Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26194
Hints and tips by Rishi
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ***
This week I was held by a couple of the long answers for a few more moments than usual. Take 8d for instance. Though these blocks are used in the building industry in India, they are not known by that term. At least, I have not heard. In 28a, I had to disabuse my mind that William = Tell before the answer stuck to me. As for 7d, well, we in India too have bond, and, oh yes, bind (“Gita, what’s it? Wait a minute…”) but it may not be band, it is ‘thali’ which only women wear round their neck to signify that they are married and the man has nothing to show! In 12d, I had to decide that the word outside is CHINAS, not CHINA.
I enjoyed solving this crossword despite a couple of clues that we have seen in the same or almost similar form (e.g., 13d, 16d) in the past.
I liked 29a and 26d as they are very smooth in surface reading.
A quibble: 14a reads “Listen to a number cheer”. In real life, would grammar require the use of ‘cheering’ ?
If you want the answer to any clue to show up, highlight the white space within any the curly brackets under the relevant clue.
Leave a comment telling us what you thought. You can also add your assessment by selecting from one to five stars at the bottom of the post.
Continue reading “DT 26194”
Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2527
A full analysis by Peter Biddlecombe
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment *****
Sorry for lateness of this report – lost copy and had to resolve. The usual elegant but not too difficult Sunday outing, with some special bits to note.
Continue reading “ST 2527”
Toughie No 322 by Elgar
Under pressure!
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty **** – Enjoyment ****
I feel awful about this. Time constraints mean I’m writing this review in a desperate rush, so I can’t be as expansive as usual in my comments.
This was a tough one for me, the NW corner taking an age to fall into place. Some wordplay I didn’t understand at the time of completing the grid but, on reflection, it’s the usual mix of entertaining wickedness from Elgar – a fine, occasionally naughty, but ultimately satisfying challenge.
My favourite clues are in blue.
Leave a comment telling us what you thought. You can also add your assessment by selecting from one to five stars at the bottom of the post.
Continue reading “Toughie 322”
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26192
Hints and tips by Gazza
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty **** – Enjoyment ****
Normal service is resumed today with another thoroughly entertaining puzzle from Giovanni. I believe, though, that there is a mistake in 12a (I’ll have oeuf on the old visage if I’m wrong about this!). Let us know what you thought of the puzzle, what you liked and disliked, what you found tricky or straightforward.
(I know that regular readers will get sick of seeing this bit, but please remember that new readers are joining us all the time) The answer to each clue is masked out between the curly brackets underneath it – just drag your cursor through the white space between the brackets to reveal it.
Continue reading “DT 26192”
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26187
A full analysis by Tilsit
A Classy Act
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
Greetings from the Calder Valley and having been able to stay hospital-free for at least four days, I am pleased to be back blogging. I am still feeling a bit weak but I am starting to go out a little and get a little fresh air.
In the meantime I am also wrestling with a brand new PC, which has been a bit of a pain (Helpful Tip of The Day: Don’t Ever Buy Anything from PC World!) but is now coming together.
Back to Saturday’s Prize Puzzle. I really enjoyed it and was so pleased to see Cephas at the top of his game. Some good challenging clues and little in the way of “padding”, though I think the clue at 19 across could have been better worded, or the word used been avoided all together. Virtually everyone who posted on Saturday had had problems with it.
As usual, have your say about the puzzle after the review and don’t forget the star rating system as well.
Continue reading “DT 26187”
Toughie No 321 by Messinae
The Good, the Bad and the Mediocre
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment **
One of those puzzles where you feel that you should have enjoyed it, but were let down by some of the clues. Favourites are highlighted in blue.
Leave a comment telling us what you thought. You can also add your assessment by selecting from one to five stars at the bottom of the post.
Continue reading “Toughie 321”
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26191
Hints and tips by Libellule
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment **
Well its Thursday again. I liked 23d. Enough said really or am I being a bit harsh?
Please leave a comment if you have something to say, and if you can’t deduce the answer from the hint, highlighting the space between the curly brackets will reveal the answer.
Continue reading “DT 26191”
Toughie No 320 by Osmosis
Looking Backwards
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty **** – Enjoyment ***
I had guessed that Osmosis was today’s setter even before I had it confirmed, largely based on his trademark complicated wordplay and the extraordinary number of reversals. There were some entertaining clues, but others seemed a bit forced.
Let us know what you thought by leaving a comment!
Continue reading “Toughie 320”
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26190
Hints and tips by Big Dave
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
The biggest hint I can give is to check today’s date before starting this one. Another entertaining puzzle from Jay, with a topical theme.
Leave a comment telling us what you thought. You can also add your assessment by selecting from one to five stars at the bottom of the post.
Continue reading “DT 26190”
Toughie No 319 by Cephas
Saturday’s Prize Puzzle?
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
A very pleasant puzzle which shows us what Cephas, our regular Saturday setter, can do. At the lower end of difficulty for a Toughie, a puzzle like this would make a lot of sense as a Prize Puzzle.
Cephas has made pangrammatic puzzles a bit of a trademark in recent months, so you won’t be surprised to see all 26 letters of the alphabet in this one.
Leave a comment telling us what you thought. You can also add your assessment by selecting from one to five stars at the bottom of the post.
Continue reading “Toughie 319”