Guardian 24,807 – Araucaria
Quite a challenge today, mainly due to the problems with getting started in such an interlocking grid. Once 15dn was cracked the rest became easier, however. Across 7. SCARLET. A reference to Will … Read more >>
Month: September 2009
Independent on Sunday 1022 by Quixote (13 Sep 2009)
Not too hard, I found, solving time 17 mins * = anagram < = reversed ACROSS 6 ANDREI SAKHAROV (a risk a handover)* Nobel Prize winner (1921-1989) 9 S PINE L 10 G … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,184/Falcon
This is the first puzzle I’ve had a crack at, let alone blogged, in a little while so was relieved to be reintroduced into the shallow end of the pool. While solving, there … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,175 – Crux
Monday Prize Crossword on 7 September 2009 dd = double definition cd = cryptic definition rev = reversed or reversal ins = insertion cha = charade ha = hidden answer *(fodder) = anagram … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,174 by Cincinnus
Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of September 5 Another Cincinnus that, for me, is as impeccable as it is satisfying. Across 9. PATRIARCH – ATRIA (courts) + RC (Catholic) in PH (parish … Read more >>
Independent 7151 by Dac
Dac’s weekly crossword always looked forward to as a delight. This I found quite easy, solving time 16 mins. * = anagram < = reversed ACROSS 1 GI(GOT)S 4 MI XER TA P … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,183 / Aardvark
Some good, misleading surfaces today with a few different anagram indicators, eg ‘building’, ‘created’, ‘rocking’ and ‘bumping’. There were two unfamiliar words, 13a and 14d, which unfortunately intersected, and the latter needed a … Read more >>
Guardian 24,806 / Chifonie
I found this mostly very easy, with just a few clues preventing a complete walkover. I have quibbles about 12ac, 18ac and 3dn, but generally it was all pretty sound, if not terribly … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,182 / Neo
Some amusing clues from Neo today. Across 1 AIR HOSTESS *(IS AS OTHERS) 7 PAVE P + AVE (prayer) 9 LYRA L (close to “lethal”) + *(RAY) 10 SECULARIST *(LETS ICARUS) 11 FLY-TIP … Read more >>
Independent 7,150 by Monk
*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, cd=cryptic definition, dd=double definition. A challenging one, as can be expected from Monk, and Tuesday Independents in general. I’m not quite sure about 17ac, but I think I’m close. … Read more >>
Guardian 24,805 – Boatman in Conflict
dd = double definition cd = cryptic definition rev = reversed or reversal ins = insertion cha = charade ha = hidden answer *(fodder) = anagram Quite an easy puzzle with the conflict … Read more >>
Independent 7149 by Glow-worm
*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, CD=cryptic def, DD=double def An interesting puzzle about a personality of whom I knew very little. I don’t think the compiler can claim too much credit for the anagram … Read more >>
Guardian 24,804 / Brendan
Something of a surprise – but by no means an unpleasant one – to see Brendan on a Monday. Brendan’s puzzles often have a theme and, after my miserable failure with Fungie last … Read more >>
Private Eye/Cyclops 399 – Neutered ancestor?
Am I alone in finding this not too hard this time? I was getting a bit worried as my subscription copy did not arrive till Friday – which is at least a day … Read more >>
Azed 1945: Are you looking at my bird?
An Azed with some nicely challenging clues this week. I managed to complete it without a dictionary, while watching England lose the first ODI at Lord’s — though I did need to double-check … Read more >>