Toughie No 860 by Elkamere
Ho Ho Ho!
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
Today we have the usual witty and very entertaining offering from Elkamere. It’s not as tricky as some puzzles from his alter ego Anax but it’s ideal for a Wednesday and it’s very nearly, but not quite, a pangram.
Please leave a comment telling us how you got on and also take the time to click on one of the stars below to record your level of enjoyment.
I’ve used BD’s new method of hiding the answers today – I hope it works.
Continue reading “Toughie 860”
Toughie 842 by Elkamere
A little of what you fancy
by Antony and Cleopatra
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty ****/***** – Enjoyment *****
Tilsit being sadly hors de combat again, we have emerged from the desert to blog this fine Toughie from Elkamere. The perfect level of difficulty, with some splendid wordplay, some of which actually required both of us to work out what he was on about.
Continue reading “Toughie 842”
Toughie No 828 by Elkamere
‘ighly ‘umorous
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
We may have the reason why MynoT’s ‘G Spot’ puzzle was scheduled yesterday in this very entertaining Elkamere offering, because this one features the next letter in the alphabet. If you haven’t noticed just run your eye down the outer columns of the grid (as hinted at in 5d). At the time of posting the Telegraph on-line site is showing Elkamere as being tomorrow’s setter as well, so I wonder if that will be ‘I-spy’ day (or it could just be an error!). [Update: Elkamere has now been removed as tomorrow’s setter so it probably was an error]
Do let us know how you got on and please take the time to rate the puzzle for enjoyment by clicking on one of the stars below.
Continue reading “Toughie 828”
Toughie No 813 by Elkamere
Simply the best
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty **** – Enjoyment *****
Bufo is away today, so thanks to Digby for stepping in to review today’s other puzzle, freeing me up to do this one. And what a good week this is – with Micawber and Beam already and Notabilis, who leaked the info on Facebook following Tuesday’s mix-up, tomorrow. We have occasionally referred to Elkamere as being Anax-lite, but not today. This is the third example this week of a true Toughie. By no means impossible, but out-of-the-box thinking is advisable.
Continue reading “Toughie 813”
Toughie No 797 by Elkamere
Hints and tips by Bufo
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ***
A fairly gentle Elkamere puzzle today which provided a steady solve with no hold-ups.
Continue reading “Toughie 797”
Toughie No 784 by Elkamere
A proper little Toughie?
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
No, I’ve not blogged the wrong puzzle by mistake! Gazza thought I might be at a loose end with Pommette being away so offered me the chance to do my first Toughie blog. I couldn’t refuse but it’s been a bit like sailing ‘Firenze’ across the Irish Sea in a force 8 gale – I could do it but I’m not sure I really needed the stress! The date is quite apposite for my first Toughie blog though – it’s the anniversary of D-Day! Oh well, Once more into the Bleach!
Today Elkamere has given us a middling difficulty Toughie with some fine clues. Due to a bout of on-the-day blogger’s panic I didn’t enjoy it as much as I should have done but it grew on me as I was writing the review. It probably deserves the fourth star just for 1a.
Continue reading “Toughie 784”
Toughie No 768 by Elkamere
We’ll Take That As Red
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty ***– Enjoyment ****
We have a very entertaining puzzle from Elkamere, but with one clue which is bound to infuriate half of the solvers (to be fair Elkamere has made its wordplay about as easy as he could). There is a mini-theme relating to alcohol. I enjoyed it a lot – how about you?
Continue reading “Toughie 768”
Toughie No 757 by Elkamere
Hints and tips by Bufo
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty **** – Enjoyment ****
This was trickier than I thought it was going to be. I made reasonable progress until I stalled in the NE corner and the time I spent finishing it off pushed the puzzle into the 4* difficulty level.
Continue reading “Toughie 757”
Toughie No 740 by Elkamere
Your Starter for Ten …
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ***
We have a pleasant and enjoyable mid-week Toughie from Elkamere with plenty of his usual penny-drop moments.
Do let us know how you got on and please click on one of the stars below to register your enjoyment factor.
Continue reading “Toughie 740”
Toughie No 724 by Elkamere
And so say all of us
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
If you’ve read the blog in the last week or so you can’t have failed to notice the celebrations around the eightieth birthday of our regular back-page setter, Rufus. Well today is the actual day and Elkamere has produced a superb tribute packed with references to his life and many accomplishments. I’ve tried to point out the references but if I’ve missed any I’m sure you’ll let me know.
Please tell us what you thought of the puzzle and take the time to record your enjoyment factor by clicking on one of the stars below.
Continue reading “Toughie 724”