Testimonials
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Over the life of this site we have received many testimonials – here are just a few.
A very grateful thank you to Big Dave and his bloggers for allowing novices to enter the delightful world of crossword puzzles without feeling like complete numpties. IMHO there’s far too much exclusion in crossword land and not nearly enough inclusion. Like many things in this life crossword skills require diligence, practice and familiarity with convention – so actually not much different from other types of skill. The delight of Big Dave’s blog is that it is so tolerant of mixed abilities and SO good humoured. Nary a harsh word anytime and it does exactly what it says on the tin – crossword clues in PLAIN ENGLISH. Why would one want anything less?
Have developed an interest in cryptic crosswords in the past 10 months. I’m improving all the time, but more that, I am enjoying the crosswords and seeing where I have missed a clue or taken a nutmeg in no small measure thanks to this website. It’s a fun website.
Thank-you.
I have just found this site after Googling a whole question from the Daily Telegraphs cryptic crossword. I have always wondered how these puzzles were done and now I’m hoping that with a little help from this site I will be able to tackle them. Thank you for putting this site together.
I have struggled to do the cryptics for about a year. Only just discovered this site. Thank you BD for showing me how to read the clues-life is getting better and who knows, maybe I’ll complete one soon.
I have been an avid DT back pager (when it’s on the back page) fan for more years than I care to remember. Only recently stumbled across this blog and I must tip my hat to the regular contributors (especially those that supply visual clues) as sometimes the old grey matter needs a bit of assistance. Keep up the good work!.
i just want to say how happy I am that I stumbled across this website when I started attempting the Telegraph Cryptic at the beginning of lockdown. I was cheating all over the internet and then found you (who is Big Dave 44?), which offered me clues to the clues in an easy, functional format. It has really helped me improve as time goes on. I still have to click for the answer many times but doing that at least helps me work backwards and I am telling myself that I am clicking less! Thank you to everyone that contributes. I, for one, am finding my lockdown mornings more pleasant now that I can avoid reading the news over breakfast.
I found your site address from a Sunday Telegraph article and what a find! Some years ago my husband and I used to tackle the DT crosswords together and we became quite pleased with our efforts, solving most of the back page crosswords. Then life got in the way and we gradually stopped trying to solve them. Unfortunately my husband has memory problems now and although he can solve Sudoku problems the cryptic crosswords are mostly beyond him. Since we have become online readers of the DT, I have returned to trying to solve the puzzles. At first I was disappointed with my efforts and thought that I was not in tune with the more modern setters. I was reduced to using the solve button and trying to work out the logic behind the clues I could not get.
Now I have your wonderful site to help and after 3days I find that if I get help with the across clues I can manage the down ones. Progress indeed. So thank you very much to you and all the other helpers it will make our long term isolation more enjoyable.
Best wishes and keep well
Thanks to Big Dave for teaching me how to complete a cryptic crossword – It’s a huge help to us learners…..as are all the comments. I’m now completely hooked!
Your help is really appreciated. When I retired 12 years ago I didn’t understand cryptic crosswords. Now, thanks largely to your site I am fairly competent and loving the pastime.
I have bought a number of “how to solve cryptic crossword “ books over the years, but this blog has been more helpful to me than any of them.
I’m enormously grateful to Big Dave and his helpers for the the guidance they provide daily.
I love Big Dave’s blog. He has taken me from being able to fill in a couple of clues to being able to complete the Telegraph crossword. I still rely on him daily to explain the clues I have answered by fair means or foul. I get such pleasure from finishing a puzzle. Big Dave, you are my hero! Xxx
I really do love this blog – it has unlocked the gate to crossword satisfactionville and has finally justified my decision to subscribe to DT. Many,many thanks
Many thanks for a great site which has certainly helped train my brain.
I don’t actually ‘read’ the Telegraph very often as I’m not fond of the politics, but it is the only cryptic crossword I have a hope of completing and therefore I buy it everyday. I’m often half a dozen clues short and have to say it is only because of checking your site out that I have progressed and continue to buy the Telegraph.
I have several friends and colleagues who are now Telegraph cryptic addicts and again, this is purely down to your site, so I thank you profusely. Occasionally I don’t understand a contributors explanation, so it would be good to ask the site directly.
Thankyou for your site which, quite literally, has changed my life and allowed me to progress in the crossword world.
I started doing crosswords at Easter and have just finished yesterday’s puzzle, my first ever completion! To say that I’m thrilled is an understatement. Am still getting the hang of the different types of clues, but have a real sense of accomplishment.
Really enjoyed this level of difficulty for once and learnt a lot again and surprised myself at actually working out the majority of answers.
Two months ago prior to joining this blog would probably have managed to complete about a quarter.
Only a week will tell but I think I may have just completed my first Telegraph Cryptic. I just wanted to thank all those who have helped me by unravelling the clues on this site over the last few months.
Once upon a time I lived in London with my parents. My mother (and her father) were keen clever solvers of The Times and she taught me in the same way as you have done. I remember – “They are roofless in Castile” Answer “Incas” and the thrill of discovering that orchestra was an anagram of carthorse.
Then in 1958, aged 18, I broke my neck and was treated by Guttmann in Stoke Mandeville Hospital. Life changed and I qualified as a solicitor and worked in Winchester. Retired at 55 for health reasons. Now in a wheelchair and very immobile. Met a couple 5 years ago at the Anvil Concert hall in Basingstoke and discovered that they were regular and good solvers of the DT cryptic. Then discovered you who explained so many things e.g. why OR can means privates.
Now the crossword is the thrill of my housebound life. Always finish with 40 minutes average. I owe you so much. Thank you to you and yours.
I recently reached seventy and having been looking at the Daily Telegraph cryptic crossword for years with little progress. My first break through was recognising anagrams but since then I never seemed to improve despite buying all the “How to solve Cryptic Crossword Books”. It is only since I have discovered your blog have I made true progress and what a pleasure and satisfaction it has given me. Thank you. From your Link tab I found Ben’s Den which is most help full for solving long phrases and my Chambers Crossword Dictionary 3rd edition I find indispensable. I also use Chambers on my iPhone.
I enjoy the fun of prizing out the answer and laughing out loud at the ingenuity of some clues when the answer leaps out. Thank you again for your excellent blog and the pleasure it brings.
I’m facing retirement and am determined to crack cryptic crosswords. Your hints allowed me to complete my first crossword. I’m so grateful (and smug)!
Created 16th May 2012
Since coming across this website about a year ago, I enjoy reading it having done the back pager after tea. Often need some of the hints, but even if not it, is a joy to read other people’s comments.
This is a lovely friendly website – a mutually caring community where courtesy is the order of the day. What a pleasant change. Long may it continue. Keep up the good work!