Financial Times 16,641 by ZAMORCA
A ZAMORCA to start off the week. Good mix of clues here. Some great surfaces too. I especially liked 17d and 14a (though that is possibly because I made some over the weekend). … Read more >>
Year: 2020
Everyman 3,866/15 November
I think we need to give credit to Everyman – and I don’t at all mean this in a ‘faint praise’ way – for producing a tractable but entertaining puzzle week in and … Read more >>
Independent on Sunday 1604 Tees
Thank you to Tees. Definitions are underlined in the clues. Across 1. Direction of take-off in this plane! (8) VERTICAL : Cryptic defn: Reference to a VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) aircraft/plane which … Read more >>
Azed No. 2,527 Plain
My weekly fix of interesting words and phrases. Thank you Azed. ACROSS 1 MUSS Millions start of revolution purged from Russia in conflict once (4) M (millions) then Revolution (first letter, start of) … Read more >>
Independent 10,643 by Monk
Where does the time go when you are not busy? Once again we have a Saturday puzzle to blog – it only seems a few weeks ago when we blogged the last one. … Read more >>
Guardian Prize 28,291 by Brendan
A topical thematic puzzle from Brendan this week. It was obvious from the clues that there was going to be a political theme, and it soon became apparent that it referred to the … Read more >>
Financial Times 16,639 by BRADMAN
A tough challenge from BRADMAN this Friday. Thanks Don, for the workout. Also, thanks to Geoff for helping me get across the line.FF: 9 DD: 9 ACROSS 9 EPIDERMIC In widespread disease there’s … Read more >>
Independent 10,642 / Phi
In familiar fashion, Phi brings this week’s suite of mid-week puzzles to a close. I found this crossword harder than a standard Phi, in part due to the grid and that fact that … Read more >>
Guardian 28,296 – Paul
The email advertising Paul’s Zoom session tonight (see his website) has the title “Did I do this on purpose?” and says “Looking back over this puzzle there are a couple of coincidences.”… …I … Read more >>
Guardian Cryptic 28295 Vlad
Thank you to Vlad. This wasn’t a write-in for me. Definitions are underlined in the clues. Across 1, 18. He dealt with state affairs a lot — wrong description of Boris? (1,6,2,2,5,3) A … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No. 1460: A Human Connection by Ranunculus
Hi everyone. I very much enjoyed rising to the challenge and sniffing out the solution to this puzzle. Thanks Ranunculus! The preamble reads: The definitions in nine across and nine down clues … Read more >>
Financial Times 16,638 by JULIUS
A headscratcher from Julius this morning. Maybe I'm tired, but I found this a bit of a slog this morning, although many of the answers were quite easy to get, as long as … Read more >>
Independent 10641 / Serpent
We have a puzzle by Serpent on Thursday this week. If I see Serpent as a setter, I know I’m in for a tricky time. That’s what I found in … Read more >>
Financial Times 16,628 by Mudd
Non-prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of November 8, 2020 Another nice puzzle from Mudd. My favourites are 27ac (NEEDED) and 9dn (PARSEC). ACROSS 1 STRESSED Tense as tempting confections wheeled over (8) … Read more >>
Financial Times 16,637 by GOZO
A themed puzzle again this week. Thank you Gozo. I enjoyed this but found it surprisingly tricky despite being familiar with the themed entries. ACROSS 1 CARMEN Operatic MOT mechanics (6) cryptic definition … Read more >>