Everyman 3431/8 July
Another fine puzzle in the Everyman style, with plenty of good surfaces and elegant cluing. But I found this trickier than normal, with one phrase I had never come across before. … Read more >>
Month: July 2012
Enigmatic Variations 1025: 13 Down by Kcit
Just to reiterate what mc_rapper highlighted last week, The Sunday Telegraph is now accepting email submissions for Enigmatic Variations. This requires you to scan your solution/entry coupon, and email it to prize.puzzles@telegraph.co.uk, with … Read more >>
Independent 8028 (Sat 07-July 2012) Monk
I think I am beginning to recognise Monk’s style. Straight, non-thematic crosswords clued with a range of difficulty. Some relatively accessible clues to start with, but nothing too obvious, so you can make … Read more >>
Guardian Prize No 25,682 by Araucaria
I found this on the easy side for a prize puzzle, although there are one or two traps for the unwary. The theme was easy to spot, and there are one or two … Read more >>
Financial Times 14,055 by Redshank
Struggled over 23 down having to summon troops for assistance Across 1 SACRED (devoted to deity) ACRE (area) in SD (South Dakota) 4 VINDALOO (food) V-1 (rocket) (AND)* LOO (convenience) … Read more >>
Independent 8,033 / Phi
This Friday morning, as is customary, saw me pitting my wits against Phi’s latest offering. I enjoyed completing this grid, with its four long entries; it is not one that I recall having … Read more >>
Guardian 25,687 / Araucaria
When the first two across clues went in straightaway, I thought this might be going to be a doddle. Not so: I found it quite hard going, even after getting the theme early … Read more >>
Beelzebub 1166
Satisfying challenge Across 1 Exemplified corruption of tainted saint INSTANTIATED (TAINTED SAINT)* 10 I settled into army training, becoming this MILITARY I LIT (I settled) in (ARMY)* 11 Imposter’s endless … Read more >>
Financial Times no.14,054 by ORENSE
Maybe it was because, unusually for me, I resorted to the Pink ‘un itself rather printing off the online version – or maybe it was because the sun was out – but, in … Read more >>
Independent 8032 / Mordred
This was a crossword that did not have complex wordplay, but it was still an enjoyable challenge. The wordplay in majority of the clues followed an additive or double definition route. … Read more >>
Guardian 25,686 by Gordius
Your regular blogger Andrew is away on his holidays and has asked me to stand in for you all. After yesterday’s comments I won’t say how easy I found it 🙂 Actually not … Read more >>
Financial Times 14,045 – Dante
Monday Prize Crossword/Jul 2 First of all, many many thanks to Flashling who was so kind to blog all four of the June Monday Prize Crosswords. It must have been hard to adjust … Read more >>
Financial Times 14,044 by Cincinnus
Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of June 30, 2012 I breezed through about half of this puzzle and then got stuck for a good while before finishing it, finding the top-left quadrant … Read more >>
Independent 8031/Dac
As usual from Dac, an impressive contribution. Several of these clues have an &lit. quality (and quality is the word), so many in fact that while solving one tends to say “I can’t see … Read more >>
Financial Times 14,053 by Aardvark
This was mostly straighforward but with just a few much harder clues thrown in to the mix. I liked the &lits here, both comple and partial. My favourite, though probably the easiest, was … Read more >>