Sparks – Big Dave's Crossword Blog

Toughie 3492

Toughie No 3492 by Sparks
Hints and tips by Gazza

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BD Rating – Difficulty ****/***** – Enjoyment ***

I found this puzzle pretty tricky and my copy of the BRB had to work overtime. I did enjoy the struggle – thanks to Sparks. I can’t find any Nina in the grid – can you?Thanks to Odrum who has found the Nina – see Comment #3. Continue reading “Toughie 3492”

Toughie 3444

Toughie No 3444 by Sparks
Hints and tips by Gazza

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BD Rating – Difficulty ***Enjoyment ***

Thanks to Sparks for the enjoyable Friday Toughie. He very often gives us something extra in the grid – I can’t see anything today (the only letters missing are J, Q, X and Z which are the four highest Scrabble scorers but I doubt whether that’s significant). Have you spotted anything?
Update: See the comment from Retiefus below – the Nina starts at the final character of 3d. Continue reading “Toughie 3444”

Toughie 3420

Toughie No 3420 by Sparks
Hints and tips by Gazza

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BD Rating – Difficulty ****Enjoyment ****

Sparks has provided an entertaining puzzle where some of the parsing took me some time – many thanks to him. He usually has something going on in the grid and today all of the 4-letter answers are reversed in symmetrical locations.
Continue reading “Toughie 3420”

Toughie 3388

Toughie No 3388 by Sparks
Hints and tips by Gazza

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BD Rating – Difficulty *****Enjoyment ***

Sparks has given us a pretty tricky double (thanks Huntman) pangram today – thanks to him. There are a few gimmes but most of the clues need some cogitation.
Continue reading “Toughie 3388”

Toughie 3372

Toughie No 3372 by Sparks
Hints and tips by Gazza

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BD Rating – Difficulty ***Enjoyment ***

As Friday Toughies go this was on the gentle side I thought. Sparks, as he often does, has included a couple of Ninas in the grid (see rows 1&3 and 13&15). Thanks to him.
Continue reading “Toughie 3372”

Toughie 3356

Toughie No 3356 by Sparks
Hints and tips by Gazza

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BD Rating – Difficulty ***Enjoyment ***

Thanks to Sparks for what I thought was relatively straightforward for a Friday Toughie. It’s a pangram.

Please leave a comment telling us how you fared and what you liked about the puzzle.
Continue reading “Toughie 3356”

Toughie 3300

Toughie No 3300 by Sparks
Hints and tips by Gazza

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BD Rating – Difficulty ***Enjoyment ****

We have an enjoyable puzzle from Sparks today. He normally includes something significant in the grid but I can’t spot anything (possibly due to the fact that I’m knackered after staying up most of the night watching the election coverage).  Thanks to him.

Please leave a comment telling us how you fared and what you liked about the puzzle.
Continue reading “Toughie 3300”