Sloggers and Betters 6
The next “Sloggers and Betters” gathering for crossword setters and blog contributors and readers will take place in London next Thursday, 27th May, following on from the annual lunch for Times setters. It … Read more >>
Month: May 2010
Independent 7359 by Virgilius
Another excellent puzzle from the master, as usual with a theme underlying it, I refer to this following the clue explanations. Solving time, 28 mins, of which the last 8 were trying to … Read more >>
Guardian 25,013 – Gordius
A fair-to-middling offering from Gordius with the expected hard-boiled eggs here and there; but nothing that can give serious indigestion. There are, however, a few flashes of brilliance like 4Down which would have … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,388 / Jason
Unusual, but pleasant, to see a theme in a Tuesday FT. For a moment I was afraid that a few clues would leave me in limbo, but I did a jig when the … Read more >>
Independent 7358 by Tees
*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, CD=cryptic def, DD=double def, sp=spoonerism A very good puzzle by Tees which didn’t give me too many problems. As ever with Tees, there was a sprinkling of cultural references, … Read more >>
Guardian 25012 / Rufus
Lots of excellent clues in today’s Rufus. I made quite heavy weather of this by getting 10a wrong, mispelling 23d and not knowing 12a, but I think it should have been straightforward. Across … Read more >>
Beelzebub 1,055 (09/05/10)
Back down to earth with a bump for me, after doing very well indeed the last couple of weeks. There’s a fair bit in here that I can’t explain, and even a bit … Read more >>
Everyman No. 3319 (9th May)
Lorraine: Another nice Everyman – unusual as RETSINA appeared two weeks ago. Nick: Sorry for late publication – I was to put this up after yesterday’s FA Cup final, but got drunk and … Read more >>
Azed 1980: Jigsaw
I usually enjoy a jigsaw, because I like the way that progress accelerates once you crack a critical step. In this case, that step was the realisation that, of the two 11-letter solutions, … Read more >>
Guardian 25,005 (Sat 8 May)/Araucaria – Action stations
Solving time: 20 mins, with the majority on 5dn and 19ac The ‘capitally linked’ answers were all stations on the London Underground. As a non-Londoner I wasn’t doing too badly but was ruined … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No. 913 – Couples by Salamanca
A wonderfully crafted puzzle, which had me gaping in awe at the artistry of the themed-puzzle setter – although I found the clues generally easier than usual to solve, and it suffered a little from the … Read more >>
Independent 7,356/Phi
I made a strong start to this one, but came very unstuck on the top half and had to resort to help on a few words and phrases that are new to me. … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,385 / Orense
A simple crossword, no obscure words or circuitous wordplay. Newbies might want to cut their solving teeth with this. For old hands, it might seem a little uninspired. Across 1 ADMINISTERED MINISTER (vicar) … Read more >>
Independent 7351 (Sat 8 May) by Raich
This saturday was the 65th Anniversary of V.E. Day and this crossword had a WWII theme with several references in both clues and answers topped and tailed by two Vera Lynn songs. Raich … Read more >>
Guardian 25,010 – Araucaria
I’m sorry to say I didn’t know the quotation in 2/4/3dn, but I guessed the source, looked it up and quickly found the relevant part. Once that was in there wasn’t a huge … Read more >>