Independent 10540 / Phi
Phi returns to his regular Friday slot this week. I don’t think there is a theme to the puzzle, but there is added symmetry formed by the unchecked cells in … Read more >>
Year: 2020
Financial Times 16,536 by REDSHANK
Redshank serves this morning’s cruciverbal breakfast in the FT I rattled through this puzzle until I came to the SE corner, where I hit a brick wall. Eventually FARO and DOLLOP revealed themselves, … Read more >>
Guardian Cryptic 28,193 by Nutmeg
A fun puzzle and some really lovely clues – my favourites were 1ac, 12ac, 21ac, 24ac, 5dn, 7dn, and especially 3dn. Thanks to Nutmeg ACROSS 1 BROAD HINT Meaningful nudge from flamboyant … Read more >>
Independent 10,539 by Serpent
My impression (perhaps I’m wrong, because I haven’t done a proper survey [as James says, Phi and Tees appear about twice as often]) is that Serpent appears more often than any of the … Read more >>
Financial Times 16,526 by Goliath
Non-prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of July 11, 2020 I sailed through this puzzle with only 1ac and 4,10 giving me a little difficulty. And I wonder if it could be a … Read more >>
Financial Times 16,535 by AARDVARK
An enjoyable puzzle as always from Aardvark. Thank you. It looks like there is at least one pangram in here, anybody fancy the job of counting the letters? I had a quadruple pagram … Read more >>
Independent 10,538 by Eccles
Eccles fills the mid-week spot again this week – we’re in for some fun….. ….and we weren’t disappointed. We found this slightly trickier than most recent Eccles offerings, but none the less enjoyable. … Read more >>
Guardian 28,192 – Brummie
Mostly very straightforward clueing from Brummie today, and a quick solve for me, though I was held up by the parsing of 11a. I was almost immediately tipped off to the theme by … Read more >>
Independent 10,537 / Dill
Dill is a setter with whose work I am not yet particularly familiar, so I was a bit worried that it could all turn a bit hairy for me. A bit forced, I … Read more >>
Inquisitor 1655: Write-off (29) by Xanthippe
Write-off (29) by Xanthippe All clues are normal but two symmetrically positioned clue answers must be entered jumbled. The first number at the end of each clue is the entry length. The second … Read more >>
Guardian Cryptic 28,191 by Crucible
A themed offering from Crucible this morning. This was a fun puzzle, with a fairly obvious theme. The themed entries are highlighted in the grid (green for direct theme entries, fuchsia for theme-related … Read more >>
Financial Times 16,534 by FLIMSY
A swift and pleasing Tuesday solve. Not quite a write-in – some subtle parsing required – but a brisk start to the day. One or two quibbles but nothing to spoil the fun. … Read more >>
Guardian Quiptic 1079 Carpathian
Thank you to Carpathian for a nice Quiptic. Definitions are underlined in the clues. Across 1 Demure love note for wild beast (6) COYOTE : COY(pretending to be shy/outwardly demure) + O(letter representing … Read more >>
Financial Times 16,533 by ZAMORCA
A Monday morning ZAMORCA to see us into the week… Good mix of clues with some nice surfaces. A few old chestnuts. Very enjoyable. Thanks ZAMORCA! ACROSS 1. Support contract in Australia is … Read more >>
Independent 10,536/Tees
Too much footie in the Indy? Definitely. Too much Tees in the Indy? You might think that; I couldn’t possibly comment. You want both together? This one’s for you, including a … Read more >>