Guardian 24,593 (Sat 10 Jan)/Paul – Vowel mouthed
Solving time: 15:26, the last 4 mins of which on 18dn. I found this a little harder than other recent Paul puzzles, but this may have been through unfamiliarity with the theme author, … Read more >>
Month: January 2009
FT 12,976/Viking
A rapid-fire, skeletal posting for now as I’m won’t have any more free time for the next several hours. At least this leaves the stage clear for others to opine until I can … Read more >>
Independent 6938/Morph (Prize puzzle 10-01-09)
Great puzzle. I can’t believe how long it took me to spot what was going on at 1a and 29a. Across 1 (NOTA BENE I MOVED)* – ABOVE-MENTIONED. A self-referential clue as it … Read more >>
Guardian 24598 / Paul
I’ve very little time for this today, so apologies for any errors – I needed quite a bit of research to get or confirm the song titles, but I don’t mind that. As … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations 844 (4th Jan): A Bit on the Side by Glow-worm
No EV last week, it got bumped by a £500 Cryptic (I bet that had a few entries). However, the number still got used, so it’s onwards to 844 this week. The EV … Read more >>
Inquisitor 106 – Pared Down by Kea
There was a very short preamble on this puzzle – ‘each Across clue contains an extraneous definition of one of the Down Clues, which are otherwise unclued’. There were twenty-one Across clues. A … Read more >>
Independent 6,943 by Nimrod
*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, cd=cryptic definition, dd=double definition. I can’t pretend that Nimrod is my favourite setter. Here, once again, the clueing tends towards brilliance, but becomes gimmicky in places, and then leaves … Read more >>
Guardian 24,597 – Brendan
Lots of clues which should be connected by 17ac.. got it from the chess set and the football set plays then got the theatrical ones but still don’t see how the others qualify. … Read more >>
Independent 6,942/Scorpion
The first puzzle I’ve had chance to look at in what appears to have been a tricky batch so far this week, and this one certainly adds to that pile. I managed only … Read more >>
Independent on Sunday 987 by Quixote (11 Jan 2009)
Solving time, 22 mins * = anagram ACROSS 1 SA (DIS) T 4 S (TACK) S 8 KISMET (mistake)* less a (top grade) 9 WEAK SPOT cf ‘speak wot’ , I think 10 … Read more >>
FT12,975 Set by FLIMSY Jan 15 2009
Not as entertaining as yesterday’s gem, with rather a lot of anagrams, and little to challenge. One unusual word in 27a and I was not happy with 10a, but straight-forward on the whole. … Read more >>
Financial Times 12,966 – Dante
Monday Prize Crossword on 5 January 2009 dd = double definition cd = cryptic definition rev = reversed or reversal ins = insertion cha = charade ha = hidden answer *(fodder) = anagram … Read more >>
Financial Times 12,965 by Mudd
Weekend FT Prize Puzzle from January 3 This puzzle was moderately tough for me and there is one clue (20A) that I fail to completely understand. Across 1. TIGHT-FISTED – double definition 7. … Read more >>
Independent 6941 by Dac
A very tough puzzle from Dac, with some excellent misdirection and great variation all through. Very satisfying to finish, solving time, 36 mins * = anagram ACROSS 1 (B)RIGHTO(n) 4 TASHKENT (The tanks)* … Read more >>
Financial Times 12,974 / Cinephile
A colourful puzzle with some delightful clues which were instrumental in providing a great deal of enjoyment. I thought 8d was rather weak and spent a little time trying to determine an alternative answer … Read more >>