Posted by PeterO on 23rd May 2011
A Quiptic setter new to me, she hits the entry level spot on, with varied clue types, and nothing too convoluted. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Guardian Quiptic | 13 Comments »
Posted by PeterO on 23rd May 2011
I found this easier than some recent Rufuses; not too heavy on the cryptic definitions (which I regard as a plus), but making up for it in the envelope department – if not quite up to the Brendan that I blogged the other week. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Guardian | 17 Comments »
Posted by beermagnet on 23rd May 2011
Some excellent surface readings in this issue’s crossword. I marked no fewer than 8 as worthy of consideration for top clue, but that honour has to go to Home Sweet Home for the insinuation of the influence of our now remarkably invisible ex-Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Posted in Private Eye/Cyclops | 4 Comments »
Posted by bridgesong on 22nd May 2011
I can’t remember Azed using this particular combination of devices before, although he may have done so under a different name. So far as the across clues are concerned, it is known as “letters latent”, and the last time Azed used that device was in puzzle 1914. It certainly presented a substantial challenge to the solver, although it must have been even more of a challenge to the setter. First he had to select an appropriate quotation of the right length: here it was “the uncertain process of letter-writing” (George Eliot), and then remove letters from the across solutions and add them to the down ones. Constructing the grid must have taken him hours, if not days.
Posted in Azed | 3 Comments »
Posted by Uncle Yap on 22nd May 2011
Another new setter for me as far as blogging is concerned. Hypnos is generally sound and provided a wide array of cryptic devices for quite an entertaining puzzle.
Posted in Independent | 4 Comments »
Posted by Pierre on 22nd May 2011
A straightforward and soundly-clued Sunday offering from Everyman today. Just right for beginning or improving solvers: I know I would have appreciated and enjoyed this puzzle when I was getting into the dark and mysterious world of cryptics. And I enjoyed it this morning too.
Posted in Everyman | 4 Comments »
Posted by Dave Hennings on 21st May 2011
A fairly straightforward offering from Rustic this week: solve the clues, move a letter to the perimeter and reveal a quotation and the person it describes.
Posted in Enigmatic Variations | No Comments »
Posted by beermagnet on 21st May 2011
First session: 8 answers in 15 mins all below the half-way line.
Then I slowed down a bit ( <- understatement alert)
Posted in Independent | 12 Comments »
Posted by bridgesong on 21st May 2011
A delight as ever to tackle another offering from the Master, and this time there is only one clue which, to my mind, offends Ximenean principles (12 across). A couple of other clues have left me puzzled and I await elucidation, particularly to 8 down.
Posted in Guardian | 17 Comments »
Posted by RatkojaRiku on 20th May 2011
I enjoyed solving and blogging this one, which used a grid that I hadn’t come across before. Furthermore, it was definitely the first time that I had come across the entry at 3 (my favourite clue!) and 6 in a crossword (although I would have expected the word to be marked colloquial somehow). This was the kind of puzzle where I found the solutions fairly quickly but then struggled to understand all the wordplay, not least at 1, where the penny finally dropped after lots of head-scratching.
Posted in Independent | 5 Comments »
Posted by shuchi on 20th May 2011
A solid puzzle from Bradman, which was mostly a comfortable solve 3/4th of the way. A hasty wrong answer at 26a kept me stuck in the bottom-right of the puzzle, till I got 21d and was forced to rethink.
Posted in FT | 5 Comments »
Posted by Eileen on 20th May 2011
A fairly gentle puzzle from Pasquale to round off a week of good puzzles: nothing too controversial or obscure, I think, with a nice mix of clue types and a few smiles along the way.
Posted in Guardian | 39 Comments »
Posted by Gaufrid on 19th May 2011
I was very sad to read that Mike Laws, crossword editor for the Inquisitor and a setter under several pseudonyms, passed away last night.
Posted in Announcements | 10 Comments »
Posted by Ali on 19th May 2011
Great stuff from the Tees-er. I found this easier than most Thursday Indy offerings, but there was plenty of elegant wordplay and a good selection of the tools of the trade on display. 23D gets my vote for clue of the day.
Posted in Independent | 16 Comments »
