Tag: Sunday Toughie

Sunday Toughie No 111

by Robyn

 

Hints and Tips by Sloop John Bee

 

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

I write this preamble before seeing the crossword and although Robyn has a bit of history with themes, most recently with hidden games in all the across clues in Sunday Toughie 109. I hope that crickety clues don’t feature too heavily as I would be obliged to hop on one leg until we get to 112 as the umpire David Shepherd used to do whenever the score got to 111 or one of its multiples

Apart from an appeal for a catch (25a) and one run scored (14d) I didn’t notice anything else crickety, but quite a lot of Latin and Kings and Queens appear today as well as a fair bit of facial hair in 8d and elsewhere

I am taking Mama Bee out for a Mothering Sunday afternoon tea (The Talbot Hotel in Malton rather than Betty’s) so any pleas for extra help will be answered on our return

It was nice to see that of the four long ones only one was a partial anagram I have hinted half of 14a and 14d clues and hope that the mental image in 27a fades before long

Here we go…

Continue reading “Sunday Toughie 111 (Hints)”

Sunday Toughie No 109

by Robyn

 

Hints and Tips by Sloop John Bee

 

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

Robyn has brought us one of his thematic puzzles today and I was amazed that he managed to get them into all the across clues without the down gridfill being full of exceedingly obscure words or even impossible. Only one of the elements was a pastime I have never encountered before (12a) but it rang a bell.

Shakespeare crops up in quite a few places and South American capitals but after the delightful theme 12a and 24d pleased me the most today which did you like?

We have 14a and 14d clues today and I cannot hint at all the thematic elements so
Here we go…

Continue reading “Sunday Toughie 109 (Hints)”

Sunday Toughie No 107

by Robyn

 

Hints and Tips by Sloop John Bee

 

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

Robyn starts with a Spoonerism today, but once over that hurdle, the rest went smoothly
The 2 & 16d combo was my favourite by the proverbial mile but plenty of others satisfied 10a 12a and 9d fight it out for my minor places

What was your favourite?

We have 14a and 16d clues today and I have hinted half – if any ones you find tricky haven’t made the cut I have some leeway to offer a nudge or two

Here we go…

Continue reading “Sunday Toughie 107 (Hints)”