Financial Times 13,272 / Alberich
It’s me again, sorry! Apologies for the late appearance of this analysis but the scheduled blogger resides on the other side of the pond and I wanted to give him time to get … Read more >>
Month: December 2009
Independent – Review of 2009
There were 364 puzzles (every day except Christmas Day) in the Indy (including IoS) in 2009. 23 setters appeared. The policy of using themes, Ninas, continued, maybe even intensified. Nmsindy … Read more >>
Independent 7241 by Nimrod
A clever New Year’s Eve puzzle by Nimrod. Nmsindy solved the clues in 39 mins, then spent another 30 mins trying to puzzle out the unclued ones before surrendering and going to the … Read more >>
Guardian 24,895 – Paul
A fine end to the Guardian Crossword year with this tricky, clever and amusing puzzle from Paul. The “sums” in the first four across clues are particularly ingenious, but there’s lots more to … Read more >>
Independent on Sunday 1037 by Quixote – 27 Dec 2009
I found this a mixture of extremely easy clues and some quite tricky ones, solving time, 22 mins. A seasonal touch when 1 down and 11 down are looked at together. * = … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No. 893 – A Chore by Mynot
There were quite a few easy, or relatively easy, clues in this puzzle so I had 90% of the grid (excluding the perimeter) filled in very quickly. It was then time to look … Read more >>
Guardian 24,894 / Enigmatist
There had to be at least one no-show over the festive period! He missed a very good puzzle. Some excellent clues and a theme of Sweeney Todd, the demon barber of Fleet Street … Read more >>
Independent 7,240/Dac
A lovely way to round off my 2009 blogging. Dac’s puzzles are always a pleasure, never a chore. Long may he continue. Thanks from me to Eimi and the rest of the hugely … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,271 / Cinephile
A themed puzzle in which we were told that all asterisked clues had something in common. As it turned out, none of these clues had a definition, only wordplay. The commonality was that … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,265 – Dante
Monday Prize Crossword on 21 December 2009 Dante returned to serve up another delightful collection of clues with slick and smooth surfaces that only he can deliver with consistency and aplomb ACROSS 1 … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,264 by Mudd
Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of December 19 A lot of double definitions here, of which 15D is probably my favorite. This puzzle took me a while and I still do not … Read more >>
Beelzebub 1,035 (20/12/09)
I think this is me all up-to-date with Beelzebub now, as the closing date for this one was put back to the 29th, no doubt for seasonal reasons. No obvious Christmas themes in … Read more >>
Financial Times 13270 / Dante
A none-too-easy puzzle. I had a slow start but managed to complete it. Among the last to go in were 4ac, 29ac, 1dn and 14dn. The very last was 30ac, which I understood … Read more >>
Independent 7239/Glowworm
How lucky I am. Yesterday’s Anax took me absolutely ages, and that was with a paper copy in front of me, which always makes it a little easier. Preparing to do this online … Read more >>
Guardian 24893 – Pasquale
What a well-disguised theme which I did not unravel until I have practically solved all the clues. Once that unfolded, everything started to make sense. Very entertaining effort from Don. ACROSS 9 OBSERVANT … Read more >>