Just in case you’ve not read it anywhere else, the Daily Telegraph has a new cryptic puzzle as from yesterday. In addition to their relatively easy daily anonymous cryptic they now have the Toughie. This is a slightly harder puzzle, probably the same level as the main puzzles in the other broadsheets (although as pointed out elsewhere the Telegraph is technically the only national broadsheet (excluding Scottish-only nationals!)) The puzzle is by named setters and runs from Tuesday to Friday. It is, now, also available via their online Crossword Society (subscription charge.)

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As usual an apparently perfect crossword from Dac — nothing remotely controversial, strong anagrams, sound clues with good surfaces. How he does it week after week I just don’t know. Read the rest of this entry »

Another treat from the Reverend  – I see he is on duty at the Guardian today too in his other
 persona. I thought at first that I was looking for numbers, having got 1d and 19a very quickly,
but then realised that it was conveyances which had to be added to the starred clues.  This made it much
easier in most cases, but I need more erudite solvers to help with one or two.

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As is often with Araucaria, something of a challenge but satisfying to solve.  I guessed the long linked clue starting at 7D fairly early from the pattern of ‘inherit’ which gave a lot of handy checking letters to power through the rest.

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