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Five puzzles to help you start the weekend with a spring in your step
Try out The Telegraph’s best puzzles of the week
Everyone take a deep breath, it’s the weekend. Despite January feeling like it lasted a lifetime, February has been speeding on by and this is the last weekend of the month. I can almost smell spring, it’s so close. Daffodils are appearing, I’m able to leave work when it’s still a little light outside, and most importantly I’m not having to go to bed with a hot-water bottle anymore. Things are on the up.
If you want to start your weekend right, maybe it’s time to crack out some puzzles. Each week, our Puzzles Editor Chris Lancaster chooses some of the best puzzles of the week for you to enjoy; in case you missed them, here are the best of the bunch.
Monday’s pick is from that day’s edition of our world-famous Cryptic Crossword. The answer to this clue from Cryptic Crossword 30,228 clue is staring you right in the face, so make sure you give it a good look:
In private, a serious and particularly baffling problem (6)
Moving onto Tuesday, our favourite puzzle of the day was Toughie Crossword 3,013. Our Toughies are a little trickier than our normal Cryptic Crosswords, so don’t worry if this clue takes you by surprise. Although I love both drinks mentioned in the clue, in this instance “rum” isn’t used as a noun:
Drink whiskey and rum this Noel: sweet! (3,4,7)
On Wednesday we’re back to the Cryptic, with Crossword 30,230. I can’t say I’m familiar with all of singer Michael Stipe’s work, but I can remember a song here and there. Knowing a bit about him might help you solve this one:
Recall e.g. Michael Stipe losing one million (8)
Our Quick Crosswords are a great way to start anyone’s day; who doesn’t want to feel clever thanks to a five-minute solve first thing in the morning? In Thursday’s Quick Crossword 30,231, answers to some of the clues link together to give a pun:
Smile weakly (6); Upper parts of legs (6)
Put them together and what do you get? I’ll let you figure that one out. Last but not, least on Friday we’re back with another Cryptic Crossword. 30,232 makes a little reference to everyone’s favourite Radio 2 host, who, sadly, is leaving the station next month. Even if we’re not able to give him a leaving gift, perhaps this clue acts as a good substitute:
Symbolic inscription on gift for broadcaster Bruce, perhaps (5)
Those were the best puzzles and clues of the week. If you want to play anything from the list you can do so on our brilliant new Puzzles website, where you’ll find thousands of posers to entertain, delight and stretch your brain.