Anyone for tennis?
Month: June 2015
Independent 8,957 / Knut
Today’s cruciverbal challenge has been provided by Knut, a setter whose work I have only limited experience of. Perhaps due to that limited experience, I didn’t feel that I was really on Knut’s … Read more >>
Guardian 26,611 by Paul
The puzzle may be found at http://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/cryptic/26611.
Guardian 26,610 / Chifonie
Not Rufus today but a similar medley of anagrams, double [but no cryptic] definitions, charades and insertions from Chifonie, to give the customary gentle start to the week. There are one or two … Read more >>
Quiptic 815 by Anto
A second outing for Anto in the Quiptic slot.
Independent 8956/Raich
A sound Monday puzzle in the usual Raich style. Several that I found difficult to parse, and one I can’t parse at all. Abbreviations cd cryptic definition dd double definition … Read more >>
Beelzebub 1,320
A rare uninterrupted single-session solve for me, though the amount of scribbles on my paper suggest it was no walkover. Chambers got a fair bit of use to finish off the last quarter … Read more >>
AZED 2,246
Quite a straightforward exercise in using Chambers (aka TBRB). I got hung up though for ages on the SW corner since I had confidently entered GRINS instead of GIRNS for 32A.
Everyman 3,585 (June 21)
The puzzle may be found at http://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/everyman/3585.
Independent on Sunday 1322/Crosophile
Don’t quite know what to make of this one. Certainly more difficult than the usual IoS offering. There’s one I can’t quite see. Abbreviations cd cryptic definition dd double definition (xxxx)* … Read more >>
Independent Crossword 8949 by Klingsor (20-06-2015)
Sat at the cricket between innings and whilst a light drizzle prevents play the perfect time to do a crossword. Klingsor comes in to bowl ….. Some quite interesting clues for Klingsor too … Read more >>
Guardian Prize 26,603 / Shed
Preambles of blogs on Shed puzzles often include the words ‘welcome return’ or some such expression. It’s six months since we had Shed in the Prize slot. I remember how years [and I … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations 1178 The Pine Man by the Ace of Hearts
Words to be removed from each clue and latent letters to be removed from each answer. Nothing like a straight cryptic crossword! And a name to find too – who is the Pine … Read more >>
Independent 8,954 by Phi
Phi has not in my opinion shone quite so brightly this week as he usually does. It seems to me that several of the definitions, both of the answers and within the wordplay, are rather tenuous, although no doubt people will explain how I am missing things.
I took a long time to finish the NW corner; Rienzi was slow to appear, even though Phi gave us plenty of help by defining it as a German opera, which immediately cut out more than half of them. 12ac was apparently unsound, but more likely never properly understood, and the double definition at 8dn was also a problem. When I gave up and went to aids my Chambers Crossword Dictionary didn’t help: Bradford may have been better.
Guardian 26,608 / Picaroon
Once again I get to blog a Picaroon puzzle – and I’m still not complaining! Lots of innovative and witty clues, as usual, with lovely surfaces throughout, making a most enjoyable and amusing … Read more >>