Sunday Telegraph – Big Dave's Crossword Blog

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Sunday Toughie 180 (Hints)

by Sloop John Bee  

Sunday Toughie No 180

by Beam

 

Hints and Tips by Sloop John Bee

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Beam here with quite a friendly Sunday Toughie, all his trademarks are present, and apart from the sailors at 1d, I don’t think this will trouble THE LIST™committee or solvers too much. All the Beam trademarks are present with a fair bit of “ooh er missus” 17a double entendre.

We have a generous 16a and 16d clues, and I have hinted less than half, allowing me to provide a nudge or two if required. 

Here we go, Folks…

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EV 1702 (Hints)

by Phibs  

Enigmatic Variations 1702 (Hints)

Low Rider by Kolya

Hints and tips by Phibs

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Not that I pay any attention to TV ads, of course, but the name of our debutant setter immediately put me in mind of ‘the window to watch’ (that will make no sense whatsoever to younger readers), and the title of the puzzle has got me singing (sotto voce, thankfully for all concerned) the War song of that name (“All – my – friends – know the low rider” etc), used for several years as part of Marmite’s ‘Love it or Hate it’ campaign. Great to have a puzzle from a setter new to the EV series, this time perhaps with Russian connections or a fondness for The Brothers Karamazov. Demonstrating that setters are not unlike buses in their habits, another newcomer will be along in just two weeks’ time.

I asked Claude, “We are told that a themed crossword puzzle includes four notable examples of a ‘low rider’ and that one example must be illustrated ‘at a stretch’ in the completed grid? What might we be looking for?”

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ST 3324 (Hints)

by Senf  

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3324 (Hints)

Hints and tips by Senf

A very good Sunday morning from Winnipeg where, after almost a week in a Turkish Bath with an occasional thunderstorm, we are forecast to have some sensible low to middle 20s temperatures before we go back into  Turkish Bath conditions.

For me, and I stress for me©, Dada less friendly than he has been recently – six anagrams (two partials), one lurker, and three homophones all in a symmetric 30 clues; with a generous 16 hints ‘sprinkled’ throughout the grid, you should be able to get the checkers to enable the solving of the unhinted clues.  And, remember, my electronic blue pencil is at the ready and the Naughty Step is OPEN!

Candidates for favourite – 10a, 18a, 24a, 5d, 17d, and 20d.

As is usual for the weekend prize crosswords, a number of the what I very subjectively perceive to be the more difficult clues have been selected and hints provided for them.

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Sunday Toughie 179 (Hints)

by Sloop John Bee  

Sunday Toughie No 179

by proXimal

 

Hints and Tips by Sloop John Bee

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I met proXimal at The George last Tuesday (among many others, Karla, Donnybrook, Weatherman, Eccles, Elgar, Kitty, Cephas, Shabbo being a few I can remember before the Small Beer and Sun on thinning brow addled my faculties!) and he promised me a quite tricky Spoonerism to start today. He was right! – It was quite late in the solve before the correct apostle revealed himself.

I also learned that his blogging name is from the Latin for in favour of pro and Ximal – Of or pertaining to the cryptic crossword style used and defined by “Ximenes” (Derrick Somerset Macnutt), whereby an acceptable cryptic clue must have a precise definition, a fair and strictly grammatical subsidiary indication, and no redundant elements beyond these. You can take it that all his clues follow these guidelines and are fair to the solver.

14a and 14d today, and I have hinted half, a few tricky clues hit the cutting room floor, so I will try to provide a nudge or two if the Brass Band competition on Wetherby Ings permits

Here we go, Folks…

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ST 3323 (Hints)

by Senf  

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3323 (Hints)

Hints and tips by Senf

A very good Sunday morning from Winnipeg where, on Friday, the clock was turned back almost fifty years when the historic and iconic intersection of Portage and Main (Portage Avenue and Main Street) was reopened to pedestrians.  During the years of closure, pedestrians have had to rely on a circular underground concourse which has become more and more dilapidated and some believe more unsafe.

For me, and I stress for me©, and, once again, I hope I don’t upset or annoy anyone, perhaps some will agree with me, Dada almost as friendly as he was last week and creatively adding to the list of anagram indicators – eight anagrams (three partials), one lurker, and one homophone all in a symmetric 28 clues; with 14 hints ‘sprinkled’ throughout the grid, you should be able to get the checkers to enable the solving of the unhinted clues.  And, remember, my electronic blue pencil is at the ready and the Naughty Step is OPEN!

Candidates for favourite – 21a, 24a, 25a, 2d, 11d, and 16d.

As is usual for the weekend prize crosswords, a number of the what I very subjectively perceive to be the more difficult clues have been selected and hints provided for them.

Continue reading “ST 3323 (Hints)”