Independent 7,145/Dac
Nice stuff as always from the mid-week maestro. There are some great clues here. Across 1 HOSTA – S[-een] in HOT,A 4 RELOCATED – CO. rev. in RELATED 9 LOOPINESS – PINE’s in … Read more >>
Month: September 2009
Financial Times 13,177 / Cinephile
Another one of Cinephile’s ‘X has the same meaning …..’, this time it was ‘P’ for ‘peaks’, made easier for me having climbed all but one of them in my youth. Some typical Cinephile … Read more >>
Guardian 24,800 (Crucible)
A themed puzzle with one clue still puzzling me (3D) Across 1 BLIXEN: BLIX (Dr Hans Blix of WMD fame) + EN (directions); Karen Blixen, author, 1885-1992 4 MIX-UPS: homophone for MICK SUPS … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,176 / Hamilton
A new setter (I think). If so, welcome! An enjoyable puzzle. Across 1, 4, 26 EASIER SAID THAN DONE cd 10 COLLAGE COLLEGE (Academy), removing E (English) and substituting A (amateur). 11 TICKLED … Read more >>
Independent 7144/Virgilius
How Virgilius keeps on thinking up these original ideas I don’t know. This time he is using the numbers of the clues and sometimes also the numbers in their enumerations. Across 1 A … Read more >>
Guardian 24,799 – Bonxie The Warrior
dd = double definition cd = cryptic definition rev = reversed or reversal ins = insertion cha = charade ha = hidden answer *(fodder) = anagram Bonxie must be a war enthusiast, something … Read more >>
Independent 7143 by Merlin
*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, CD=cryptic def, DD=double def There were some extremely difficult clues in this and I’m not sure that I’ve got all the answers correctly. The Indy website no longer seems … Read more >>
Guardian 24798 / Rufus
I’m afraid I’m under thesis deadline pressure this week, but my partner very kindly offered to write notes on this one, so I’m just reposting what she wrote… [Links to the puzzle as … Read more >>
Guardian Genius 74 / Paul
A tough challenge from Paul that took me several sessions to complete, though looking back at it now there’s not much that seems particularly obscure or difficult. The crucial 8dn was actually one … Read more >>
Everyman No. 3283 (August 30th)
Lorraine: I guess Everyman knows when I have to blog, as it is would appear that it is only difficult every other week – always my week! Nick: I apologise for the doo’s … Read more >>
Azed 1944 – lots left for the reader
Another wordplay debacle in the SE corner. I had the rest done in an hour or so (The Big Red Book consoling me as needed) — however, I struggled through the bottom-right for … Read more >>
Beelzebub 1,019 (30/08/09)
A very enjoyable solve once again. I do recommend that more fifteensquareders get hold of an Independent on Sunday from time to time and have a go at a Beelzebub, as it’s always … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations 877: Adjustments by Rustic
A quick comment that I’m glad I didn’t have last weeks blog, What You’ve Got to Do by Syd Lexis; it looks like I made a complete Horlicks of the final step! Luckily, … Read more >>
Guardian 24,791 (Sat 29 Aug)/Araucaria Bank Holiday Special – Honey-trap
Solving time: 70 mins, 4 wrong/missing (45dn, 52ac, 33dn, 1ac) After 5 minutes I had solved two clues so was quite pleased to get most of this cracked in an hour, especially since … Read more >>
Independent 7141 by Phi
Not for the first time, a puzzle from Phi with a musical flavour. Four musical instruments in symmetrical positions in the corners and a fifth in 11 down. A pleasing solve, with everything … Read more >>