January 2013 – Page 4 – Fifteensquared

Cyclops 486: Hacked off to the back teeth

January 20, 2013 at 11:50 pm by jetdoc

This was numbered 469 in the magazine, but is correct on the website. Cyclops on pretty good form, I thought — some good clues, of which I particularly like 23a, for its sheer … Read more >>

Beelzebub 1,193

January 22, 2013 at 10:49 pmJanuary 20, 2013 at 2:01 pm by Simon Harding

This was a particularly challenging week, I found. In fact it’s rare that I’m completely beaten by a clue even as I blog the puzzle, but two have come along at once. At … Read more >>

Everyman No. 3458 (13th January)

January 20, 2013 at 6:30 am by The Trafites

Lorraine: Good morning to you all, I romped through this, this morning, took approximately three quarters of an hour to complete. Some lovely clues, some of which made me smile when I solved them; … Read more >>

Independent on Sunday 1,195 by Crosophile

January 20, 2013 at 2:02 am by Simon Harding

I must admit to finding this one relatively tough for a Sunday. That isn’t a complaint since it was terribly good, but it did take a little longer than usual and one or … Read more >>

Azed 2119

January 20, 2013 at 12:03 am by John

The usual excellent crossword from Azed and as usual I won’t give detailed descriptions of all the very unusual words, in the knowledge that anyone interested enough in this crossword to look here … Read more >>

Independent 8189 / Morph (Saturday Prize Puzzle 12/01/13)

January 19, 2013 at 8:04 am by Bertandjoyce

A good challenge from Morph this week, with the expected standard of well-constructed clues. We were held up for a while in the NW corner until we solved 8ac which included a good … Read more >>

Guardian Prize Puzzle 25,843 by Paul

January 21, 2013 at 7:08 pmJanuary 19, 2013 at 1:31 am by PeeDee

Enjoyable, inventive, topical and a little cheeky; Paul doing what he does best. I pick 23, 24 and 16 as my favourites. Thank you Paul. Across 1 Boy with great expectations owed extraordinary unknown … Read more >>

Financial Times 14,214 by Orense

January 18, 2013 at 9:32 am by Jed

Straightforward and enjoyable Across 1 MORASS confused situation OR (men) in MASS (service) 4 EMISSARY government agent E (Spain) MISS (young lady) A R[ac]Y 10 SEPTEMBER 30 days (PEST)* … Read more >>

Guardian 25,848 – Tramp

January 18, 2013 at 11:43 amJanuary 18, 2013 at 8:38 am by Andrew

What a treat to have a Tramp puzzle to blog on this chilly morning. I took a while to get started, not helped by putting in a plausible but wrong answer for 7d, … Read more >>

Independent 8194 / Phi

January 18, 2013 at 6:31 pmJanuary 18, 2013 at 7:30 am by duncanshiell

This was an entertaining puzzle from Phi including some of his regular geographic allusions. Phi is a compiler based in Wellington, New Zealand and often includes flora and fauna native … Read more >>

Independent 8193/Rorschach

January 18, 2013 at 10:22 pmJanuary 17, 2013 at 12:07 pm by John

A crossword today from Rorschach that I at any rate found particularly hard, not helped by its thrice vanishing into the ether so that I had to restart. Some of the clues are … Read more >>

Guardian 25,847 – Gordius

January 17, 2013 at 4:09 pmJanuary 17, 2013 at 11:55 am by manehi

Found this trickier than usual from Gordius, but very enjoyable. Favourite clues 12ac, 26ac and 1dn. Across 1 MONGREL =”unrefined types” hidden in “aMONG RELatively” 5 KAISER =”emperor” KA (Ford model) + IS … Read more >>

Financial Times no.14,214 by Loroso

January 17, 2013 at 10:04 am by Ringo

Goodness, I had a struggle with this. Loroso’s extensive vocabulary (or, perhaps, my limited vocabulary), a few misleading indicators (sandwiches, pockets) and a general brain-failure on my part combined to make this one … Read more >>

Financial Times 14,204 – Crux

January 17, 2013 at 9:33 pmJanuary 17, 2013 at 12:15 am by Sil

Monday Prize Crossword/Jan 7 A Crux puzzle which – rather unusual for this setter – had quite a few cross references. An overall enjoyable solve, but not one of Crux’s very best. Ah … Read more >>

Financial Times 14,203 by Bradman

January 18, 2013 at 12:29 amJanuary 17, 2013 at 12:01 am by Pete Maclean

Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of January 5, 2012 I have come to like Bradman’s puzzles a lot but, when first faced with one, I still sometimes get a little nervous because … Read more >>