Sunday Toughie No 248
by Beam
Hints and Tips by Sloop John Bee
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
After a long day at the York Sloggers and Betters, I met old and new friends and would like to thank John Henderson and Jane Teather for organising this highlight of the cruciverbalists’ year. I was relieved to find a gentle Beam puzzle when I got home.
All the Beam™ trademarks are there, no clue over 6 words, queens, sweethearts and initialisms. I hope you will have 15a this quite easily, but hints for half of 14a and 14d clues follow
If you get stuck, I may be able to give a nudge, just ask
Thanks to Beam for pandering to my musical tastes with 10a – obviously it leaps to the top of my COTT
Here we go, Folks…
Continue reading “Sunday Toughie 248 (Hints)”
Enigmatic Variations 1770 (Hints)
Discovery by Elgar
Hints and tips by Phibs
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
Today’s setter has (I believe) only produced one EV puzzle before, The Bigger Picture by Enigmatist, published back in 2017.
Continue reading “EV 1770 (Hints)”
Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3392 (Hints)
Hints and tips by Senf
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
A very good Sunday morning from Winnipeg where, on Friday, we enjoyed a very pleasant 24 degrees while, yesterday, the mercury dropped to 10 degrees with a meagre 6 degrees forecast for today!
So, for those in the UK, were you all awake at 2:00am BST this morning for the annual ritual of turning your clocks back to 1:00am GMT?
For me, and I stress for me,© – well, I knew Dada’s friendliness couldn’t last and, sure enough, it hasn’t! A bit of a stinker even with eight anagrams (four partials), one reversed lurker (not hinted, so don’t forget the ‘if all else fails look for . . .’), and one homophone, all in a symmetric 28 clues; with 14 hints ‘sprinkled’ throughout the grid, all BRB verified where necessary, you should/might be able to get some of the checkers to enable the solving of the unhinted clues. I hope you have your Crimson Tomes at hand! You might even need your favourite e-search ‘assistant’!
Remember that Reading the Hints before commenting can be beneficial!
If it is some time since you read, or if you have never read the instructions in RED below the hints then please consider doing so before commenting today as my electronic blue pencil is at the ready and the Naughty Step is OPEN!
Continue reading “ST 3392 (Hints)”
Sunday Toughie No 246 by Hudson
Full Review by Gazza
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
This puzzle was published on 11/10/26
Hudson has provided a very entertaining Toughie this week.
Across Clues
1a Hit extremely elegant golf shot (6)
SOCKET: an informal verb to hit (sock) and the outer letters of elegant. The answer is a rather obscure word for a golf stroke using the shaft of an iron club (thanks to the BRB). Continue reading “Sunday Toughie 246 (full review)”
Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3390
A full review by Rahmat Ali
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
This puzzle was published on 11th October 2026
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Greetings from Kolkata. Dada has given us an enjoyable solve this Sunday and now I present to you a full review of his puzzle. Hope to have your valuable feedback and comments. Continue reading “ST 3390 (Full Review)”
Sunday Toughie 247
by Silvanus
Hints & Tips by Sloop John Bee
The sixth Sunday Toughie from Silvanus was a pleasure to solve, but I am going to have to rush this blog a bit as I am going to the Ilkley Literary Festival to a talk about a crossword-related crime mystery that Smylers mentioned on Monday
I will add nudges and comments afterwards
Here we go…
Continue reading “Sunday Toughie 247 (Hints)”
Enigmatic Variations 1769 (Hints)
DAY JOB by ARTIX
Hints and tips by Gabriel
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
AI is getting good. Very very good. Claude took about 30 seconds to figure out the theme and most of the clues.… Continue reading
Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3391 (Hints)
Hints and tips by Senf
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
A very good Sunday morning from Winnipeg where, on some mornings this week, the mercury has started dipping below zero!
For me, and I stress for me,© Dada about the friendliest he gets again. Some guessing required and an unindicated German word. Five anagrams (no partials), two lurkers (not hinted, so don’t forget the ‘if all else fails look for . . .’, and one homophone, all in a symmetric not great value for money 26 clues; with 13 hints ‘sprinkled’ throughout the grid, all BRB verified where necessary, you should/might be able to get some of the checkers to enable the solving of the unhinted clues. I hope you have your Crimson Tomes at hand! You might even need your favourite e-search ‘assistant’!
Remember that Reading the Hints before commenting can be beneficial!
If it is some time since you read, or if you have never read the instructions in RED below the hints then please consider doing so before commenting today as my electronic blue pencil is at the ready and the Naughty Step is OPEN!
Continue reading “ST 3391 (Hints)”
Sunday Toughie No 245 by proXimal
Full Review by Gazza
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
This puzzle was published on 04/10/26
proXimal has provided a very enjoyable Toughie this week.
Continue reading “Sunday Toughie 245 (full review)”
Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3389
A full review by Rahmat Ali
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
This puzzle was published on 4th October 2026
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Greetings from Kolkata. A nice, straightforward Sunday puzzle of Dada that I enjoyed solving and thereafter writing a full review of his puzzle for your kind perusal and important feedback. Continue reading “ST 3389 (Full Review)”