Inquisitor 1108 – French Polish by Nutmeg
We were told that seven grid entries, clued without definition, were of a kind. Their response to an exhortation would affect the method of entry of a further seven clue answers. Further, all … Read more >>
Month: January 2010
Guardian 24914 / Araucaria
A mostly very enjoyable puzzle, with a nicely done theme. Across 1. CALIFORNIUM Two subsidiary indicators here: (a) A Latinist might say Californium is the singular of California (“state”) (b) CALIF = “leader … Read more >>
Independent 7255 by Nimrod (Sat 16-Jan)
With his trademark 15-letter answers you certainly get your money’s worth from Nimrod. This took me ages, of course, and couldn’t have finished without a bit of dictionary-bashing etc. I found the bottom … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,290 / Gozo
Straightforward stuff today, with a mini-theme of furniture. Many cryptic and double definitions but none that truly sparkled. 20d stood out for its cleverly positioned hyphen at line-break. Across 1 SCHOOL cd 4 … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,289 / Mudd
Good stuff, as usual, from Mudd; including some decent treatment of rather mundane words or devices. I also liked the grid design, which allowed for a nice balance of checking patterns. I don’t … Read more >>
Independent 7259 by Nestor
Very inventive and satisfying puzzle from Nestor, quite hard, solving time 45 mins. * = anagram < = reversed ACROSS 1 A NDROMEDA GALAXY (Gary Oldman axed)* 10 LEANEST “Art showing tendency that’s … Read more >>
Guardian (24,913), Paul
Very enjoyable puzzle with a cleverly clued theme. Very Paul, very good. Across 8 CINERAMA: anagram of AMERICAN 9 ANODES: O (nothing) in ANDES (range) 11 LINSEED OIL: anagram of DEONISE in LL … Read more >>
Independent on Sunday 1040 by Quixote – 17 Jan 2010
Solving time, 22 mins. Lower half harder than top half, I found * = anagram < = reversed ACROSS 1 LAPP (p pal)< 4 SUBJECT S 9 SCAR(C)E 10 PEA (CO C)KS 11 … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,280 – Dante
Monday Prize Crossword on 11 January 2010 Back to Dante for another not-so-taxing week-opener with some delightful cryptic definitions and double definitions. However, I suspect Dante may have got his mythologies mixed up … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,279 by Mudd
Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of January 9 I needed a bit of dictionary and Google help to finish this puzzle. And I did not get 20D. I especially like 23A and … Read more >>
Independent 7,258 by Mass
A rare weekday outing for Mass, with whom I’m most familiar via the concise crossword that shares a page with Beelzebub in the Independent on Sunday, and a particularly challenging and very thoroughly … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,288 / IO
I’m not quite sure what to say about this one. I found it hard in places and very easy elsewhere. Some answers were obvious from the enumeration and a few took a while … Read more >>
Guardian 24,912 – Auster
There was nothing too difficult in this puzzle from Auster, though I caused myself a little trouble by guessing wrong at 4d (plausibly, I think). Altogether very enjoyable, with a gentle wit showing … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,287 / Neo
This was a quick solve, but with some definite pleasures. Neo has a way of cluing three- and four-part charades with economy and style. Across 1 IDIOTIC I’D (Neo had) I (one) OTIC … Read more >>
Independent 7257/Mordred
Mordred’s crosswords are for some reason unfamiliar to me, but this one contains plenty of very nice clues, one or two of which I found difficult. There must be some sort of a Nina here, with the … Read more >>