Big Dave's Crossword Blog – Page 1292 – Putting the words to lights – crossword clues explained in plain English

DT 26690 (Hints)

by tilsit  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26690 (Hints)

The Saturday Crossword Club

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Greetings from Calderdale’s finest NHS holiday camp. I have just escaped the Matron for half an hour to return the favour that Big Dave did for me yesterday

It’s Saturday and here’s today’s Prize Puzzle, As usual, no answers and a few hints. A pleasant enough solver from our Mystery Setter (don’t think it’s Cephas) and I don’t think too many will be taxed by it. Have a great weekend and if you do finish this, have a look at the NTSPP puzzle going up in a wee while.

Many thanks to Phil McNeill for providing today’s puzzle, which can be downloaded from the previous post.

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Toughie 654

by Big Dave  

Toughie No 654 by Elgar

Parlez-Vous Franglais?

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

Tilsit has been dragged from the drainpipe in which he was hiding after being shot at by NATO warplanes and detained somewhere in the desert, so you’ve got me again! The hardest part of this puzzle was unravelling some of the wordplay, which was not helped by the error in the published clue for 14a/16a.

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ST 2610

by crypticsue  

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2610

A full review by Crypticsue

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

This excellent Sunday Virgilius just sneaks into 3* difficulty territory because of the problems I had with why the solution to 6d was what it was (I wasn’t alone!) and the slightly longer solving time, not to mention one application of Tippex!   I still can’t make up my mind whether it’s 3* or 4* enjoyment but it was definitely a great start to Sunday morning however many stars it gets.

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DT 26689

by Gazza  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26689

Hints and tips by Gazza

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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***

I didn’t think that this was one of Giovanni’s more challenging puzzles, but it may come as a bit of a relief to some after yesterday’s effort. I’ve written this with one eye on the TV – hard luck, Wales (if only they’d remembered to pack their kicking boots!), we’ll have to wait for 2015 now.
If you want to see an answer just highlight the space between the brackets under the relevant clue.

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DT 26684

by gnomethang  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26684

A full review by gnomethang

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BD Rating –Difficulty ** – Enjoyment **

Morning All! This was a very straightforward puzzle, a fact borne out by my solving time. Absolutely nothing wrong with it but I felt there was not too much to stir the chuckle-muscles..

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Toughie 653

by bufo  

Toughie No 653 by Elkamere

Hints and tips by Bufo

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

I was pleased to get an Elkamere today and it turned out to be a proper Toughie which was most enjoyable and most challenging. I filled the left-hand side in without too much difficulty but it took me a long time to get a decent toehold in the right-hand side.

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