It is all a bit doom and gloom from Cyclops this fortnight…
Month: October 2020
Azed 2522
A carte blanche puzzle for us this week Sometimes Carte Blanche puzzles require a lot of cold solving before the grid starts to fit together, but this one fell into … Read more >>
Everyman 3,861
Everyman as usual: a bit untidy in places but a fun solve. Those who don’t like contrived or wordy surfaces and imprecise definitions may be a little irritated – though no more than … Read more >>
Independent on Sunday 1,599 by Tees
Requires a bit more effort than the usual gentle Sunday puzzle, but still feels more like enjoyment than hard work. Thank you Tees.
Independent 10,613 by Serpent
It’s always a treat to solve a Serpent puzzle. No unusual words to hold us up but there was a bit of head scratching when it came to parsing. Serpent often has something … Read more >>
Guardian Prize 28,261 by Brendan
I enjoyed this, thank you Brendan. See essexboy @5 for an insightful explanation of the days and saints theme ACROSS 1 SQUASH Son legally put end to court activity (6) S (son) QUASH … Read more >>
Financial Times 16,609 by BRADMAN
A typical BRADMAN offering this Friday. Thanks Don. FF: 8 DD: 8 ACROSS 8 LAGOON The French journey on a shallow lake (6) LA ( the, french ) GO ( journey ) ON … Read more >>
Independent 10612 / Phi
As usual, Phi provides the Friday puzzle in the Independent Puzzles with only 24 entries are rare. Most puzzles have 28 to 32 entries. I think somewhere between 36 and … Read more >>
Guardian 28,266 – Philistine
A nice one from Philistine to end the week, with a few long answers to help with filling up the grid. Thanks to Philistine. Across 1,5. CHELSEA … Read more >>
Guardian Cryptic 28265 Pasquale
Thanks to Pasquale. Definitions are underlined in the clues. Across 1. Dog eating two thousand caterpillars? Only one! (7) CUTWORM : CUR(an aggressive dog, especially a mongrel) containing(eating) TWO + M(Roman numeral for … Read more >>
Financial Times 16,608 by ALBERICH
Alberich is one of my favourite setters. I smiled when I saw who today's setter was. I enjoy the challenge of an Alberich puzzle because of his clever clues, smooth surfaces and his … Read more >>
Independent 10,611 by Maize
Maize’s crosswords have always struck me as extremely good, and probably lots of people will sing this one’s praises, for there are plenty of lovely neat clues. But I’m afraid I’m less positive … Read more >>
Financial Times 16,598 by Artexlen
Non-prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of October 3, 2020 This, our third puzzle by Artexlen, proved fairly easy for me. My favourites are 29ac (LUMBAR PUNCTURE), 9dn (NORDIC) and 19dn (COUNSEL). ACROSS … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No. 1455: Golden Oldies by Skylark
GOLDEN OLDIES suggests to me a Sunday afternoon radio show on Local FM with DJs Smashie and Nicey…what does it mean to Skylark?…
Financial Times 16,607 by IO
A really great puzzle – definitely not easy but well worth persevering with. Lateral thinking is all here: look sideways while thinking backwards and you should not have a problem 😉 Thank you … Read more >>