Toughie No 618 by Firefly
Crossword TV by Tilsit and Big Dave
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BD Rating – Difficulty **** – Enjoyment ****
Greetings from the Calder Valley! I’m demob-happy and off on my jollies to the Lakes tomorrow, and as I have to run around getting things sorted out for me to thrive up there, today’s blog will be a two-hander with BD helping out with the Downs. Thanks to our host for helping out when I realised there aren’t enough hours in the day.
Today we have a puzzle from Firefly which is similar to one I set in the NTSPP puzzle slot a while back in that it is based on a type of puzzle called Theme and Variations, where there is a theme, often not to be found in the puzzle and then a number of answers that relate to the theme in different ways, which means there’s usually no definition in those clues. These require a little solving readjustment as the clue as a whole is actually either made up of indications. And so it is here today with Firefly’s enjoyable puzzle which has eight answers where as you solve it you will find there are four that are one interpretation of the theme and the remainder another. I did spend a bit of time trying to put the answers into pairs as I solved them, but realised I wasn’t barking up quite the right tree.
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Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2601
A full review by Crypticsue
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BD Rating – Difficulty */** – Enjoyment ***
After two weeks of puzzles with messages and themes, Virgilius returns to a straightforward yet beautifully crafted example of a Sunday prize puzzle.  Didn’t take me long but I did enjoy myself, my top favourite being 19d although my ‘also-rans’ are highlighted in blue too.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26635
Hints and tips by Gazza
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ***
Today we have the usual entertaining puzzle from Giovanni (I presume, although it’s a bit low on the trademark religious references and the answer to 1a could conceivably be a hint to a different setter). Let us know how you liked it in a comment.
If my hints leave you frustrated and you still need to see an answer just highlight the space between the brackets under the relevant clue.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26630
A full review by Big Dave (and mainly Prolixic but not Gnomethang)
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Toughie No 617 by Shamus
Hints and tips by Bufo
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ***
This week I wasn’t on the setter’s wavelength and so struggled more than I should have done.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26634
Hints and tips by Big Dave
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
The long-awaited Thursday puzzle from Ray T has arrived – enjoy (I certainly did).
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Toughie No 616 by Excalibur
Rubber Chicken’s on The Menu
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment **
What a difference 24 hours makes. Yesterday I had a superb cryptic puzzle to blog and today I have a Toughie which (how can I say this without offending?) lacks sparkle. You may agree or you may have found it dazzling and stimulating – in either case give us your view in a comment.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26633
Hints and tips by pommers
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
Hello from the Vega Baja. Once more we have a Wednesday puzzle that’s not too difficult but with 2 or 3 clues to keep you on your toes! Possibly a bit heavy on clues involving anagrams (not my favourites as you probably know by now). Somehow I thought this was a bit ‘flat’ for a Jay puzzle but maybe that’s just me! As for star ratings – I’ve given 2* based on my personal solving time. If you post a comment please leave your own star rating and at about 1700BST I’ll average the lot and see what you guys think of it compared to me.
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Toughie No 615 by Messinae
Hints and tips by Big Dave
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Although not too difficult (for me it took less time than today’s back-page puzzle), this was very enjoyable.
Continue reading “Toughie 615”
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26632
Hints and tips by Gazza
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment *****
What a lovely surprise! We have a superb puzzle today, a breath of fresh air chock-full of excellent and amusing clues. Even without the big hint at 20a I would have guessed that one of our newest Toughie setters has graduated to the back page. If the Telegraph Puzzles Editor is reading this, could I stress the need to keep this setter for Tuesdays. 
If you want to see an answer just highlight the space between the brackets under the relevant clue.
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