and tips by ALP
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BD Rating – Difficulty * – Enjoyment ***/****
This was very jolly, extremely brisk and rather generous.
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Toughie No 3325 by Chalicea
Hints and tips by ALP
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BD Rating – Difficulty * – Enjoyment ***
Chalicea’s magic dictionary gets a well-earned rest this week with only 9a and 12d needing Chamberchecks.
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Toughie No 3305 by Chalicea
Hints and tips by ALP
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BD Rating – Difficulty * – Enjoyment ***
It’s always grand to see Chalicea back on a Tuesday and she’s been quite sparing with her magic dictionary today, with just a splodge of Spanish, a dash of second-string definitions and, of course, a fourth stomach.
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Toughie No 3285 by Chalicea
Hints and tips by ALP
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BD Rating – Difficulty * – Enjoyment ***/****
A warm welcome back to Chalicea who’s been remarkably sparing with her magic dictionary today.
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