Azed/2031- plain embroidery
A rather incomplete effort since I’m travelling sans Chambers and only have an hour in between flights. So… most of the bottom-right is undone and there are several wordplays left behind. All fixed … Read more >>
Month: May 2011
Guardian Prize 25,310 / Crucible
When I opened my paper and saw the name of one of my favourite setters on the puzzle, my heart leapt – only to plummet a few minutes later, before I had even … Read more >>
Independent 7656 by Phi (Saturday Prize Puzzle 30 April 2011)
Bit of a quick last-minute post, so apologies for any typos or missed nuances. My first Phi blog, and I was a bit wary as I have enjoyed solving/attempting many difficult Independent cryptics and Inquisitors … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No.964 – Complement by Shark
I found this rather tougher than some of the recent offerings and even thought for some time that I might be forced to throw in the towel. In fact, there were two clues … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,686 / Styx
A very nice puzzle today, smart clues and not too tough except for a brief struggle with the NE part of the grid. My favourites of the day: 9A, 7D, 20D Across 1 … Read more >>
Independent 7661/Raich
The usual good puzzle from Raich. I found it a bit harder than usual, but no doubt that was because of my failure to recognise the theme, and the long answer in the … Read more >>
Guardian Cryptic No. 25,315 by Chifonie
Very definitely plain sailing, and none the worse for that. Across 1. French town’s brochure revised? Good! (9) CHERBOURG Charade of CHERBOUR, an anagram (‘revised’) of ‘brochure’ + G (‘good’). 6. Make sense … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,685 / Alberich
“A game of two halves” best describes my experience today. Solved in a generally east-west direction, with the right-hand side providing early target practice while the left-hand side had me resorting more to … Read more >>
Guardian 25,314 / Shed
A very nice crossword from Shed, with some tough words / general knowledge, but all fairly clued. (I may not be able to make corrections until much later today, so apologies in advance … Read more >>
Independent 7660 by Nimrod
I sit down on the train, open up the paper and what do I find, something to strike terror into the heart of bloggers, well this blogger – it’s a Nimrod. After 30 … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,676 / Falcon
FT Monday Prize Crossword of 25 April 2011 Pretty straightforward, but the clues were concise and pleasing. 13 down was a new word for me, which I had to guess at by playing … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,675 by Mudd
Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of April 23 The top-left quadrant of this puzzle stumped me for a while. I got 15A promptly but the rest was tough, especially as I was … Read more >>
Independent 7659 / Dac
It looks as if something has prevented RatkojaRiku from being with us today so here is an analysis of the clues. In the interest of having something posted without too much further delay … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,684 by Cinephile
A bit of a mixed bag today I thought, some good clues and some that were not so good. I wondered if this was a ‘Friday Afternoon’ crossword, compiled after a good lunch … Read more >>
Guardian 25,313 / Orlando
There’s lots of fun in this characteristically witty, elegant and well-clued puzzle from Orlando – nothing too complicated but highly entertaining and enjoyable. Many thanks, Orlando. Across 1 MAGIC LANTERN: anagram [dicky] of … Read more >>