Not from Jane’s friend Jacquie, but based on a message from Jane herself, April 13th:
Jane came home from hospital last Thursday (the 9th) but still needs ongoing medical care and it will probably be some time before she starts communicating with us on a regular basis. In the meantime, she would like to thank everyone for their very much appreciated cards and messages.
A brief update from Jane’s friend Jacquie – April 2nd – Jane is still in hospital and is on her second round of treatment but is not yet ready to see visitors. More as I receive further updates from Jacquie.
Continue reading “Jane – New Update April 13th“
Welcome to Big Dave’s Crossword Blog
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You have reached the world’s biggest and best crossword blog. If you are looking for help with the Daily and Sunday Telegraph cryptic crosswords or the Enigmatic Variations advanced cryptic, a total of 13 puzzles a week, then you have come to the right place.
If this is your first time, or for more information about this site, please click on Continue reading “Welcome”
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31217
A full review by Rahmat Ali
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This puzzle was published on 18th April 2026
BD Rating – Difficulty **** – Enjoyment ****
Greetings from Kolkata. This was a musical show-themed puzzle, but a truly tough Saturday challenge from the setter. I greatly enjoyed solving it and writing this review; I look forward to your kind reading and precious feedback. Continue reading “DT 31217 (Full Review)”
Toughie No 3675 by Dharma
Hints and tips by ALP
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BD Rating – Toughie difficulty */** – Enjoyment *****
I thought this was pleasingly gentle for a Thursday, especially from Dharma. As ever, it’s all about wavelength, of course, so mileage may differ. But I’ve always found him immensely doable and fun. Still, I have begrudgingly tacked on an extra half just to acknowledge some of the arguably trickier wordplay. An absolute belter either way. Over to you. Continue reading “Toughie 3675”
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31221
Hints and Tips by Senf
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BD Rating – Difficulty 2.5* – Enjoyment 4.5*
For those who honour it, a very good St George’s Day from Winnipeg where Spring may finally have sprung with rain as the only precipitation in the 14 day weather forecast!
For me, etc© (I have to say that for Terence), if this were a Dada on Sunday I might be using the term quirky, once again not half of a Dream Team Thursday, Dharma on Toughie duty today, but no doubt that this is the work of the Master of Brevity. The usual one word clues and answers in the Quickie, and appearances from the Queen and his swEetheart, but no second ‘sweetheart’ this week, appearing in the back pager with an average of 5.25 words per clue. 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!
Continue reading “DT 31221”
Toughie No 3674 by Beam
Hints and Tips by crypticsue
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BD Rating – Toughie Difficulty * – Enjoyment ***
A typical Beam crossword which only took a tiny bit longer to solve than one of his Thursday back pagers
Continue reading “Toughie 3674”
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31220
Hints and Tips by Deansleigh
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BD Rating – Difficulty **/*** Enjoyment ***
Good morning everyone, and welcome to the midweek back-pager blog. For me, this was the hardest solve of the week so far. It took me a while to get the three long anagrams 1a, 1d and 8d, but once I’d cracked these everything else fell into place. I liked the cricketing misdirection in 17a and the dull French group in 3a, but my favourite today was the pachydermal pothead in 28a. There is also an excellent Quickie pun. Many thanks to our setter.
Continue reading “DT 31220”
Sunday Toughie No 220 by proXimal
Review by
Sloop John Bee
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This puzzle was published on the 12th April 2026
Continue reading “Sunday Toughie 220 (Review)”
Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3364
A full review by Rahmat Ali
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This puzzle was published on 12th April 2026
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Greetings from Kolkata. An entertaining Sunday puzzle from Dada which I thoroughly enjoyed and I now present a full review of it. Your valuable feedback and comments in this regard are most welcome. Continue reading “ST 3364 (Full Review)”
Toughie No 3673 by Dada
Hints and tips by Whybird
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ***
Welcome to another Toughie Week. I’m back in a Very Spring-like Wirral for this week. The migrants continue to arrive or pass through heading North; the sand martins are back exploring the nesting wall at RSPB Burton Mere, and I managed to successfully twitch the wryneck that spent a day in one of Burton village’s sheep fields. Well, just its head, really – I didn’t have much time en route for a stroll with The Present Lady Whybird through Burton Mere’s lovely bluebell wood.
We have a full-on Toughie from Dada today that could easily have slotted in a day or two later in the week. There are a few musical references, but I’m not sure there are enough to constitute a theme. My solve wasn’t helped by the Dead Tree arriving late, which meant I started on the iPad and only really got into the swing once I had a suitably-folded Broadsheet in my hands. I felt this was a rather quirky puzzle, with a few I’ve had to scratch my head over, but there are also a few absolute belters. I knew I was going to love 14d from the moment I saw it – the idea of an extra brock in reserve that it brought to mind made me smile, although I doubt that was the allusion Dada intended. Nothing to do with the solution, either. Anyway, 14d takes top spot in a 28a with 2d, and with honourable mentions for 1a and 20a. Thank you, Dada, for getting the mental cogs spinning.
Please let us know how you fared and what you thought of the puzzle.
Continue reading “Toughie 3673”
