Putting the words to lights – crossword clues explained in plain English
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This puzzle was published on 18th January 2026
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Greetings from Kolkata. A straightforward and gentle puzzle from Dada this Sunday that I enjoyed solving and thereafter writing a full review of his puzzle for your kind perusal and valuable feedback. Continue reading “ST 3352 (Full Review)”
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I was very pleasantly surprised to find Samuel here today, but my happiness waned when the theme of today’s puzzle became apparent. A valedictory performance indeed. 7a 16a 26a 6d 7d and 12d brought a 4d to my eye. I don’t think we can expect more from Samuel, who has given us so much already.
Lots of double definitions and anagrams, but I can’t hint at them all. I think the valedictory nature of today’s puzzle will allow me to forego the red pencil. 23d up Samuel, you’ve given us a belter today.
Here We Go…
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It is always good to start a new year off with a puzzle from Chalicea, whose puzzles are usually not too difficult and always fun.… Continue reading
A very good Sunday morning, on my semisesquicentennial plus one, from the former Pack Horse Hotel in the former Staines, Middlesex – I have given up on all the name changes that have been made to protect the innocent. When I left Winnipeg, for an unexpected expedition of a journey* on Thursday afternoon, the temperature was minus 31 degrees, feels like minus 45! But the long range forecast does have it ‘warming up’ to minus 4 degrees for when I get back in ten days.
* For the curious – a ‘normal’ journey by air from Winnipeg to Heathrow involves two aircraft; on this occasion five aircraft were involved and two of them didn’t even leave the ground resulting in arrival at Heathrow 17 hours later then planned. The joys of air travel!
For me, and I stress for me,© Dada reasonably friendly with the return of an ‘old favourite(?)’ that some of us love to hate, two long ‘uns and two almost long ‘uns, eight anagrams (three partials), one lurker (reversed), and no homophones in a symmetric 28 clues; with 14 hints ‘sprinkled’ throughout the grid 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!
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, or it would be if I was not ecclesiastically socialising with my Big Sister, and the Naughty Step is OPEN! I imagine that crypticsue and Gazza could be standing by with their electronic blue pencils in hand.
Sunday Toughie No 207 by Zandio
Review by
Sloop John Bee
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This puzzle was published on the 11th January 2026
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This puzzle was published on 11th January 2026
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Greetings from Kolkata. A lovely and friendly puzzle from Dada this Sunday which I enjoyed solving and thereafter writing a full review for your kind perusal and valuable feedback. Continue reading “ST 3351 (Full Review)”
Sunday Toughie No 208
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Beam has brought us a generous 32 clues today and I have hinted half. I had a bit of parsing trouble last night, but I hope I have got them right. I hope you find the checkers to finish this fine puzzle and I will try and give a bonus nudge or two if you are struggling.
Why I was struggling a bit last night – I was nearer the keyboard monitor than the keyboard player!
Here we go, Folks…
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There was nothing in the title or preamble for the AI contingent to get their virtual teeth into, so I asked Claude, “Shelley wrote a poem ‘To a Skylark’; could you write a five-line verse along the same lines to a lady crossword setter called ‘Skylark’?”
A very good Sunday morning from Winnipeg where on Friday, as my ‘subscription anniversary’ is at the end of the month, I had my customary annual long distance conversation with the DT Subscriptions Department to discuss this year’s proposal, notified in an e-mail earlier in the week, to increase my subscription by an eye-watering 325% more than I paid last year (no need to go to Specsavers, it really is three hundred and twenty-five per cent). However, after a friendly and polite conversation with a real person, my subscription for the next ‘subscription year’ will be 22% less than I paid a year ago! The mind boggles! I look forward to having a similar conversation this time next year 
For me, and I stress for me,© Dada less friendly than he was last week with one of his signature initial letter clues, eight anagrams (three partials), one lurker, and no homophones in a slightly asymmetric 30 clues; with 15 hints ‘sprinkled’ throughout the grid 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!
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!
