Guardian 24,341 – Quantum
Apologies for the brief blog, but a host of things came up and I’ve only just found time to solve this. It was quite tricky, and I haven’t the time to think some … Read more >>
Month: March 2008
Independent 6685 by Nimrod
Nimrod’s puzzles have a very individual style, rarely more exemplified than here. Found it very hard, but got there in the end, but decided I’d better verify in some cases by using the … Read more >>
Independent on Sunday 944 by Quixote (16 Mar 2008)
Not too difficult – solving time, 18 mins * = anagram ACROSS 1 T (A MA) RACK 5 SCH E MA 9 ATROCIT Y (Riot Act)* Y = end of unruly (last letter) … Read more >>
Independent 6684 – Dac
Solving time: 23 minutes Apologies for the late hour of posting, but a long day of hospital treatment left me rather zonked. This was a typical enjoyable Dac puzzle with elegant surface readings and … Read more >>
Financial Times 12,721 (Adamant)
Across 1 DEMOCRATIC: DEMOCRAT (like Hillary Clinton) + IC (in charge) 9 OPAL: OP (work) + A L (a beginner) 10 FENESTRATE: anagram of ERNEST in FATE 11 STATUS: S US (South America) … Read more >>
Financial Times 12,711 by Mudd
Here is Mudd in fine form. I found 16D difficult and still do not quite see how “go” is clued. Across 1. HARMLESS – ARM (weapon) + L (left) in HESS (Nazi). Great … Read more >>
Guardian 24340/Araucaria
As ever a few liberties taken here and there by Araucaria but on the whole a fair puzzle. Across 1 PSALMS S in PALM+S the Sunday before Easter is Palm … Read more >>
Guardian 24,339 Taupi – Varmint
This is a place-holder as I haven’t yet given this excellent puzzle the time it deserves ACROSS 1 PLEA(SURE)T-RIP 8 U-(c)RANIUM 9 ? 11 NET-B-ALL 12 ? 13 DIRGE = (E.G RID) < … Read more >>
Independent 6683/Phi
An entertaining puzzle from that nice man we usually see on Fridays. Across 1 INSE[-t],CURE 5 M[i]CE,WAN – the last one I filled in and the toughest clue of the puzzle I thought. … Read more >>
Financial Times 12719 / Neo
I took longer than two previous Tuesday puzzles that I have blogged on. Less than 45 minutes. First entry was 5ac. The upper half was completed first. The most difficult quadrant was bottom right. … Read more >>
Independent 6682 (Tees)
* = anag, < = reversed, () = dropped A slightly easier puzzle from Tees compared to some recent entries, although I have no idea who the person in 24 across was. Across … Read more >>
Guardian 24338/Rufus – what a scream!
The serial number is probably a misprint online. Anyway, a rather good Rufus I thought – an &lit here and there, a couple of reasonable cryptic definitions. Overall a pleasant accompaniment to my … Read more >>
Private Eye/Cyclops 360 – Surface intention
The surface readings of clues in the Eye crossword have become famous for conjuring up delightfully rude and disrespectful images, and of course funny as a result. This crossword did not disappoint. It … Read more >>
Guardian 24,331 (Sat 8 Mar)/Araucaria – Quight X-rated
Solving time: 18:05 Lots of difficult words in this puzzle, though that’s understandable as alphabetical jigsaws must be tough to construct. I struggled on the right-hand side and was surprised to discover that … Read more >>
Azed 1867
An enjoyable crossword romp taking in a nice mix of the obscure, the ordinary and the Latin. There are a couple of answers I’m not certain about and one clue, 35, that seems … Read more >>