Guardian 24,870 / Auster
We seem to have another case of AWOL so here is a quick analysis of the clues. I will leave it up to others to provide a commentary. Across 1 PET AVERSIONS A … Read more >>
Month: November 2009
Independent 7215 by Radian
*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, CD=cryptic def, DD=double def, sp=spoonerism I couldn’t get into this at all and gave up with about half the grid completed. The theme was evidently pi and I think … Read more >>
Everyman 3295 (November 22nd)
Lorraine: This week it took me a while to get started!. Having 9 anagrams certainly helped me though, I love anagrams because you know without doubt that you have got the correct solution. … Read more >>
Azed 1956
Solving time: 35 minutes without Chambers, but with one mistake A fairly straightforward Azed this one – I managed to invent all the right words without help except for 30A. Across 1 ARCHIBALD … Read more >>
Guardian 24,863 (Sat 21 Nov)/Araucaria – Gray area
Solving time: About 20-25 mins, one mistake (24ac). The theme of this puzzle was Thomas Gray’s Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard, lines 51-52 and 57-60. Not knowing any of these lines made … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations 889: Indistinguishable by Hugo
As far as I can see, Hugo is a new setter, so good luck to him with this puzzle. As far as I’m concerned, he’s off to a good start with lots of … Read more >>
Guardian 24,868 / Quantum
Yet another posthumous Quantum puzzle. Unfortunately I have to say I wasn’t very impressed with it: there are a couple of rather weak cryptic definitions, and other niggles noted below. Apart from that … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,245 / Viking
A very good puzzle, a shade easier than Viking’s usual. I would’ve preferred fewer word truncations in the wordplay, but that’s a minor nitpick in an otherwise solid effort. Across 1 SHEEPISH SHE … Read more >>
Independent 7208 by Scorpion (Sat 21-Nov 2009)
I found this very hard, as we come to expect from Scorpion. After I had about 10 answers I came to a complete halt, totally stuck. Restarting the next day I made a … Read more >>
Independent 7213/Phi
As usual a pleasing efficient crossword from Phi. Not much to say really — it all fits together very well. Across 9 HER(M)ITAGE — this museum 10 Y(E)ARN 11 ALGE(B)R{I}A 12 DATA SET … Read more >>
Inquisitor 151 – Drop by Schadenfreude
Solving time: very roughly 6 hours, with LOTS of cheating I foolishly left this for a few days before starting to solve for this report. It turned out to be really tough and … Read more >>
Beelzebub 1,030 (15/11/09)
A perhaps over-ambitious attempt on my part, to finish this without any kind of research materials. I filled the grid in reasonable time, but it seems I invented a couple of words in … Read more >>
Independent 7,212/Tees
Took me a while to break the back of this one even though I got the long clue at 1/21/4 early doors. There are some good deceptive clues in here and I’ve learnt … Read more >>
Guardian 24,867 / Chifonie
This is perhaps [in some ways] a puzzle for those who dislike cryptic definitions – not one in sight, but lots of simple charades, including a couple of rather hackneyed ones and some … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,244/Falcon
I found this something of a Jekyll and Hyde puzzle. Plenty of easy, familiar fare but interspered with a smattering of much trickier obscurities. I benefited from a couple of pieces of lucky … Read more >>