Never knowingly undersolved
How Azed produces these grids I just don’t know. He doesn’t so far as I know use technology but compiles them neatly in an exercise book, something that I would find virtually impossible. He sticks comfortably to the Ximenean advice about unchecked letters in words and both grid and clues are full of words that require a close examination of Chambers. Amazing, week after week.
Definitions underlined.
(Please click here for this same blog but with a picture quiz added. Please do NOT post hereinbelow any comment relating to the picture quiz. Thank you.) I made things difficult for myself, … Read more >>
(Please post comments on ONLY the picture quiz hereinbelow. To post comments on the crossword puzzle, please click here.) I made things difficult for myself, by missing the theme until I had finished … Read more >>
A slightly different clueing technique this week. There were several clues comprising two definitions to words which differed by one letter and wordplay to the common letters. A block of cells would provide … Read more >>
It’s about a year since eXternal and I first crossed swords over a pencil and a pint, and since then I try to have a go the puzzle when I hear it’s been set … Read more >>
We found this quite hard – generally inventive and enjoyable, although there were a few clues that let it down for me. I’ve mentioned those below, but there were some stand-out excellent clues … Read more >>
I found this to be a tough nut to crack from Wanderer. Progress was slow and steady .. and I still couldnt nail a couple of clues in the end without some help.
Well what a ‘tease’ we have had this week. We wondered what was going on when Phi disappeared from his normal Phiday slot and appeared on TEESday instead – sorry TUESday!! There is … Read more >>
Not easy, even with the (excellent) long clues falling quite early on, and a lot to like. I could mention almost every clue – lots of deceptive surfaces and definitions, and clever little tricks. Top three favourites: 27ac, 4dn and possibly 20dn…
I found this a mixed bag of the easy-peasy, the puzzling, the hackneyed and the really rather clever. With a couple of movie-stars thrown in. Good stuff.
A strange mixture of clues from Boatman today – some very obvious from either defintion or wordplay, some a lot trickier, an outrageous lift-and-separate that I’m not at all keen on but I’m … Read more >>
It has fallen to Morph to occupy the Thursday compiling slot this week and to me to occupy the associated blogging slot. I thoroughly enjoyed this one, which provided a moderate-to-difficult challenge and … Read more >>
Monday Prize Crossword/Jul 7 When this crossword was published, it was the 7th of July. The day Le Tour missed my house by less than 100 metres, also an event that was over before I could even … Read more >>
Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of July 5, 2014 I found this a thoroughly decent puzzle. My favourite clue is 29a (PREGNANT) and I also like 23a (AIR MARSHAL) and 6d (UZBEKISTAN). … Read more >>
For the second time I have been unable to complete an Io puzzle. Any help with the remaining two solutions would be greatly appreciated.