Never knowingly undersolved
Wow – we have the honour of blogging a Morph puzzle on the last day of the year! We always relish Morph’s puzzles for their topical themes and brilliant clues, but this really … Read more >>
Wanderer makes a rare Thursday appearance. This was a typically challenging Wanderer puzzle, which may have a theme, but I can't see it. There were some very interesting devices used her that are … Read more >>
The puzzle may be found at https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/cryptic/28330. The theme is worn on the sleeve: ‘champions’ appears in several clues, and is fairly clearly soccer-related. It turns out that the reference is to UEFA … Read more >>
Non-prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of December 19, 2020 This puzzle was a very unusual one for me in that there was one clue that I was completely unable to explain, 3dn … Read more >>
The last Wednesday slot of the year has fallen to Eccles to fill and to me to blog. I think that I have managed to complete this medium-difficulty puzzle correctly, but I would … Read more >>
A nice straightforward puzzle. Thank you Neo. ACROSS 9 BRASSIERE Club about to give female support (9) BRASSIE (a golf club) and RE (about, regarding) 10 TASER Stunner posed again facing backwards (5) … Read more >>
This is my third Enigmatist blog in a row and as I said last time, we don’t see him very often – the last time was six months ago. I know I’m not … Read more >>
A Trivial Pursuit – II
Last year, as an exercise suggested by a solver who emailed to say that he was somewhat disgruntled by the lack of Literature themes, I broke down the Inquisitors of the Year into (quite loosely-defined) categories.
While writing this blog, I have just heard the bad news about the Christmas lockdown! As this will come out just after Christmas and just before New Year, may I wish everyone on … Read more >>
A treat for my last blog of this always interesting year. The sneaky snake strikes again. Tough stuff – you'd expect no less from this setter – but great fun, with interlocking literary … Read more >>
Hob provides Tuesday’s entertainment. There’s usually a theme on Tuesday’s Independent. Today, Hob celebrates [maybe not the right word] the MURDER of THOMAS BECKET in CANTERBURY CATHEDRAL which led to … Read more >>
Always a pleasure to tackle a Nutmeg puzzle – lots of favourites including 11ac, 14ac/7dn, 3dn, 4dn, 19dn, 23dn and 24dn. Many thanks to Nutmeg ACROSS 1 ALGEBRA ‘Crumbling gable’ artist’s symbolic … Read more >>
This is Vernon’s first appearance in the Independent, I believe. It’s not an easy puzzle, but there’s plenty to enjoy. There are some obscure words (especially 15a and 23a), and some slightly complicated … Read more >>
A carefully and concisely clued Quiptic from Carpathian, with nothing to frighten the reindeers. As it should be. It only remains for me to send my best wishes for 2021 to fellow Quiptic … Read more >>
I made rather slow progress on this at first, probably because of what seems like a large number cryptic and double definitions, but it’s all pretty straightforward in retrospect. Thanks to Vulcan. … Read more >>