January 2015 – Fifteensquared

Independent 8823 by Klingsor (Saturday Prize Puzzle 24 January 2015)

January 31, 2015 at 12:01 am by mc_rapper67

Maybe not as challenging as some recent Saturday Prize Indy puzzles, but an enjoyable offering from Klingsor, with some nice surface readings… I particularly enjoyed the image of a ‘reckless’ Doc slapping Happy … Read more >>

Guardian 26,477 / Paul

January 31, 2015 at 12:01 am by mhl

A satisfying prize crossword from Paul; not too difficult but lots to enjoy. There was a nice mini-theme relating to the placement of the letter M, both in 1a,9 and 14a (which had … Read more >>

Enigmatic Variations No. 1157: Observation by Nudnix

January 31, 2015 at 12:00 am by Shenanigans

This week, a setter who was new to EV, although there have been a couple of recent Magpie puzzles from Nudnix. The preamble seemed almost innocuous… no missing/extra letters, misprints, spoonerisms or other … Read more >>

Independent 8828 / Phi

May 17, 2019 at 9:12 amJanuary 30, 2015 at 8:34 am by Gaufrid

I found this to be somewhat of a 22ac. Seeing all the 11s in the across clues I decided to start with 24dn and work backwards. I didn’t solve the key 11dn when … Read more >>

Financial Times 14,842 by MUDD

January 30, 2015 at 3:16 amJanuary 30, 2015 at 2:17 am by Turbolegs

Unusual to see Mudd on Friday but a very welcome (if somewhat scary) setter nevertheless. I found his challenge today to be more approachable than some of his earlier ones. Clean cluing and neat surfaces meant a pleasurable solve this morning.

Guardian 26,482 by Pasquale

January 30, 2015 at 2:16 am by PeterO

The puzzle may be found at http://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/cryptic/26482.

Guardian 26,481 / Paul

January 29, 2015 at 5:26 pmJanuary 29, 2015 at 9:09 am by Eileen

A mixture of some very succinct / straightforward clues [the last three, for instance] which wouldn’t be out of place in a Rufus puzzle, and others which were typically Pauline ones, in construction … Read more >>

Financial Times no.14,841 by Aardvark

January 29, 2015 at 8:42 am by Ringo

A smart, neat, enjoyable puzzle that didn’t cause me too many problems – with one exception.

Independent 8,827 / Morph

January 29, 2015 at 8:00 am by RatkojaRiku

Morph is this week’s Thursday compiler and offers me my first Morph solve/blog of 2015. I found this puzzle a tough one to get into, although I knew that my perseverance would be … Read more >>

Financial Times 14,832 – Dante

January 29, 2015 at 12:05 am by Sil

Monday Prize Crossword/Jan 19 Fairly typical Dante puzzle with – rather unusual – one clue that seems sort of problematic to me (9ac). Definitions are underlined wherever possible and/or appropriate. Across 1 HUBRIS Shrub I cultivated … Read more >>

Financial Times 14,831 by Mudd

January 30, 2015 at 1:29 pmJanuary 29, 2015 at 12:01 am by Pete Maclean

Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of January 17, 2015 This struck me as a fairly typical Mudd with a few stand-out clues. Top among them are 1a (BANISTER), 27a (SPRING) and 3d … Read more >>

Financial Times 14,840 by MONK

January 28, 2015 at 3:00 pmJanuary 28, 2015 at 9:41 am by PeeDee

Another solid over from Monk, no loose balls at all. Didn’t get me out this time though, and I even managed to find the nina. Thanks Monk, great stuff.

Independent 8826 / Quixote

January 28, 2015 at 7:30 am by duncanshiell

Quixote delivers well clued crosswords where the wordplay leaves you in little doubt whether your entry is correct or not. Having said that, I was interested by the use of … Read more >>

Guardian 26,480 by Chifonie

January 28, 2015 at 1:49 am by manehi

A quick, enjoyable solve with very tidy clueing throughout. Favourites 25ac and 1dn. Thanks, Chifonie.

Inquisitor 1369: Options by Samuel

January 28, 2015 at 12:01 am by duncanshiell

Samuel is a prolific setter for many publications that feature barred crosswords and his crosswords usually have a quirky theme. I think Samuel is now the editor of the Enigmatic Variations series in … Read more >>