Toughie No 506 by Osmosis
Hints and tips by Tilsit
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BD Rating – Difficulty ***** – Enjoyment ***
Greetings from a wind and rain-lashed Calder Valley and a feeling-grotty Blogger.
Whether it’s the weather or my grottiness, but I didn’t enjoy this one quite as much as others by Osmosis, who is normally one of my favourite setters. I found it a bit of a slog rather than a challenge with a few weak, almost contrived clues on display rather than the usual elegant surface readings. There is still much to be admired in the puzzle and I have highlighted favourite clues in blue.
Continue reading “Toughie 506”
Toughie No 492 by Osmosis
Wheels within Wheels
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
Osmosis provides his usual complicated wordplay (though with fewer reversals than usual) but we have a full complement of x within y within z type clues. Apart from a suspect homophone I thought that it was very enjoyable.
I see that we’re approaching Toughie No. 500 which should appear on a Wednesday (lucky me!) – I wonder whether we’ll get an anniversary “special”.
Continue reading “Toughie 492”
Toughie No 100002 by Osmosis
Signs of the Times
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BD Rating – Difficulty **** – Enjoyment ****
I had a bit of a struggle fitting this one in between the roast turkey and the mince pies! An early solve of 8 across is highly desirable as all of the other across clues include a “symbol of 8”.
Just after I started this review, Gnomethang made me an offer I couldn’t refuse and will be writing the hints for the down clues.
Continue reading “Toughie 100002”
Toughie No 478 by Osmosis
Hints and tips by Tilsit
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BD Rating – Difficulty ***** – Enjoyment ****
As usual, the Friday Toughie is the hardest of the week, and today’s is certainly at the top end of that scale. There were some really excellent clues, and I confess to having a few wrong answers at first, due to guessing. I had a couple of hassles with the top right corner as I struggled with the wordplay.
I suppose we have been spoiled this week with Notabilis’ excellent puzzle on Wednesday because I felt I didn’t quite enjoy this as much. I thought 6d was a bit of a weak clue and a couple of others were to me less than satisfactory. I don’t like the way punctuation is sometimes used as a device to mislead, or produce a clever surface reading.
Continue reading “Toughie 478”
Toughie No 466 by Osmosis
Something fishy!
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BD Rating – Difficulty **** – Enjoyment *****
This was a struggle – but well worth the effort. A true Toughie from Osmosis with many of those penny-drop moments.
Continue reading “Toughie 466”
Toughie No 453 by Osmosis
Hints and tips by Bufo
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BD Rating – Difficulty ***** – Enjoyment ***
I made very hard work of this and feel obliged to give it 5 stars for difficulty. I don’t know whether it is that difficult or whether I was just out of sorts. After being stuck for quite a time I needed a second cup of tea to get the brain functioning again and then finished it fairly comfortably.
Continue reading “Toughie 453”
Toughie No 438 by Osmosis
Hints and tips by Tilsit
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BD Rating – Difficulty ***** – Enjoyment ***
Greetings from Calderdale’s Finest NHS Facility, where I have been holidaying since last Friday’s blog. As usual with the Toughie, the Friday puzzle is the toughest of the week and with Osmosis, it’s usually one of the toughest of all. However, one or two clues today left me a bit cold, and seemed forced rather than O’s normal excellent surface reading. In addition there were a couple where the clue was forced to produce a good surface reading, which spoils the enjoyment for me. That turned the puzzle into a bit of a slog and I was relieved rather than satisfied after solving it.
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Toughie No 426 by Osmosis
The Grumpy Old Man Reloaded
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment **
I have enjoyed many previous puzzles from Osmosis, but I found this one to be a bit of a slog for little reward.
Continue reading “Toughie 426”
Toughie No 412 by Osmosis
Less is More
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ***
Although I do enjoy doing Osmosis puzzles, I think that his trademark type of clue, where the answer has to be built from lots of small bits with single letters being either added or removed, can be a bit overdone. What do you think? Tell us in a comment, and please remember to click on one of the stars at the bottom to show much you enjoyed it.
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Toughie No 398 by Osmosis
C’mon Everybody!
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BD Rating – Difficulty **** – Enjoyment ****
Greetings from Calderdale Hospital once more, my second home. I was rushed here yesterday following advice from NHS Direct the previous evening that nothing was wrong and to take two Paracetamol and go to bed.
I logged in at midnight to tackle today’s challenge and found it quite stern and well up to the usual Osmosis standard. Luckily I finished his recent Independent challenge only the other day and was able to lock in to the tight standard of cluemanship with beautifully concealed definitions. I still found it a good workout.
As usual the answers are concealed between the squiggly brackets and you can highlight them with your mouse if you get stuck. Feel free to comment after the blog and of course you can rate the puzzle with the star system. Clues I really liked are highlighted in blue.
Continue reading “Toughie 398”