Toughie No 2519 by Serpent
Hints and tips by Gazza
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BD Rating – Difficulty ***/**** – Enjoyment ***
There’s some complicated wordplay here (which I enjoyed winkling out).… Continue reading
Category: Serpent
Toughie 2495
Toughie No 2495 by Serpent
Hints and tips by Gazza
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BD Rating – Difficulty **/*** – Enjoyment ****
This is just the sort of puzzle I like – no gimmicks, no obscurities just clever wordplay and deceptive definitions.… Continue reading
Toughie 2463
Toughie No 2463 by Serpent
Hints and tips by Gazza
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
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There’s not a lot to worry the horses today, though I couldn’t see any reason for the capital letters in 22a and 18d. |
Toughie 2439
Toughie No 2439 by Serpent
Hints and tips by Gazza
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
It was only when I was checking my full grid for a possible pangram (which seemed a probability with all the high-scoring Scrabble letters present) that I realised that what we actually have here is a lipogram where our most common letter is notable by its absence.… Continue reading
Toughie 2423
Toughie No 2423 by Serpent
Hints and tips by Gazza
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
Thanks to Serpent for a fun puzzle where the difficulties come from tricky wordplay rather than obscure vocabulary (just the way I like them).… Continue reading
Toughie 2406
Toughie No 2406 by Serpent
Hints and tips by Big Dave
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BD Rating – Difficulty **** – Enjoyment *
I’m sorry Serpent, but when there are several clues where your reaction on solving is to suck on your teeth rather than to smile then that usually means that you haven’t enjoyed the puzzle, which was the case for me here. I hope others enjoyed it more than I did. Continue reading “Toughie 2406”
Toughie 2386
Toughie No 2386 by Serpent
Hints and tips by Big Dave
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment **
I am not a fan of obscure words, like the potpourri in 15d, but at least it was clued unambiguously so the alternative spelling, which involved its unchecked final letter, was not an issue. I am even less keen on the use of foreign words in UK puzzles, particularly like the swede in 17d, which lacked any indication of it being American. Continue reading “Toughie 2386”
Toughie 2367
Toughie No 2367 by Serpent
Hints and tips by Gazza
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BD Rating – Difficulty */** – Enjoyment **
In some ways I was quite pleased to get a gentle puzzle today as I’m recovering from a severe bout of manflu.… Continue reading
Toughie 2347
Toughie No 2347 by Serpent
Hints and tips by crypticsue
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BD Rating – Difficulty **** – Enjoyment ****
BD has something nice to attend today and his stand-in blogger has a family emergency, so I’m the stand in’s stand in again.… Continue reading
Toughie 2323
Toughie No 2323 by Serpent
Hints and tips by Big Dave
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment **
Today not only does Atrica become our 26th setter to graduate to the national press with a puzzle in The Independent but also Serpent, known here as Skipjack, becomes our third graduate , after eXternal / proXimal and Silvanus, to join the ranks of Toughie setters. Continue reading “Toughie 2323”