Putting the words to lights – crossword clues explained in plain English
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
You can rely on Silvanus for precise cluing, and this puzzle is no exception. I particularly like the discovery as to how the answer to 2 Down could be derived and the anagram at 21 Across. Continue reading “Toughie 2339”
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Silvanus seems very much at home in this Tuesday slot. This is another excellent puzzle with a wide variety of different clues all making for a pleasurable, if brief, solve. Continue reading “Toughie 2319”
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
Tuesday’s have become an excellent day in Toughieland, and this puzzle from our own Silvanus is no exception. No particular favourites, and the Spoonerism was the only groan. Continue reading “Toughie 2303”
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
Silvanus has, for me at least, upped the difficulty level while maintaining the enjoyment. There were several clues that caused me to dig deeper than usual, especially the deceptive 8d which was my last one. Continue reading “Toughie 2287”
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
There are several features you will always find in a Silvanus puzzle – immaculate cluing, a variety of different clue types and scrupulous attention to detail, to name but three. Together these go to make up a very enjoyable puzzle. Continue reading “Toughie 2271”
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BD Rating – Difficulty **/*** – Enjoyment ****
It took me a little while to get going on this one but once I’d established a base camp in the SW corner it all proceeded in a serene fashion with no great problems. It’s very enjoyable with smooth clues throughout as we’ve come to expect from this setter. Thanks Silvanus. Continue reading “Toughie 2256”
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Kitty is taking a break from blogging (not too long we hope) so I’ve been drafted in for a one-off Tuesday matinee.… Continue reading
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
Hi all. Another very pleasant puzzle from Silvanus to get the four-day week of Toughies underway. And a four-day weekend to look forward to as well! I’m not quite sure how to rate the difficulty because most of it yielded easily, but there were a couple of stragglers and one (17d) which stubbornly refused to budge: I stared at for a few minutes at the end, teased by the helpful-looking checking letters, before giving in to temptation and using the Chambers app.
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Hello! As March marches on, so does Silvanus: he’s back with another Tuesday Toughie. My experience of it was pretty much identical to that with his last, so if you enjoyed that one, then this comes recommended.
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Happy Chinese New Year! Seven days since last Tuesday, it’s reassuring to find that today is a Tuesday, and all is as usual. It’s less usual to see Silvanus in this slot – a first in fact, as his previous two Toughies were published later in the week – but I expect that could change. I found it not overly tricky, but by no means an escaped back-pager. Meanwhile, if I’d had any doubts about what enjoyment rating to give, the plaudits over on the back page blog have decided it! Indeed, I noted an unusually high number of clues as favourites.