Azed 1979/amnesia
I completely forgot about this blog. Gaufrid kindly reminded me yesterday so I promptly forgot again. And then woke up this morning with something niggling my memory. That was about an hour and … Read more >>
Month: May 2010
Private Eye/Cyclops 416 – Detente candidate
Pack away your soapbox now. Take down your “Sod the others – Vote for Us” posters. It’s all over for now. The people have spoken and they said “Errr”. Anyway, I don’t understand … Read more >>
Everyman 3318
Some lovely surfaces and subtleties this week, and a clue type in 12/13 ac which I’m not sure I’ve seen in Everyman before (which is by no means to say that it hasn’t … Read more >>
Beelzebub 1,054 (02/05/10)
Well I never, two weeks running with a correctly-filled grid and not so much as a look at Chambers. This week did feel a lot tougher than last week though, and by the … Read more >>
Guardian 24,999 (Sat 1 May)/Crucible – Potty
Solving time: 9 mins This puzzle was snooker-themed, and published to coincide with the conclusion to the snooker World Championship at the Crucible in which Neil Robertson of Australia became only the second … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No.912 – Sounding by Loda
I rather enjoyed this romp. I am, as I have previously confessed, rather fond of the ways and means used by some EVs (including this one): quotations constructed from excised letters and hidden … Read more >>
Guardian 25,004 / Puck
Apologies for the late appearance of this post but the scheduled blogger appears to have gone AWOL. A fun puzzle, which was slightly different from the norm, with a number of linked clues that … Read more >>
Independent 7350/Phi
An excellent crossword from Phi, with an extremely modern phrase in it that defeated me. As for disclosing a Nina, I can’t be accused of this today, for either there isn’t one or I … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,379 / Falcon
Falcon is ideal for days when you want a smooth ride with the crossword without it getting dull. A pleasant puzzle with especially nice clue surfaces, and not much to hold one up … Read more >>
Independent 7349 by Morph
A fine puzzle, themed for General Election day in the UK. A lot of clues had political references but quite a few were nicely misleading with the answers having nothing to do with … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,378 / Phssthpok
This is now two tricky ones in a row. Whereas yesterday’s puzzle was hard(ish) but fair, today’s was made more difficult by some decidedly dodgy clues. I may appear to be a little … Read more >>
Guardian 25,003 / Pasquale
An excellent crossword from Pasquale today, notable for me because of three great &lits, but with many other enjoyable clues as well. The preamble refers to an anniversary: today is the 100th anniversary … Read more >>
Independent 7345 by Nestor – Sat 1st May
Just about the perfect Saturday puzzle for me – challenging enough to take my Times average time plus 50%, but not hard enough for there to be any serious doubt about finishing it. … Read more >>
Independent on Sunday 1055 by Quixote 2nd May 2010
An easier solve this week than last, with only 13dn causing any real problems. The anagram was perfectly clear, but it still took a while to figure out what the word was. The … Read more >>
Inquisitor 1123 – Trendier Days by Raich
Raich is a setter with an increasing output. To my knowledge, he has set Independent blocked crosswords, Listeners, Inquisitors and has a blocked crossword in the latest Magpie. I have acted as a … Read more >>