Toughie No 3699 by Karla
Hints and tips by ALP
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BD Rating – Toughie difficulty * – Enjoyment ***
Bloggers have to keep their wits about them tackling Karla. Not necessarily because of the wordplay – which is very straightforward today – but because he often hides a subtle Le Carré-flavoured Nina in the grid. Well, I can’t really spot one of those. Perhaps you can? But … there is a four-letter word (plus “set” and, possibly, “it”) running diagonally from the top left corner which, when anagrammed with 1a’s second letter, should/could give you summat. I may, of course, be reaching. I briefly thought, on clocking 14d, that Smiley might be making an appearance, but the last three letters of the crossing 18a don’t quite get you there – unless you play with them. We’ve also got a flurry of names – Enid, Charlie, Juliet, Victor, Seal (possibly), Vogue, Oscar and Cindy – but it’s certainly not a band I recognise! The floor, as ever, is yours.
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Toughie No 3679 by Karla
Hints and tips by ALP
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BD Rating – Toughie difficulty */** – Enjoyment ****/*****
Great fun from Karla today. Pretty friendly, I’d say, for a Thursday and no harm in that on a beautifully sunny day. Nowt that’s remotely obscure – the only arguably less-than-everyday 5d is served up on a plate. Smart, gettable wordplay and some well-worked, credible surfaces. Very enjoyable. All yours.
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Toughie No 3652 by Karla
Hints and tips by Gazza
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
Karla has upped the difficulty level a bit since his last Toughie but this is still pretty accessible and it’s very enjoyable. Many thanks to him.
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Toughie No 3628 by Karla
Hints and tips by Gazza
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Thanks to Karla for an entertaining and not too tricky puzzle.
I am hoping to see many of you at Bridge House tomorrow.
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Toughie No 3604 by Karla
Hints and tips by Gazza
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
This is fairly gentle for a Friday Toughie but very enjoyable – thanks to Karla.
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Toughie No 3580 by Karla
Hints and tips by Gazza
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
In a comment on his last Toughie blog Karla promised to stiffen things up in his next Toughie offering – he’s been as good as his word though this puzzle is still pretty accessible as well as being very enjoyable. Thanks to him.
I remembered to look for a Nina this time but I can’t find one – can you?
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Toughie No 3556 by Karla
Hints and tips by Gazza
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
This is pretty gentle for a Friday Toughie but very enjoyable. Many thanks to Karla.
Please leave a comment telling us how you fared and what you liked about the puzzle.
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Toughie No 3532 by Karla
Hints and tips by Gazza
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
Karla has given us a fairly straightforward but very enjoyable puzzle today. Thanks to him.
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Toughie No 3508 by Karla
Hints and tips by Gazza
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
Karla’s not too tricky today with no obscurities and is very enjoyable – many thanks to him. I can’t spot a Nina – can you?
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Toughie No 3484 by Karla
Hints and tips by Gazza
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
Thanks to Karla for a puzzle that’s not too tricky (for a Friday) and very entertaining.
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