Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31089
Hints and tips by Shabbo
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
Good morning, fellow puzzlers.
No prizes for “Guess the Setter” this morning, so Senf can keep his toonies safely concealed at the back his sock drawer. This has all of RayT’s hallmarks: single word answers, single word answers and clues in the Quickie, a queen, a sweetheart and brevity of clueing at a fraction over five words/clue. It also displays his usual elegance and was a joy to solve, although I suspect he is being gentler than usual with us this morning. My podium comprises 1a, 29a and 1d. Which clues did you like?
In the blog below, the definition element of each clue has been underlined, anagrams are CAPITALISED and the crossword technique “indicator words” are in brackets. The answers are concealed under the “Click Here” buttons. Please leave a comment telling us how you got on and what you thought of the puzzle.
Many thanks to RayT and to the DT Crossword Team. BTW, I loved the Quickie pun!
Continue reading “DT 31089”
Toughie No 3586 by Hudson
Hints and tips by Gazza
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
CrypticSue is still convalescing from her knee op so you’re lumbered with me again; she’ll be sorry to have missed blogging this very enjoyable puzzle from Hudson to whom many thanks.
Continue reading “Toughie 3586”
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31088
Hints and Tips by Senf
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
A very good Wednesday morning from Winnipeg where ice is beginning to form on the rivers that run through the city. No c*ck-ups from me, all the hints are there, or the DT, the puzzle ‘appeared’ on time, today.
For me, etc© (I have to say that for Terence), a very enjoyable puzzle with a number of examples of clever misdirection. With sharing Wednesdays with Gazza I am losing track of the Wednesday setters so I just hope that today’s setter pops in to claim ownership.
Continue reading “DT 31088”
Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3342
A full review by Rahmat Ali
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
This puzzle was published on 9th November 2025
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 3342 (Full Review)”
Toughie No 3585 by Dada
Hints and tips by Shabbo
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
Good morning, fellow puzzlers.
Dada is being fairly gentle with us this morning, in an enjoyable and reasonably accessible Tuesday Toughie. My ticks were for the confused directors at 7a, the winter coat at 26a, the discarded drink at 3d and the primate at 5d.
In the blog below, the definition element of each clue has been underlined, anagrams are CAPITALISED and the crossword technique “indicator words” are in brackets. The answers are concealed under the “Click Here” buttons. Please leave a comment telling us how you got on and what you thought of the puzzle.
Many thanks to Dada and to the DT Crossword Team.
Continue reading “Toughie 3585”
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31087
Hints and tips by Huntsman
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty ** Enjoyment ***/****
Distinctly nippy in these parts but it’s sunny & dry so looks like the last chance for a decent walk before the forecast rains tomorrow.
I’m sure most will make much lighter work of today’s AP puzzle than I made of it. I usually solve the puzzle shortly before midnight so that all I then have to do is get up & write the blog. Unfortunately for whatever reason the puzzles were not loaded onto the app until early this morning, which I could have done without after a lousy night’s kip. Added into the mix a fire alarm went off at about 8am in our small block of 6 apartments so 30 mins of mild panic & investigation ensued. Still none the wiser as to why but I’m fairly confident I’m not in danger of being burnt to a crisp 🤞.
I thought today’s dose of Plumbing as enjoyable as ever. Maybe a tad trickier than usual but we’ll see what others make of it.
Error free hints last week but I fear it’s odds against a repeat performance this.
In the hints below the definition element of each clue has been underlined, anagrams are CAPITALISED & the crossword technique “indicator words” are in brackets. The answers are concealed under the Click Here buttons. Please leave a comment below telling us what you thought & how you got on with the puzzle.
Continue reading “DT 31087”
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31086
Hints and tips by Smylers
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty ★★ – Enjoyment ★★★
Hello. It’s a busy week in our household. Both children are dancing in The Nutcrackers and the Music Box, which has its first performance on Thursday and rehearsals in the theatre every night before then. We’re hoping school doesn’t set them much homework this week (though the eldest is taking some Latin revision to this evening’s rehearsal, for a test tomorrow).
I’m guessing today’s Telegraph Crossword is by X-Type — but do note I’m writing this introduction on Sunday evening, before having seen the crossword, so that really is a guess, not an opinion based how solving went! Hints and explanations to each clue are given below, with answers hidden inside the Tickets still available. Discount for the Thursday evening performance. blobs.
Continue reading “DT 31086”
Sunday Toughie No 199
by Zandio
Hints and Tips by Sloop John Bee
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
Here We Go…
Continue reading “Sunday Toughie 199 (Hints)”
Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3343 (Hints)
Hints and tips by Senf
A very good Sunday morning from Winnipeg. Even living in Canada, I used to be comfortable with the idea that the Christmas season ‘started’ the day after the US Thanksgiving Holiday on the fourth Thursday of November, which is usually ‘close’ to the start of Advent, but the curmudgeon in me considers the fact that the season now starts within a few days of, or the day after, Halloween is just plain nuts.
For me, and I stress for me,© Dada friendly with two long ‘un, six anagrams (one partial), one lurker, and one homophone in a very asymmetric 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.
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 3343 (Hints)”
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31085 (Hints)
The Saturday Crossword Club (hosted by Gazza)
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
I thought that this was a tiny bit trickier than we normally get on a Saturday but it is full of fun. Thanks to the setter.
I’m providing hints for what I consider to be some of the harder clues. If you’re really stuck on one of the clues I haven’t hinted I may provide a bit more help.
Continue reading “DT 31085 (Hints)”
Not too tricky today from Zandio. A good meal to start, and more to eat and sup as we go.
I am going to favour the topical 7d from a long list of contenders. Which ones did you like?
I hope you find the checkers to cross the line (11a). 14 across and 14d clues today and I have hinted half. I may be able to give a bonus nudge if asked.