Daily Telegraph – Big Dave's Crossword Blog

DT 30854

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30854

Hints and tips by Senf

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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ***

A very good Wednesday morning from Winnipeg where the meteorologists are forecasting that the Arctic freeze is coming to an end and, by this time next week, we could be running around in tee shirts and shorts. … Continue reading

DT 30853

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30853
Hints and tips by Huntsman

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BD Rating – Difficulty */** Enjoyment ***

A lovely sunny day here in Harpenden though still on the chilly side so golf can wait until it warms up a wee bit. I’m off to meet Shabbo for a spot of lunch & a pint at The Brocket Arms in Ayot St Lawrence so no doubt will hear all about his adventures in the Cape.

A typically Tuesday puzzle which I found pretty straightforward other than one slightly tricky parse. I assume it’s an Anthony Plumb production as it certainly felt like his style of clueing.

In the following hints, definitions are underlined, indicators are mostly in parentheses, and answers are revealed by clicking where shown as usual. Please leave a comment below on how you got on with the puzzle.

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DT 30852

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30852

Hints and tips by Falcon

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BD Rating – Difficulty **Enjoyment ****

Greetings from Ottawa where, as Senf said yesterday, we are experiencing a significant snow event. Following 30 cm or more on Thursday, we received a bit more on Saturday. The snow resumed on Sunday, with another 30 cm or more promised before mid-afternoon on Monday. Senf is also correct that I can’t blame this storm on Manitoba. Like most of our storms, it originated in the western United States. Contrary to what our neighbours to the south believe, most of the nastiness flows north across the border.

I’m not sure if we are seeing Robyn return to the Monday slot after a brief absence or not. Some clues feel like they could be his and others not so much – so I won’t go out on a limb with a guess.

In an unexpected development, we find a second pun in the Quickie today – something we have not seen since the Campbell era. It may be unintentional, but nevertheless it is a feature that Smylers and I will now need to be on the lookout for.

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 3428

Toughie No 3428 by Osmosis
Hints and tips by Gazza

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BD Rating – Difficulty ****Enjoyment ****

Thanks to Osmosis for a Friday-level Toughie which I enjoyed working through. I was slow to start but eventually gained a foothold in in the SW corner and proceeded slowly but steadily in a clockwise direction, finishing in the SE. Osmosis has given us a lot of clever wordplay and no anagrams.
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DT 30845 (full review)

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30845

A full review by Rahmat Ali

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This puzzle was published on 8th February 2025

BD Rating – Difficulty **Enjoyment ****

Greetings from Kolkata. A nice, straightforward Saturday puzzle from NYDK that I enjoyed solving and thereafter writing a review of the same for your kind perusal and valuable comments.
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Toughie 3427

Toughie No 3427 by Silvanus
Hints and tips by Gazza

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BD Rating – Difficulty **Enjoyment ****

Silvanus appears once more in what has become a double act with Ray T (whose turn it is to be on the back page today). Thanks to him for a very enjoyable puzzle.
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