Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31113
Hints and tips by Shabbo
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
Good morning, fellow puzzlers, and season’s greetings to you all.
I found this very straightforward, slowing only slightly in the SE corner. I even began to wonder whether it might not be RayT, but then the sweetheart appeared at 18d and a quick word count revealed a word/clue ratio of just a fraction over five, so all was well with the world.
Blogging is never a chore and when it is a choice between writing hints or watching the Test Match in Adelaide, it is a real joy!
Many thanks to RayT and to the DT Crossword Team.
Continue reading “DT 31113”
Toughie No 3602 by Weatherman
Hints and tips by ALP
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
A welcome return from Weatherman. As ever, the construction is immaculate and definitions fair, making for a steady solve. Yes, there is some pretty exotic vocab here – but it’s all generously clued. Still, I’ve tacked an extra difficulty pip on, largely for 5d and 9d. Typically, he’s made my bid to clip tunes extremely difficult, which no doubt comes as a great relief. Alas, I haven’t been totally defeated! Over to you. Continue reading “Toughie 3602”
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31112
Hints and Tips by Senf
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***/****
A very good Wednesday morning from Winnipeg where yesterday was shorts and tee shirts weather with a high temperature of plus 6 degrees, 33 degrees warmer than it was over the weekend!
Mainly for DG, I have read The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley and here is my considered opinion. In her Acknowledgements, the author wrote that it was hard to write because of its complicated structure; for me, the structure also made it hard to read. It was not written in chapters but as progressive ‘intertwined’ narratives from several of the characters. I thought about giving up several times but then I was past the middle of the book; in a way, past the point of no return. Early on, I considered that a Cast of Characters would have been useful but that would have spoilt a significant ‘reveal’ concerning five of them just over halfway through. Not that enjoyable but not the worst either. What was the considered opinion from your book club?
For me, etc© (I have to say that for Terence), a quite enjoyable puzzle with solving and blogging assisted by a 15 year old from the highest distillery in Scotland at Dalwhinnie. I have lost track of who set when on a Wednesday but I have an inkling that this might be the work of Twmbarlwm So, two of my Half Crowns are being retrieved from the back of my sock drawer. Thanks to him, or whomsoever if my Half Crowns go down the drain.
Continue reading “DT 31112”
Sunday Toughie No 202 by Beam
Review by Sloop John Bee
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
This puzzle was published on the 7th of December 2025
Continue reading “Sunday Toughie 202 (Review)”
Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3346
A full review by Rahmat Ali
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
This puzzle was published on 7th December 2025
BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
Greetings from Kolkata. A slightly tough puzzle from Dada this Sunday that I enjoyed solving and thereafter writing a full review of the same for your kind perusal and valuable feedback. Continue reading “ST 3346 (Full Review)”
Toughie No 3601 by Zenas
Hints and tips by Whybird
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty * – Enjoyment ****
Greetings all, and welcome to the Toughie Week.
We have an enjoyable and not-too-difficult puzzle from Zenas today, with a clear theme, but without the associated potential headaches. There were a couple of new words for me (9a and 11d), but they were obtainable by simply following the clear instructions, so no complaints on that score. The “point” reference in 7d was also new. 1d and 2d get honourable mentions for the surface and imagery, and 8d is very clever, but 3d takes my prize today, despite being my last one in. I knew the answer as soon as the theme emerged, but it took a while for the penny to drop to the point where I was satisfied enough to write it in. Many thanks to Zenas for the puzzle, and inducing a bit of early-morning thirst!
Please leave a comment telling us how you fared and what you liked about the puzzle.
Continue reading “Toughie 3601”
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31111
Hints and tips by Huntsman
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty * Enjoyment ***
Well it’s another miserable 2d start to the day here in Harpenden but the forecast says the wet stuff might clear away around 2pm so there is at least a prospect of an hour & half walk before darkness descends.
For those bemoaning the trickier Monday puzzles there’s always a Typically Tuesdayish Anthony Plumb (I assume) production to rely on. Enjoyable as ever and pretty straightforward so I wouldn’t anticipate that it will cause many problems. For those looking for a stiffer challenge I’m sure Whybird would be delighted to hear your thoughts on the Zenas Toughie, which is also very accessible & well worth having a stab at.
As ever there are an assortment of You Tube tunes, sketches & a film clip to view if inclined.
In the hints below the definition element of each clue has been underlined, anagrams are CAPITALISED & the crossword technique “indicator words” are in brackets. The answers are concealed under the Click Here buttons. Please leave a comment below telling us what you thought & how you got on with the puzzle.
Continue reading “DT 31111”
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31110
Hints and tips by Smylers
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty ★★ – Enjoyment ★★★★
Hello and welcome to Monday’s crossword. Yesterday our church held a brass band carol concert, where we sang Where Shepherds Watch Their Flocks by Night to the traditional tune of On Ilkla Moor Baht ’at:
That went better than last year, when the vicar introduced it as such — only to be met by a sudden look of fear on the faces of the band, who’d rehearsed the other tune. Though he still hasn’t gone with my suggestion that we should sing In the Bleak Midwinter to the tune of the theme from Hawaii Five O (try it!).
Continue reading “DT 31110”
A Puzzle by Avid
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
Continue reading “Rookie Corner 608”
Sunday Toughie No 203
by Zandio
Hints and Tips by Sloop John Bee
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
A rather gentle toughie from Zandio, I thought, but YMMV.
14a and 14d clues today and I have hinted at half. I hope you find the checkers to finish this. As ever I am unable to hint all of this prize puzzle, but I will try and give a nudge or two if I can.
Here We Go…
Continue reading “Sunday Toughie 203 (Hints)”
