Albie Fiore
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Tilsit mentioned recently that Albie, known in crosswordland as Taupi and Satori, had passed away.
Toughie 201
Toughie No 201 by Cephas
Wednesday’s Child is Full of Woe
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment *
Maybe it is something to do with seeing that black cat chasing a magpie while I was walking under a ladder yesterday. For whatever reason I seem to have been unlucky with the Toughie today. We have a number of cryptic definitions, which, not to beat about the bush, are pretty woeful, and we have several clues where the word order has been manipulated to try to improve the surface reading.
Am I being unfair? Perhaps you loved it – please leave us a comment! And please record a vote for how much you enjoyed it by clicking on one of the stars at the bottom.
DT 26011
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26011
Hints and tips by Big Dave
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment **
This is an easy puzzle, which should leave you plenty of time to tackle today’s Toughie from Cephas, our regular Saturday setter. This week there is no surfeit of cryptic definitions, but you do find yourself expecting that if it isn’t an anagram then it might be a hidden word!
You can add your assessment by selecting from one to five stars at the bottom of the post.
Toughie 200
Toughie No 200 by Citrus
Opportunity didn’t knock!
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ***
I was expecting something special from this Toughie, but what I got was a puzzle in which the difficulty only came from obscure words and a particularly tricky wordplay.
DT 26010
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26010
Brush Up on your (Word) Sums!
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ***
Thanks to Gazza for stepping in at short notice yesterday when I remembered that I had a hospital appointment and realised that even I was mortal and couldn’t cram 15 hours of things to do into 45 minutes.
Quite an entertaining puzzle today and a bit of a challenge. The clues were well-written and nicely misleading, and it took me a little longer than I would have liked. There was nothing too taxing in there but a few clues just required a bit more thought than on a Monday. Mostly word-sum types clue, as well.
As usual, your comments are welcomed at the end of the blog, and you can rate the puzzle by clicking on the star system with your rating, It is a bit of fun and reflects how people are feeling at that point. Newer posters should note that first posts take a little while to appear while they are moderated, just to prevent spammers from gumming up the works.
DT 26009
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26009
Hints and tips by Gazza
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ***
Tilsit has a hospital appointment this morning, so I am, as the DJs say, sitting in for him, and he will reciprocate tomorrow.
The Monday Maestro has produced another puzzle with plenty of cryptic definitions to keep us amused. Let us know how you rate it by clicking on one of the stars at the bottom. As always we’d love to get your comments.
ST 2497 – Hints
Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2497 – Hints
Selected hints by Big Dave
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
I really look forward to Sunday’s puzzle every week. Excellent surface reading has become a characteristic.
At the bottom of the post you will see an array of five stars – use these to give your assessment of the puzzle. Five stars if you thought it was great, one if you hated it, four, three or two if it was somewhere in between.
For the weekend prize crosswords I will select a few of the better clues and provide hints for them. A full analysis of this puzzle will be available at 12.00 next Friday, 21st August.
DT 26008 – Hints
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26008 – Hints
Selected hints by Big Dave
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment: ***
You still need to keep your atlas handy for the Saturday puzzle, but at least there are none of those girls’ names to contend with.
If you are using CluedUp today, the quick crossword is a little tricky to find. The one offered up is actually last Sunday’s Quick GK 108, but if you go to the main puzzles screen and click the right arrow, you will find Q 26008.
Don’t forget that you can give your assessment of the puzzle. Five stars if you thought it was great, one if you hated it, four, three or two if it was somewhere in between.
As is usual for the weekend prize crosswords, I will select a few of the better clues and provide hints for them. Peter Biddlecombe’s full review of this puzzle will be published at 12.00 on Thursday, 20th August.
ST 2496 – Review
Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2496 – Review
A crossword for connoisseurs ~ a full analysis by Big Dave
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
Another excellent puzzle with good surface reading throughout. A few minor quibbles, which are detailed below.
At the bottom of the post you will see an array of five stars – use these to give your assessment of the puzzle. Five stars if you thought it was great, one if you hated it, four, three or two if it was somewhere in between.
Toughie 199
Toughie No 199 by Elgar
Paradise Lost?
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BD Rating – Difficulty **** – Enjoyment ****
Regular followers of the blog will know that I am a fully paid-up member of the Elgar fan club. While, in general, I enjoyed the puzzle, I thought that the wordplay on a few of the clues crossed over that elusive line between fair and unfair. I will be very interested to know what you thought, especially if you have a different interpretation of any of the wordplays.