Guardian 25,448 / Paul
As usual with a Paul crossword this was full of fun and lovely surface readings. The longest two clues and their referent constitute something of a mini-theme, which Jenny guessed within seconds of … Read more >>
Month: October 2011
Financial Times 13,824 / Flimsy
A simple solve with a variety of clue types. I especially enjoyed 10a and 5d. Flimsy is extremely skilled at crafting smooth and natural clue surfaces. The not-so-nice parts: there is an error … Read more >>
Independent 7799 by Phi
And so it’s Friday and Phi after yesterday’s rather hard Nimrod about the Today Programme, this seemed a lot easier. Well here we have a Nina of Six Hundredth Year across the … Read more >>
The Guardian No 25,453, by Brummie
When I saw Brummie’s name on today’s crossword, I was a little apprehensive, not knowing quite what to expect, but I needn’t have worried. It turned out to be a gentle pub crawl, … Read more >>
Financial Times no.13,823 by MONK
After a flying start, I’m afraid my fellow Leodensian Monk has left me stumped this morning… Some very nice clueing, including some pleasing cryptic definitions (and several excursions to Scottish outposts), but I … Read more >>
Guardian 25,452 / Paul
It took me a while to crack the clue to the theme and I was meanwhile rather apprehensive, in view of some of Paul’s recent themed puzzles, so I was very relieved to … Read more >>
Independent 7,798 / Nimrod
To be brutally honest, I have to say that Nimrod ran rings around me with today’s puzzle, even more so than usual. Of all the puzzles that I have blogged to date, this … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,814 – Crux
Monday Prize Crossword/Oct 3 Before I tackle a crossword I always have a first run through the clues. Not to try and find already some solutions but to see whether the surfaces look … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,813 by Bradman
Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of October 1 I believe I am right in saying that Bradman (Don Manley) is a newcomer to the FT Weekend prize puzzle but I know him … Read more >>
Independent 7,797/Dac
Glorioius stuff as ever from Dac. Quite a tough bottom half I found, but I got there in the end. If I have a single criticism – and I’m saying this only becasue … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,822 by Cinephile
An easier then usual Cinephile, but certainly no less enjoyable for that. CA in the clues stands for ‘castaway’ and I very much enjoyed reading on Wikipedia the stories of all the castaways and mutineers involved. In … Read more >>
Guardian 25,451 – Brendan
I’m always pleased to see Brendan’s name on a puzzle, but somehow I found this one both harder and (perhaps as a result) a bit more of a slog than usual, though there … Read more >>
Inquisitor 1197: Noises Off by Nudd
The Inquisitor index on this website tells me that this is Nudd’s first puzzle in the Inquitior series. I have, however, come across Nudd puzzles before, in The Magpie. The preamble stated "In nine … Read more >>
Independent 7796/Eimi
It seems to be ages since Eimi appeared, certainly ages since I blogged one of his crosswords. Everything was fairly easy today and it wasn’t the agonising Tuesday experience that I’d been fearing. … Read more >>
Financial Times 13821 Neo
Neo’s puzzles can sometimes be quite fiendish, and the first runthrough of the across clues yielded nothing. Panic was about to set in, unitl I got a foothold after a couple of down … Read more >>