The puzzle may be found at http://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/cryptic/26641.
Year: 2015
Guardian 26,640 / Rufus
The usual Monday mélange from Rufus – with surfaces as satiny-smooth as ever and a couple to tickle this former teacher. Thanks to him for a typically genial start to the week Across … Read more >>
Independent 8,986 by Daedalus
Nice easy Monday in the Indy? You’ve got to be kidding.
Cyclops 552: “Beautiful plumage!”
I rather enjoyed this Cyclops — I didn’t find it difficult, but some of the clues were nicely challenging. And it gave me the excuse to give you a link to a classic … Read more >>
Guardian Quiptic 820/Orlando
We’ve not seen Orlando in the Quiptic for ages, but this is a very welcome return visit. Immaculately clued and perfect for this slot. Abbreviations cd cryptic definition dd double … Read more >>
Everyman 3,590
Another Everyman that caused me a few problems.
Independent on Sunday 1,327 by Kairos
It looks like the IoS rota has been shaken up a little, as I get to do battle with a third setter in as many posts, after months of poor old Poins being … Read more >>
Beelzebub 1325
Ah, that’s better! Plenty of unfamiliar words unlike the last two Beelzebubs I have blogged. More of a challenge and therefore much more enjoyable. Plenty of easy ‘entry’ clues to get a foothold … Read more >>
Guardian Genius No 145 by Picaroon
An apparently anonymous puzzle for July, offering an unusual twist on a familiar device. As Gaufrid pointed out to me, the identity of the setter was in fact available by doing an archive search, but not on the page where the puzzle itself was to be found.
AZED 2,251
After the complications of the milestone crossword last week Azed returns to something more straightforward. His grids are really outstanding: nearly every time he has words that straddle the grid — in this case four of them — and that must be hard enough before he even starts to fit in the shorter words. And he does it all by hand, which is quite amazing.
Definitions in italics.
Independent Crossword 8979 by Tees (25-07-2015)
As the rain falls in July a puzzle from Tees to dispel the gloom. Some marvellous clues this week certainly. 7 dn was my pick of the bunch with 18ac a close second. … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No.1183 – Reinstate by Wiglaf
“A sentence (now obsolete) that could help memorise a well-known series of objects (in the correct order) appears in the perimeter starting in the top left hand corner.”
Any ideas?
Guardian Prize 26,633 by Picaroon
I enjoyed this one, thanks Picaroon.
I will be on holiday cycling up the Western Isles by the time this post is published. I will probably be able to read the comments and maybe even reply, but corrections to the blog will have to wait until I get home.
Financial Times 14,997 by GAFF
A really tricky one from Gaff that had me go from making steady progress to grinding to a halt five clues away from a complete solve. I tried to search for a Nina somewhere as is common with Gaff’s puzzles but without much success. All in all , a good work out – and a well-deserved thanks to Gaff for stretching me out today.
Guardian 26,638 / Brummie
For some reason, I found this puzzle in some parts more challenging than any this week but it was hard to see why at the end. Brummie is not known for the smoothness … Read more >>