Putting the words to lights – crossword clues explained in plain English
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Sunday Toughie No 236
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Beam has brought all his trademarks today, with a generous 16a and 16d clues today. I have hinted at half, but will try and give a nudge if asked.
Mama Bee wants to go shopping, so I may have to work around her needs.
Here we go, Folks…
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I gave Claude the entire text of the preamble and asked him, “Do you have any idea what the theme might be?”
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A very good Sunday morning from Winnipeg where, from late on Wednesday to quite early on Thursday, we had a doozy (N American informal) of a thunderstorm or so I am told as I was safe in the arms of Morpheus throughout the whole thing! But, I do know that we ‘lost’ power, as a result of the storm, for approximately 7 hours from 11;30 pm on Wednesday to 6:30 am on Thursday – I thought that my first coffee of the day was at risk!
For me, and I stress for me,© Dada quirkily friendly with four long ‘uns (only one of them an anagram), only three anagrams (one partial), two lurkers, and one homophone, all in a symmetric 32 clues; with 16 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!
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!
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Toughie No 3732 by Osmosis
Hints and tips by Gazza
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BD Rating – Difficulty ***** – Enjoyment ****
A typical Osmosis puzzle with tricky wordplay and well-disguised definitions throughout. Many thanks to him.
Continue reading “Toughie 3732”
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BD Rating - Difficulty *** - Enjoyment ***
Hello, everyone, and welcome to Friday. Continue reading "DT 31306"
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This puzzle was published on 25th July 2026
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Greetings from Kolkata. A delightful and straightforward Saturday puzzle from the setter that I enjoyed solving and thereafter writing a review of the same for your kind perusal and significant comment. Continue reading “DT 31301 (Full Review)”
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BD Rating – Toughie difficulty */** – Enjoyment ****
‘Tis always a (rare-ish) treat to see Silvanus pop up on a Thursday – elegant as ever and nowt too tricky, with a very faint French flavour. 22d was new to me but it’s generously clued and I had to run through a few comedians to crack 12a. Still, the deletion and definition couldn’t be clearer. Even 7d’s botany (my bête noire) is gifted on a plate. So, not tremendously tough, just tremendously entertaining. À vous la parole!
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BD Rating – Difficulty 2*Â – Enjoyment 5*
A very good Thursday morning from Winnipeg where, like most of Southern England (I believe), it ain’t half hot mum – 34 degrees, feels like 43! Although, I was watching TV coverage of the Commonwealth Games from Glasgow on Wednesday and there seemed to more water in the Athletics Stadium than there was in the Swimming Pool!
For me, and I stress for me© (I have to say that for Terence), for the first time in quite a while we have a Dream Team Thursday! Silvanus on Toughie duty and there is no doubt that this is the work of the Master of Brevity; but, he has dialled it back a bit compared to last week. The usual one word clues and answers in the Quickie, and an appearance from the Queen, Ray T’s swEetheart, but not the plain sweetheart, in the back pager. Also, like Dada, Ray T still seems to be making occasional use of a personal thesaurus. I hope you have your Crimson Tomes at hand!
Remember that Reading the Hints before commenting can be beneficial!