Sunday Toughie No 240
by Light
Hints and Tips by Sloop John Bee
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Light has given us a rather deceptive crossword today. A Spoonerism that isn’t and cricket references that aren’t crickety. A couple of the answers were easier to bung in than parse, but I think I have them now.
14a and 14d clues and I have hinted half. I will try and nudge some that hit the cutting room floor if asked.
13a, 16a and the non-spooner 3d are my favourites today; which ones did you like?
Here we go, Folks…
Continue reading “Sunday Toughie 240 (Hints)”
Enigmatic Variations 1762 (Hints)
Onlookers by Ifor
Hints and tips by Phibs
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I didn’t feel there was much for Claude to get his virtual teeth into here, so I asked him, “What do solvers have to say about crosswords compiled by the setter Ifor?”
Continue reading “EV 1762 (Hints)”
Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3384 (Hints)
Hints and tips by Senf
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A very good Sunday morning from Winnipeg where we are back into the high 20s feels like mid 30s for a few days.
For me, and I stress for me,© Dada quirky as usual, reasonably friendly, with four long uns, only one of them an anagram, a meagre four anagrams in total (two partials), two lurkers, and no homophones, all in a not much value for the money 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 3384 (Hints)”
Sunday Toughie No 238 by Beam
Full Review by Gazza
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This puzzle was published on 16/08/26
A very gentle puzzle from Beam this week.
Continue reading “Sunday Toughie 238 (full review)”
Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3382
A full review by Rahmat Ali
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This puzzle was published on 16th August 2026
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Greetings from Kolkata. A wonderful Sunday prize puzzle from Dada that I enjoyed solving and thereafter writing a full review of the same for your kind perusal and important feedback. Continue reading “ST 3382 (Full Review)”
Sunday Toughie No 239
by proXimal
Hints and Tips by Sloop John Bee
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A delightful puzzle from proXimal, that I didn’t find too tricky last night. As usual, he starts with a Spoonerism and follows up with the first compound anagram.
The grid means we have a slightly unbalanced 14a and 16d clues and my half of the hints are equally unbalanced (6a and 9d)
I hope you find the checkers to cross the line, but will try and nudge you in the right direction if asked.
Here we go, Folks…
Continue reading “Sunday Toughie 239 (Hints)”
Enigmatic Variations 1761 (Hints)
HEROES by VAGANS
Hints and tips by Gabriel
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A very 2026 question to ask is when will my profession/skill be superseded by an AI?… Continue reading
Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3383 (Hints)
Hints and tips by Senf
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A very good Sunday morning from Winnipeg. So, the English Premier League is back for the 2026/27 season. Yesterday, I enjoyed watching Hull City getting off to a good start on their return to the top flight. No sign of Chelsea. Oh, I see that they are playing tomorrow evening. No doubt they will claim travel fatigue, after the long journey across SW6, if the result is not favourable for them 
For me, and I stress for me,© Dada quirky as usual but not quite so friendly as recently, with five anagrams (one partial), two lurkers, and one homophone, and, like last week, one that, at first look, you might think is a homophone but isn’t all in a not much value for the money symmetric 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 3383 (Hints)”
Sunday Toughie No 237 by Hudson
Full Review by Gazza
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This puzzle was published on 09/08/26
What a lovely surprise to find that Hudson has joined the ranks of the Sunday Toughie setters with this cracking puzzle.
Across Clues
1a Fish cut by sailor (8)
SKIPJACK: a verb to cut or skive off (school, say) and a common word (often followed by ‘tar’) for a sailor. Continue reading “Sunday Toughie No 237 (full review)”
Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3381
A full review by Rahmat Ali
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This puzzle was published on 9th August 2026
BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ***
Greetings from Kolkata. Dada has given us a slightly tough puzzle this Sunday that was still enjoyable to solve and now I present to you a full review of his puzzle. Hope to have your valuable feedback and comments. Continue reading “ST 3381 (Full Review)”