Beelzebub 1,027 (25/10/09)
Apologies for the later than usual blog. I only found out yesterday that I was expected to work today. So anyway, here's Beelzebub 1,027, which I found to be a fair bit more … Read more >>
Month: October 2009
Enigmatic Variations No. 885 — Book, Film & TV by Salamanca
I printed this puzzle off on the day of its publication but set it aside due to work pressures. I intended to take it on holiday with me to Netherlands and Belgium. An … Read more >>
Guardian 24,839 (Sat 24 Oct)/Boatman – Close thing
Solving time: 20 mins plus another couple of days mulling over 13dn and 25ac. I’m afraid I thought this was a poor puzzle. There is a strange theme with the phrase ‘dead-end’ (or, … Read more >>
Independent 7,189 by Phi
*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, cd=cryptic definition, dd=double definition. A solve of two halves for me – I raced through most of this in minutes, then ground to a halt on the remaining few. … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,221 / Orense
A mixed bag. Some easy clues, some not. Some fine clues, a few I have quibbles with or questions about. The NE corner was slow to fall, although after finishing the puzzle I … Read more >>
Guardian 24,844 / Araucaria
I guessed the planetary theme almost immediately, knowing that “planet” means “wanderer”, from the fact that the planets move in the sky relative to the so-called “fixed stars”. It’s not a complete set: … Read more >>
Indy 7184 by Tyrus (Sat 24 Oct)
We haven’t seen Tyrus for a while. When we have it has been tough, as this one proved to be. I was pleased to get a good handful on the first pass over … Read more >>
Inquisitor 147 – Bear Puzzle – by Raich
What a bad start, I thought. I looked at 1 across and got the answer straight away. Usually when that happens, I’m doomed to failure. But, as it happens, it wasn’t an omen, I … Read more >>
Guardian 24,843 – Chifonie
Across 1 PENANCE PENCE around AN 5 LAMPREY LAM+PREY 10 SPRY SPY i.e. “mole” around R[esistance] 11 APOTHEOSIS (Sophie ‘as to)* 12 PRESTO PO around REST – a spider is one of the … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,220/ Mudd
This one was something of a ripper (see 19D) in terms of trickiness for me. Probably one of my slowest solves this year. I found the NE-corner particularly tough to gain a toe-hold … Read more >>
Independent 7188 by Anax
Anax has fairly recently joined the Indy team and also, I believe, sets for the Times and set one of the three puzzles used in the recent Times Crossword Championship won by Mark … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,211 – Mudd
Monday Prize Crossword on 19 October 2009 dd = double definition cd = cryptic definition rev = reversed or reversal ins = insertion cha = charade ha = hidden answer *(fodder) = anagram … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,210 by Cinephile
Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of October 17 My favourite of these clues is 9A. Then there are a few that I do not completely understand (3D, 4D, 15D) and one, 4D, … Read more >>
Guardian 24842 / Gordius
Apologies for the late post – I’m afraid I woke up late in an inconvenient time zone, don’t have access to a printer, found my online Chambers subscription had run out (and it … Read more >>
Independent 7187 by Dac
Excellent puzzle as ever from Dac – I found it on the easy side, 17 mins * = anagram ACROSS 1 S NATCH (naturally = of course) 4 KNOCKER’S 9 TOAST boY 10 … Read more >>