I found this one a whole lot harder than any other IoS puzzle I have blogged. There are still a couple I can’t completely explain. Good fun, but I am glad I had plenty of time to sole this one! Thanks eXternal.
Month: November 2014
Everyman 3555/23 November
I often find with Everyman that his references make me go and look up stuff that I kind of knew, but had forgotten. So once I’d finished solving the puzzle this morning I … Read more >>
AZED 2,216
Scots, Scots and more Scots. Nonetheless, with help from that well-known Scots dictionary, Chambers, managed the slog. Not the most easy of Azed’s but eventually I think I tamed it.
Guardian Prize 26,424 by Paul
Thanks, Paul for an enjoyable and topical prize puzzle that was characteristically witty (but no lavatory humour this week!).
Independent Crossword 8770 by Klingsor(22-11-2014)
Saturday and an offering from Klingsor! That should take my mind off my driving test I found this hard work – suspect my mind was on other things. But when I write it … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No. 1148: Paradox by Kruger
The preamble for PARADOX tells us: “In clue order, the second or fifth letters of single extra words in 15 clues give a PARADOX that is epitomised by one of the unclued entries. … Read more >>
Independent 8,775 / Phi
It was no surprise to discover Phi’s latest offering on what is Phi-day after all. For me, this was a medium-difficulty Phi crossword which I worked my way through at a fairly even … Read more >>
Guardian 26,429 / Paul
I really enjoyed this puzzle, which turned out to be more straightforward than it looked at first, because the long answers went in almost immediately, from the enumerations. Parsing them was fun, though, … Read more >>
Financial Times 14,791 by BRADMAN
A fun-filled offering from my dear friend on Fridays, Bradman. Smooth surfaces in several clues alongside some ingenious word play.
Financial Times no.14,790 by Alberich
A puzzle that at first seemed tough, and then seemed elementary, and ended up being pretty enjoyable, after all.
Independent 8774 / Rorschach
We don’t see this setter very often so it is something of a coincidence that I was standing in for someone who was away, as I am today, when his last puzzle appeared. … Read more >>
Guardian 26,428 by Boatman
This was a tricky and sometimes frustrating solve, but with plenty of cleverness to enjoy along the, ahem, way. Quite a few answers were filled in from crossers + definition and parsed afterwards, 4ac was a new word and my last in. Favourites were 19ac/dn, 8dn and 21 dn.
Financial Times 14,781 – Dante
Monday Prize Crossword/Nov 17 For some reason I didn’t find this Dante crossword as enjoyable as its predecessors. Hard going in the CD department and occassionally things that I found a bit debatable. … Read more >>
Financial Times 14,780 by Magwitch
Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of November 15, 2014 I found this puzzle fairly easy and very good. My top clues are 1a (TOUCH DOWN), 17a (ARMPITS), 19a (MUMBLED), 1d (TOPIC) and … Read more >>
Independent 8,773 by Quixote
It seems that Quixote is now doing the Wednesday crossword on the days (the last Wednesdays of the month) that Dac isn’t doing it, and there is no noticeable diminution of quality. Everything here is very clear and efficient and as with Dac I expect few to have much to say.