Never knowingly undersolved
*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, CD=cryptic def, DD=double def, sp=spoonerism A moderately challenging puzzle by Hypnos. There were no real stand-out clues for me but everything was well constructed. One or two of the … Read more >>
Very easy Bank Holiday fare from Rufus today, though with the usual wit and elegant surface readings. Across 1. INCURIOUS INCUR I.O.U.S 6. CAWS [MA]CAWS 8. APERITIF (FIT … Read more >>
Nick: Typically nice AZED this week which I feel was a tad more difficult than some weeks. I had to use Brewers Dictionary of Phrase and Fable to confirm 28dn and fully understand … Read more >>
Lorraine: Nice easy plod along this week, had to look up 1 down and 7 down to confirm my guesses. Can’t say any one clue was particularly outstanding as I always enjoy all … Read more >>
Solving time: 8 mins For Araucaria this was surprisingly straightforward, but that’s probably just as well with a bank holiday special due this week. One of the reasons for the lower-than-average difficulty was … Read more >>
Well a complex preamble this week – certainly one that won’t make sense till 11 down is derived. On first reading it sounds like a puzzle based upon a literary character. Then there’s an … Read more >>
Good stuff as ever from Phi, and we have a pangram to boot. I was frustratingly defeated by the final two clues though! Across 7 BELLOC – (Alexander Graham) BELL + CO> rev. … Read more >>
Notes on this crossword below… Across 1. SECULARISATION (LAURA IS)* in SECTION = “part” 9. NAMEPLATE NAME = “Christen” + “South American river” = PLATE; the definition is “in brass at the door” … Read more >>
Bradman gives us his trademark &lit clues for the long slots and general solid clueing all round. There are some superbly smooth clue surfaces, as in 20A and 9D. A very enjoyable solve. … Read more >>
A steady and gentle jog-trot today. No brain-busting vocab requirements, and I think the xwd editor was wise to slot this one into a Thursday, rather than the weekend edition (where Mudd’s more … Read more >>
Cursory research suggests Yorick to be a new setter for us to lock horns with, though I say that with some caution as we’ve seen familiar setters use unfamiliar pseudonyms in the past. … Read more >>
Whilst I used to be pretty well intimidated by Scorpion puzzles, these days I tend to enjoy them a great deal. This was the expected combination of a fairly stiff challenge and moments … Read more >>
Well, Andrew’s observation turned out right again. I’ve looked forward for a long time to blogging my first Shed, especially since his RHOTIC clue last year, and this didn’t disappoint. [There is even … Read more >>
Well, this will be appearing on Sloggers and Betters day, so we’re looking forward to putting faces to pseudonyms. Did this relatively quickly, apart from 1 down, which we didn’t figure out until … Read more >>
Pretty easy going at first. I had the grid (with the exception of the four thematics) filled in about an hour. The thematics, however, proved a little troublesome until the penny dropped. The … Read more >>