Inquisitor 36/Kea – Olympic Jigsaw
Jigsaw puzzles like this add a new element to solving a barred crossword, because you have to solve a significant percentage of the clues before you can start placing them in the grid. … Read more >>
Month: September 2007
Guardian 24,181, Orlando: Fr*ggin’ ‘ard
The title refers to a French rococo painter (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Honor%C3%A9_Fragonard) whose name I eventually guessed once I had all the letters. But I did find this one pretty tough, and I don’t think it was just my … Read more >>
Independent 6524/Scorpion
Very tough, as we’ve come to expect from Scorpion. I actually managed to fill the grid pretty quickly – about 30 mins – but, as you’ll see from the blog, there was a … Read more >>
Independent on Sunday 917 by Quixote
Solving time: 21 mins. Held up for some time by thinking a very well-known actress had a U in her name though there was none in the anagram fodder (6 across). In line … Read more >>
Financial Times 12,552 by Cinephile
This is one of those characteristic Cinephile puzzles with a theme that carries through the longest entries and into a few of the short ones. Spot the theme quickly as I did and … Read more >>
FT 12,561/Cinephile – Almost Plain Jane
Not too tricky, by Cinephile’s standards, with the Jane Austen mini-theme being familiar enough that even a lit-twit like me could twig it early on. Having just logged on to post this, I … Read more >>
Guardian 24,180/Araucaria – One for the bibliophiles
A literary romp from Araucaria – five of the down answers are the names of books and there’s at least two more literary reference among the clues. Great fun, just a shame that … Read more >>
Independent 6523/Dac
A quickish pleasurable solve with a couple of tricky clues and new words (for me). Once I’d found some of his well-hidden definitions, Dac’s cluing left no doubts for even the toughest of … Read more >>
On blogging, not blogging and commenting
I thought I’d take this opportunity to address some issues that have come under discussion on the blog recently. Missing/Late Posts There have been a few occasions where we haven’t been able to … Read more >>
Guardian 24179/Gordius
Solving time – approx. 20 minutes Another witty and scurrilous (I mean that as a compliment) offering from Gordius today! Really enjoyable to solve, although it required a lot of general knowledge (some … Read more >>
Independent 6522/Virgilius – I say nothing (3)
A corking puzzle from Virgilius with a subtle theme, explained in 17A. (The clue in the blog title is, I think, by Enigmatist – but apologies to the setter concerned if I’ve got … Read more >>
Independent 6521 by Morph
Interesting puzzle with clues ranging from very easy to very tricky. A theme which I think you could not miss if you solved the puzzle – Land’s End and John O’Groats appropriately placed … Read more >>
Guardian 24178/Rufus – Rufus?
Imagine my confusion when I saw a puzzle by Rufus (almost) without a cryptic definition. Mirroring Araucaria’s recent non-cross-referenced puzzle. Across 1 RE,TORT 5 RE,STRICT – the other meaning of RE this time. … Read more >>
Private Eye/Cyclops 347 Watergate / Cuba
Going back in time in US politics in this offering with two men called Dean. Across 7 DEMEANS – ME in DEAN’S – John Dean is the Nixon advisor here. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Dean 8 UP … Read more >>
Azed 1840: Give and take
Another excellent Azed with a twist. Omitted and added letters spell out: IT’S GOOD BUT LETTERS GET IN THE WRONG PLACES. The full quotation from Winnie the Pooh is: “My spelling is Wobbly. … Read more >>