Toughie No 3645 by Dada
Hints and tips by Whybird
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ***
Namaste! Many thanks to Gazza for filling in for the past two weeks whilst I “trundled” around India seeing most of the cast of the Jungle Book, through some absolutely wonderful wildlife experiences– although the leopards weren’t black – and eating equally wonderful food . I thought I might return somewhat lighter and slimmer, but that hasn’t happened at all. Fortunately, the return flight from Delhi was direct to Heathrow, and the normal route is well north of the Gulf, so everything went smoothly. I’m disappointed to see I missed blogging a Tuesday Django – I’d been looking forward to that pleasure, so I hope the chance comes around again soon.
I was hoping for a gentle reintroduction to the blog, but that hasn’t happened. Dada has given us a quirky puzzle, which I think would have fitted in reasonably well later in the week. Perhaps the cough and head cold I have acquired, coupled with the “safari massage” my body has endured, has deadened my senses somewhat, but I found this rather tricky. My podium places are occupied by 2d, 16a and 21a today.
Thanks to Dada for a re-baptism of fire.
Please let us know how you fared and what you thought of the puzzle.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31176
Hints and tips by Falcon
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BD Rating – Difficulty * – Enjoyment ****
Greetings from Ottawa where, following a brief spell where the daytime temperatures got above the freezing point, we are about to return to more frigid temperatures. It’s definitely a long way from spring here. This idea of spring starting on March 1st that Senf mentioned yesterday must be an invention of British meteorologists. I’ve never encountered it on this side of the pond.
I will not hazard a guess as to today’s setter. Smylers figures that at least four setters may be sharing Monday duties. Unless a setter displays characteristics as distinctive as those of RayT, I am hopeless at identifying them.
In the hints below, underlining identifies precise definitions and cryptic definitions, FODDER is capitalized, and indicators are italicized. The answers will be revealed by clicking on the ANSWER buttons.
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Toughie No 3644 by Sparks
Hints and tips by Gazza
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BD Rating – Difficulty **** – Enjoyment ***
An enjoyable but quite tough puzzle from Sparks today with several answers which I needed to verify. Sparks often gives us something extra in the grid – the only thing I can see today is that many answers start with E and there are two big E-shapes in the grid. Can you spot anything else?
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Daily Telegraph
No 31174
Hints and tips by ALP
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BD Rating – Difficulty **/*** – Enjoyment ****
I’m standing in for Mr K so I’m afraid there will be no cats. I remain traumatised by them after watching Doctor Who getting chased through London’s sewers by giant rats back in 1977. Our old tom was equally terrified and promptly pounced on my head before coughing up hot milk all over me. Happily, there are no such horrors today, simply smart but fair wordplay and fizzy surfaces. Just no cats! All yours.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31169
A full review by Rahmat Ali
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This puzzle was published on 21st February 2026
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Greetings from Kolkata. A delighted, lovely 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 31169 (Full Review)”
Toughie No 3643 by Silvanus
Hints and tips by ALP
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BD Rating – Toughie difficulty * – Enjoyment ***/****
Largely light, and scrupulous. There’s a spot of Scots vocab (6d), botany (7d) and geography (15a) but Silvanus is, of course, typically fair. The grid did prompt me to look for a Nina, but I certainly couldn’t spot one! Over to you.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31173
Hints and Tips by Senf
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****/*****
A very good Thursday morning from Winnipeg where winter continues in both temperature and precipitation!
For me, etc© (I have to say that for Terence), absolutely no doubt that this is a friendly back page half of a Dream Team Thursday from the Master of Brevity, with Silvanus on Toughie duty. 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 5.38 words per clue and a Hmm for 18d. Also, like Dada, Ray T 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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Toughie No 3642 by Robyn
Hints and Tips by crypticsue
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BD Rating – Toughie Difficulty **** – Enjoyment *****
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31172
Hints and Tips by Deansleigh
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** Enjoyment ***
Good morning everyone, and welcome to the Wednesday back-pager blog. I found this slightly easier than last week’s Wednesday cryptic, with much to enjoy and appreciate, including a fair smattering of musical references. I especially liked the risqué surfaces in 10a and 29a, but my favourite today was 23d. Many thanks to today’s setter.
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