Putting the words to lights – crossword clues explained in plain English
Toughie No 3684 by Sparks
Hints and tips by Gazza
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ***
For a Friday Toughie Sparks is being quite gentle with us today. Thanks to him. He often gives a Nina in the grid and today we have a Dylan Thomas play as well as a phrase which is used backwards in 3d.
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BD Rating - Difficulty *** - Enjoyment ****
Hello, everyone, and welcome to a fun Friday puzzle. Continue reading "DT 31234"
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This puzzle was published on 2nd May 2026
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Greetings from Kolkata. A brilliant Saturday puzzle from the setter that I enjoyed solving and thereafter writing a review of the same for your kind perusal and significant feedback. Continue reading “DT 31229 (Full Review)”
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BD Rating – Toughie difficulty ** – Enjoyment *****
Crackerjack. Bandit’s taken some big swings here with brio and invention. They didn’t all (quite) land for me, but most did. And one has to applaud such welcome novelty: smart, fair wordplay and some sparky definitions. SO refreshing.
I didn’t find this too tricky as 1a’s slight quirk set the tone from the off – it’s always a glorious sign when the first clue does that. Get on the setter’s wavelength early on, lap up a couple of gimmes and you’re away.
Added to which, he’s enabled me to self-indulgently clip G. Love, Rocky, Dury, Withnail, Loudon, Ivor, the Tour de France AND a spot of boss reggae … that’s a full house! So it could only be a fiver from me. With – I trust – 3ds at hand, the floor is yours.
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BD Rating – Difficulty *Â – Enjoyment *****
A very good Thursday morning from Winnipeg where it is still cool, in fact cool enough for occasional fluffy white precipitation but it is melting on contact with the ground.
For me, and I stress for me© (I have to say that for Terence), once again not half of a Dream Team Thursday, Bandit on duty for their third(?) Toughie, but no doubt that this is the work of a very benevolent Master of Brevity and there is not an error in my Difficulty rating. The usual one word clues and answers in the Quickie, and appearances from the Queen and his swEetheart appearing in the back pager with an average of exactly 5 words per clue. Also, like Dada, Ray T still seems to be making occasional use of a personal thesaurus. I hope you have your Crimson Tomes at hand!
Remember that Reading the Hints before commenting can be beneficial!
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BD Rating – Toughie Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
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BD Rating – Difficulty ***/****  Enjoyment ****
Good morning everyone, and welcome to the Wednesday back-pager blog. I found today’s puzzle to be quite tricky – a midweek mind-mangler – but it was a very satisfying solve. Amongst a plethora of excellent clues, my podium picks are 20a, 23a, 27d and my favourite, the weary threesome in 16a. I also enjoyed the Quickie pun. Many thanks to our setter.
Sunday Toughie No 222 by Light
Review by Sloop John Bee
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This puzzle was published on 26th April 2026 Continue reading “Sunday Toughie 222 (Review)”
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This puzzle was published on 26th April 2026
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Greetings from Kolkata. I quite friendly puzzle from Dada this Sunday that I enjoyed solving and now I present to you a full review of his puzzle. Hope to have your valuable feedback and comments. Continue reading “ST 3366 (Full Review)”
