Financial Times 13,484 / Neo
A straightforward puzzle today from Neo, nothing too difficult. 18 down made me smile and I liked 24 down, among others. Across 1 FIRST-CLASS MAIL *(RACIST SAM FILLS) 10 AMUSE AM (morning) USE … Read more >>
Month: September 2010
Guardian 25109 – Puck the Magic Dragon
What a delightful puzzle from Puck with a mini-theme of certain Internet-related terms here and there. The devices employed are multi-various and many would raise a snigger or even a guffaw. Most entertaining. … Read more >>
Guardian 25108 / Rufus
As usual, a gentle but enjoyable start to the week from Rufus. I found the last two long down clues the only tougher bits here. For once I managed to resist putting in … Read more >>
Independent 7454 by Klingsor
*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, CD=cryptic def, DD=double def, sp=spoonerism I think this was mostly up to the usual Independent standard and had a nice mixture of clues with some well-concealed definitions. A couple … Read more >>
Guardian Quiptic 564 / Rover
The third Monday of Fifteensquared’s coverage of the Quiptic, with two super blogs already from Gaufrid and Stella. No pressure, then … Before his death earlier this year, Rover was a regular setter … Read more >>
Guardian Genius 86 – Enigmatist: Me, me, me
The special instructions were quite clear, but it took a few readings, and a few answers, beofre I fully got the sense of them. Apart from that, this puzzle turned out less daunting … Read more >>
Independent on Sunday 1072 by Quixote – 29th August 2010
This week’s IoS was of average difficulty we reckoned, taking just under half an hour. A number of enjoyable surfaces and a couple of words that were new to us. Only 19dn remains … Read more >>
AZED No. 1,996 Plain
Nick: A slightly more difficult AZED this week, I felt. I am afraid I am totally beat with the explanation of 1ac, but I am sure readers here will enlighten me. The blog … Read more >>
Everyman No. 3335 (29th August)
Trafites: Notched up a level this week we feel. Is 25ac a new higher level clue type introduced to Everyman? Again a nice crossword to solve. Thank you Everyman. . . . Legend … Read more >>
Independent 7447 Nestor 28-August-2010
I can’t spell Tiananmen. I had it as Tiannamen for ages which held me up on the SW corner and 15D in particular of course. In fact, I would’ve spelt it Tianamen except … Read more >>
Guardian 25,101 (Sat 28 Aug)/Araucaria (Bank Holiday Jumbo) – Plateresque
Solving time: An hour before turning to references to fill in the blanks (54ac, 45dn) and correct the mistakes (21dn, 36dn); still unsure about 7dn. This was a tribute to the prolific English … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No.929 – Deficiencies by Glow-worm
Another relatively easy week. I fear that I am being lulled, as Bertie Wooster might have put it, into an f. s. of s. Although there were no messages to be constructed from … Read more >>
Independent 7,452/Phi
This is the first puzzle I’ve had chance to do this week and, looking at the blogs, it looks as if I’ve landed on my feet drawing the Friday slot. Nothing too tricky … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,481 / Flimsy
Easy anagrams and cryptic definitions, and a liberal helping of hidden word answers, made this a quick solve most of the way. I came to a halt at the last two and had … Read more >>
Guardian 25,106 – Araucaria
A very enjoyable puzzle from Araucaria, with some interestingly linked clues. Luckily I was familiar with most of the literary and other references, and found it not too hard. There were a few … Read more >>