Brisk Tuesday solve with some very nice constructs and, happily, a few things to talk about…
Month: November 2019
Guardian Cryptic 27,988 by Vlad
The puzzle may be found at https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/cryptic/27988. I wondered for a time if I would find any entry into this puzzle, but it came together eventually, except that I had not come across … Read more >>
Quiptic 1,045 by Carpathian
Carpathian provides a very good example of how a Quiptic should be. The clues are all elegantly concise, there’s nothing too obscure, and while some solutions are not straightforward they’re all “obvious when … Read more >>
Guardian 27,987 / Vulcan
Vulcan fills the Monday slot again this week. A bit of a mixture – no double definitions today but plenty of cryptic definitions, some better than others, and some neat clues [10ac, 5 … Read more >>
Independent 10,333 by Tees
Tees often shows up in my Monday blogging rota slot. I’m not complaining; he’s always good fun, and today’s puzzle is no exception. A good mix of interestingly complicated constructions (of which my … Read more >>
Financial Times 16,333 by VELIA
VELIA eases us into the week… Nothing too taxing for a Monday here… which is all for the best as I feel somewhat under the weather! HEDGE FUNDS and WEB PAGES maybe a … Read more >>
Cyclops 664 – Electioneering Prowess
Electioneering Prowess – that’s what it is all about, for the next few weeks… And the first clue/entry, 7A RECTUM, obviously sums up Cyclops’ feelings about politicians, and their choice of vocal organs. … Read more >>
Everyman 3,814/17 November
My blogging colleague Quirister described last week’s puzzle as ‘occasionally a bit untidy but generally fun’. I can’t find a better description of this week’s Everyman, so it’s déjà vu all over again. … Read more >>
AZED 2,475
An anagrams special from Azed this week.
Independent on Sunday 1552 Hypnos
Thanks Hynos for an enjoyable puzzle. Definitions are underlined in the clues. Across 1 Band is overhead overlooking motorway (4) SASH : “smash”(a shot in tennis hit above the hitter’s head, and thus … Read more >>
Independent 10332 by Monk (Sat 23-Nov 2019)
What a pleasure solving a Monk puzzle is. There are always some great clues and interesting wordplay to tease out. However it was quite hard. Hard to finish. I got about a dozen … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No. 1408: En Passant by Jaques
Hello everybody. I remembered very much enjoying the last Jaques puzzle I solved, so I started this one in a good frame of mind. Of course it is an EV, so things can … Read more >>
Guardian Prize 27,980 by Philistine
An interesting mixture of easy and difficult clues for this week’s prize puzzle.
Guardian 27,985 / Enigmatist
It’s a couple of years since I blogged an Enigmatist puzzle – always a challenge but I think his puzzles have become [even] more difficult recently [and I know I’m not the only … Read more >>
Independent 10,331 / Phi
Our Friday regular compiler Phi has brought this week’s string of mid-week puzzles to an end once again. I found this to be a puzzle of medium difficulty on the Indy scale. I … Read more >>