Never knowingly undersolved
My apologies to readers for the later than normal posting, but there was just no way that I was going to be able to do justice to an Anax in the wee small … Read more >>
Approached this with trepidation as I didn’t have much success solving previous Alberichs, much less blog them. Started off okay with the NE quadrant, then the SE, then considerably slowed down. 14across defeated me, … Read more >>
Quite a delightful morning exercise which did not trouble me at all except 23A but help was very quickly forthcoming. Many creative definitions which added spice to the clues. Place cursor over clue … Read more >>
I’m surprised to find that it’s almost four months since I blogged a Rufus puzzle. Here we have the familiar collection of clever anagrams, interspersed with double and cryptic definitions, several of which … Read more >>
*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, CD=cryptic def, DD=double def, sp=spoonerism An unusual Monday outing for Punk, which was a themed puzzle, the theme being people and things from Brighton. Since I didn’t know any … Read more >>
A straightforward Quiptic. Thanks to Nutmeg for some enjoyable surfaces. Definitions are underlined in the clues. [[The pictures at the bottom of the blog have unidentified links to the puzzle.]] Across 1 One … Read more >>
I struggled a bit with this, mainly because while I was trying to solve it, the kids were in the front room screaming at the TV to encourage Andy Murray to convert four … Read more >>
The odd less common reference, the inevitable bit of geography, notably coherent surfaces – what more can one say? Everyman continues to produce crosswords which are not pitched too high for most beginners, but have enough spice to satisfy more experienced solvers.
A puzzle in the middle of the Azed scale of difficulty, with no particularly involved clue construction, but a few rather obscure references needing lookups in Chambers and elsewhere. As always, quality clueing … Read more >>
A new setter, I believe time for champagne and caviar? Indeed it is. what a marvellous debut. I can’t remember when I was so engrossed in a non-barred puzzle. A lovely variety of … Read more >>
Following recent Prize puzzles from relative newcomers Qaos and Picaroon, here’s Tramp’s welcome first appearance in the Saturday slot [although he has written some excellent Genius puzzles]. We were expecting it, because … Read more >>
Recently, there have been a number of EVs that have left me staring blankly at a filled grid, unclear as to how to proceed. Although it shouldn’t have been, this was one of those.
As always a nice crossword from Phi. The system of having a number of clues (the answers to which are in bold) that rely on some already-solved clues is not my favourite, but in this … Read more >>
Good start to the day Across 1 PLAINTIFF (litigant) sounds like (say) PLANE TIFF 6 STICK (criticism) S[kinhead] TICK (credit) 9 LOCUM (doctor) sounds like (rumours) LOW COME (depression, arrive) … Read more >>
Easier end of the Beelzebub spectrum but still a satisfying challenge Across 1 Not entirely direct about direct debit’s former function STEDDE (function obs) DD (direct debit) in STEE[r] (direct) … Read more >>