Independent 8,248 / Phi
It is Friday today, so we have Phi’s latest puzzle to contend with. This puzzle has something of a musical theme to it and was trickier in terms of its vocabulary for me … Read more >>
Month: March 2013
Financial Times 14,268 by Alberich
Clever stuff – 6 down still a mystery Across 8 CARAFE some wine RA[c] (service mostly) in CAFÉ (restaurant) 9 STOPOVER break for driver ST (road) OP (work) OVER … Read more >>
Guardian 25,902 / Araucaria
Typical Araucaria fare today, with familiar ploys which will tickle or exasperate, depending on your predilections. Needless to say, I loved it. Across 1 Call boy’s takeover HIJACK HI [call ] + JACK … Read more >>
Beelzebub 1202
Excellent as usual Across 1 Chance instant, mostly noticed by touch HAPTIC HAP (chance) TIC[K] (instant mostly) 5 Crazy officer brought into plan MADCAP DC (officer – detective constable) … Read more >>
Financial Times no.14,267 by Hamilton
Sorry I’m so late. I awoke with a headache and – on seeing that it was once again a Hamilton Thursday – an agonised groan. For some odd reason I always find Hamilton … Read more >>
Guardian 25,901 – Picaroon
It’s exactly a month since I last blogged a Picaroon puzzle. No technical problems this time, and fewer obscurities (last time we had NGULTRUM and EIGENVECTOR among others), but I still found it … Read more >>
Independent 8247 / Morph
Morph puzzles appear in the Independent about once a month and are very welcome. At one point I thought this might be a pangram, but we seem to be 2 … Read more >>
Financial Times 14,258 – Mudd
Monday Prize Crossword/Mar 11 It is a well-known fact that Mr Halpern likes to save his best work for The Guardian (as Paul). But if perhaps a tad (or two) less adventurous, this … Read more >>
Financial Times 14,257 by Cinephile
Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of March 9th, 2013 Cinephile marks the 30th anniversary of his first puzzle in the FT. Of course, as most readers will know, John Graham has been … Read more >>
Financial Times 14,266 by Gaff
Gaff is not a regular on Wednesdays so it was nice to have a change fronm the usual suspects. Easy or difficult? I found this easy to get the ansers but in some … Read more >>
Independent 8246/Dac
As happens on many Wednesdays, we have a neat and perfectly-formed object. You wouldn’t think that such excellent surfaces were possible from the simple material used. Across 1 HO AXER 4 ROASTING — … Read more >>
Guardian Cryptic N° 25,900 / Philistine
The puzzle may be found at http://www.guardian.co.uk/crosswords/cryptic/25900. The first question is: who is the setter? The crossword front page announces Arachne, but the puzzle itself gives the byline to Philistine. I cannot be … Read more >>
Inquisitor 1272: ? by Anax
A first time out for Anax in the Inquisitor series. Twelve answers, each clued without a definition, are of a kind. Their characters fall into two groups (as indicated in their clues); … Read more >>
Sloggers & Betters Gathering – Manchester, 4 May 2013 – UPDATE
Arachne and I are hosting a get-together at the Vine Inn, 42-46 Kennedy St, Manchester, M2 4BQ, from 12.00 on Saturday 4 May. This is a final call to all fellow travellers to … Read more >>
Financial Times 14265 Neo
Today’s puzzle by Neo, who appears more often than not on a Tuesday, is a relatively easy one by his standards. Lots of good story-telling surfaces. Thanks to Neo. Definitions are underlined in … Read more >>