Guardian 24290/Rufus
Classic Rufus, lots of cryptic defnitions! There were a couple of tough ones in here for me, exposing my lack of knowledge of literature and opera. Across 9 ACTON BELL — ACT ON … Read more >>
Month: January 2008
Everyman 3198
Across 4 EGGPLANT — E.G. + G + PLAN + (allotmen)T 10 EXCHEQUER — “ex checker” 11 ORIBI — (I BIRO)< — the oribi is one of a number of regular crossword antelopes. … Read more >>
Guardian 24,283 (Sat 12 Jan)/Paul – Up to no good
Solving time: 11:57 Some tricky clues in this, and a bit of a theme based around references to 8ac (GOOD), the main twist of this being at 12ac and 24/13ac in which clues … Read more >>
Independent 6632 by Phi
A quick post – harder than usual from Phi with a theme – referred to after the clue explanations. Solving time, 29 mins. < = reversed ACROSS 10 SHOO(t) Definition = off! … Read more >>
Independent 6627/Punk (12-01-08)
Across 1 (MARIA FOLLOWING)*,E – WILLIAM OF ORANGE. “After the Reformation” is the anagram indicator so the capitalized R is more than a bit cheeky. 9 DUMB,FOUND – great definition (“stump”) but does … Read more >>
Guardian 24288/Brendan
The grid pattern and setter meant a theme was there somewhere. It took a while for it to work out but in the end it’s spelled out across the middle of the grid. … Read more >>
Inquisitor 54 – Seasonal Show by Loda
The clues for this Seasonal Show were presented in three blocks: Firstly, an unnumbered set of clues to the whole of each of Rows 1, 3, 5, 8, 10 and 12 with the … Read more >>
Guardian 24287/Orlando
Sorry this is so late – I wrote it up at lunchtime but the site’s been down for most of the afternoon with an “Unable to connect to database” error. I seem to … Read more >>
Independent 6631 by Monk
Looking at the grid before I started saw checking was low in some cases eg 2 in 5-letter words, 3 in 7-letters words so I suspected a theme. Having solved it however, I … Read more >>
Independent on Sunday 935 by Quixote (13/01/2008)
I found this one very straightforward. Solving time, 12 mins Some notes on clues below – happy to explain others if asked. < = reversed ACROSS 9 S (LIP) ON Don = put … Read more >>
Financial Times 12,657 by Mudd
I had some trouble finishing this one. One reason was that I was unfamiliar with the expression “to wet the baby’s head”. It stems, I understand, from baptism but has come to mean … Read more >>
FT 12,666/Cinephile – Number of the Beast
Quite an esoteric theme for this one, although it is readily flagged and accessible thanks to the preamble, “The beasts are 8” (i.e. 8D). I thought it strange that the creatures in question … Read more >>
Independent 6630/Dac
A bit harder than the usual Dac, I found. Some of the bottom-half clues were peculiarly impenetrable, although in the end there was the usual satisfaction with Dac’s skills. Across 1 HIT THE … Read more >>
Guardian 24,286 – Paul : Fizzy Pop
A man notices a blonde sucking on the bottom of a Coke can. Curious, he asks her what she’s doing. “Duh! It says for best taste drink by date on the bottom.” ACROSS … Read more >>
Guardian 24,285, Chifonie: He-rewarding in the end
This was tough stuff indeed, but ultimately satisfying, with some fine clues. It took a good half hour all told, i.e. half of my tube journey (the needs of work oblige me to … Read more >>