August 2011 – Page 3 – Fifteensquared

Independent 7,754/Punk

Tue August 23, 2011 at 2:13 pm by Ali

Another great puzzle from one half of the Indy’s ‘John H’ setting team (I’m assuming there are no others!) I figured out the novel at 11A from the letters, but having never read … Read more >>

Financial Times 13779 Gurney

Wed September 14, 2011 at 12:39 pmTue August 23, 2011 at 12:30 pm by scchua

Can’t say I’ve done many Gurneys (though I’ve, enjoyably, completed quite some Raich’s), but this was quite enjoyable. Last one in was 9A, with the parsing coming to me only after I had started … Read more >>

Guardian 25,408 – Paul

Tue August 23, 2011 at 2:31 am by Uncle Yap

What a pleasure to wake up to a Paul puzzle with all its multi-various devices of all hues, shapes and sizes; and none boring. If you were to see me solving and working … Read more >>

Guardian Quiptic 614 / Hectence

Mon August 22, 2011 at 10:21 am by Big Dave

In previous reviews of Quiptics by Hectence I have commented on the high number of anagrams. This count is considerably reduced today. I still think that many of the constructs and indicators were … Read more >>

Independent 7753/Quixote

Mon August 22, 2011 at 9:27 am by Pierre

I found this a pretty straightforward and enjoyable puzzle from The Don in his fortnightly Indy slot. A good one for less experienced solvers, I think; for this reason I’ve tried to give … Read more >>

Guardian 25,407 – Rufus

Mon August 22, 2011 at 7:56 amMon August 22, 2011 at 6:43 am by Andrew

Standard Rufus fare, rather heavy on the cryptic definitions for my taste (six of them). I don’t think I was quite on the right wavelength for this one today, as it took me … Read more >>

In memory of Mike Laws

Sun August 21, 2011 at 8:22 pmSun August 21, 2011 at 4:33 pm by jetdoc

Yesterday (20 August 2011) a group of crossword addicts went to the ‘office’ used by the late Mike Laws — The Springfield Park Tavern, in Bounds Green, north London — to present two … Read more >>

Beelzebub 1,121

Sun August 21, 2011 at 6:19 pmSun August 21, 2011 at 2:25 pm by Simon Harding

A solve of two halves for me this week, comprised of a first session where I made very slow progress and solved only a handful, followed a few days later by a second … Read more >>

AZED No. 2,046 Plain

Sun August 21, 2011 at 3:41 pmSun August 21, 2011 at 6:45 am by The Trafites

Nick: Typical AZED this week, which I rate 6/10 on the ‘Azedian’ hardness scale. Luckily no PD clues for me to fail on 😉 I have two queries; Why the MCG in 1dn, and … Read more >>

Everyman No. 3385 (14th August)

Mon August 22, 2011 at 8:31 amSun August 21, 2011 at 6:30 am by The Trafites

Lorraine: Good morning peeps, I have to admit I did not do much of this weeks crossword due to fracturing two bones in my hand Saturday afternoon and was in too much pain to … Read more >>

Independent on Sunday 1122: Poins

Sun August 21, 2011 at 12:05 am by jetdoc

A bit of a mixed bag from Poins — all clues are sound, but some are very simple indeed, while some (25a, 26d, for example) have more deceptive wordplay and were much more … Read more >>

Independent 7746 by Anax (Saturday Prize Puzzle 13 August 2011)

Sat August 20, 2011 at 7:18 pmSat August 20, 2011 at 12:01 am by mc_rapper67

A veritable tour de force from Anax, on my first opportunity to blog one of his puzzles. After filling in my first five or six solves – including a laugh-out-loud moment with 5D – I twigged … Read more >>

Enigmatic Variations No 979 Problem by Salamanca

Sat August 20, 2011 at 12:01 am by twencelas

So some shaded squares this week to help define the problem and 6 clues to be entered in a non standard way to indicate the title. Other than that everything is straight forward. Is it … Read more >>

Guardian 25,400 / Araucaria

Sat August 20, 2011 at 12:01 am by mhl

A fun and very devious prize crossword, which took us a couple of train journeys to complete. There’s a nice theme of film and television which linked six of the clues. Some points … Read more >>

Financial Times 13,776 / Mudd

Fri August 19, 2011 at 11:52 am by shuchi

Great fun with Mudd’s trademark humour on display in 20a and 14d. I found this a gentle solve without being a walkover, just the right level of difficulty to challenge without giving me … Read more >>