Toughie No 1344 by Sparks
Hints and tips by Big Dave
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BD Rating – Difficulty ***** – Enjoyment *****
How nice it is to have a proper Toughie.… Continue reading
Category: Sparks
Sparks is the name used by Mark Kelmanson for Toughies. He is known elsewhere as Monk (M on K, his initials)
Toughie 1331
Toughie No 1331 by Sparks
That’s more like a Toughie
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BD Rating – Difficulty **** – Enjoyment ****
A very good puzzle that gave the brain plenty of exercise.… Continue reading
Toughie 1316
Toughie No 1316 by Sparks
Season’s Greetings from the Blog that Never Sleeps
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BD Rating – Difficulty **** – Enjoyment *****
We have often complained that setters wear their pink fluffy slippers when setting for the Toughie series.… Continue reading
Toughie 1293
Toughie No 1293 by Sparks
Hiding too much, or vice versa
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
I enjoyed this puzzle from Sparks, in spite of the reservations expressed below.
Toughie 1275
Toughie No 1275 by Sparks
Land A-Hoy!
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
Thanks to Sparks for an entertaining puzzle quite fitting for a mid-week Toughie. There were several answers that were new to me (the Nobel Laureate, the beatnik, the Far-Eastern boat, the landlord and the stroke) but all of them were clued so well that they didn’t pose great problems.
There is a Nina and, unusually for me, I spotted it without any prompting. I’ve explained it at the bottom of the review so that those who haven’t already found it can search for it before scrolling down, if they wish. Suffice to say here that we now have a good idea where Sparks spent his Summer holidays!
Continue reading “Toughie 1275”
Toughie 1259
Toughie No 1259 by Sparks
Please, Ladies – No Hertrionics!
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BD Rating – Difficulty **** – Enjoyment ****
Thanks to Sparks for a thoroughly enjoyable puzzle. I’ve bumped the difficulty rating up from three to four stars purely on account of the time I spent trying to come up with a better explanation for 16a.
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Toughie 1241
Toughie No 1241 by Sparks
Neat Footwork
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BD Rating – Difficulty **** – Enjoyment ****
Thanks to Sparks for an enjoyable puzzle producing a number of d’oh moments.
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Toughie 1225
Toughie No 1225 by Sparks
Serendipity
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
I found this Toughie to be comparatively easy but very entertaining.
Toughie 1203
Toughie No 1203 by Sparks
What the Deuce?
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BD Rating – Difficulty **** – Enjoyment ***
I was slow getting a foothold in this one and after that my progress was steady rather than swift – in other words I thought it was a proper Toughie. Thanks to Sparks for the enjoyable challenge.
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Toughie 1185
Toughie No 1185 by Sparks
Hints and tips by Fred and Ginger
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
Greetings from the Calder Valley! Sparks has stormed in today with a puzzle that is an enjoyable solve and not too taxing.
Continue reading “Toughie 1185”