January 2021 – Page 7 – Fifteensquared

Financial Times 16,668 by Gozo – Christmas Crossword 2020

January 9, 2021 at 3:30 pmJanuary 7, 2021 at 12:01 am by Pete Maclean

Non-prize Christmas Crossword published in the FT of December 23, 2020 As usual for Christmas, we have a crossword from Gozo with added dimensions of puzzling. Let us start with the completed grid … Read more >>

Enigmatic Variations No. 1467: The Flavour of the Month by Gos

January 7, 2021 at 12:01 am by mc_rapper67

And so we come to the last EV of 2020, and good riddance (to 2020, that is!) The flavours assailing my senses on the Sunday this was published were those of gently simmering turkey stock, as the last of the leftovers were put to good use…

Comment Editor – Update

January 10, 2021 at 1:33 pmJanuary 6, 2021 at 8:19 pm by Admin

I am sorry that, so far, I have not been able to reinstate the rich text WYSIWYG comment editor. This is still being worked on, but in the meantime I have activated a … Read more >>

Financial Times 16,676 by LEONIDAS

January 6, 2021 at 4:18 pmJanuary 6, 2021 at 11:00 am by PeeDee

A very nice puzzle. Traditional in style but not not old-fashioned in delivery. Thank you Leonidas. ACROSS 1 PTERODACTYLS Early birds in tight lycra spotted (12) anagram (tight, drunk) of LYCRA SPOTTED – … Read more >>

Independent 10,681 by Bluth

January 6, 2021 at 8:22 am by Bertandjoyce

It doesn’t seem that long ago since we blogged the last Bluth – not that we are complaining! We did groan somewhat at the parsing of 15ac – no doubt it will be … Read more >>

Guardian Cryptic 28,335 by Tramp

January 6, 2021 at 8:51 amJanuary 6, 2021 at 8:20 am by manehi

As usual from Tramp, very enjoyable with lots of nice surfaces and tricky cluing – crossers from the relatively gettable long down answers were very helpful. Favourites were 1ac, 11ac, 19ac, 21ac, 24ac, … Read more >>

Inquisitor 1679: Heavy Metal Band by Harribobs

January 5, 2021 at 9:51 pmJanuary 5, 2021 at 10:00 am by kenmac

Heavy Metal Band by Harribobs Entries run clockwise in a chain, starting at the peak of 1, with the last letter of each entry being the first of the next. Entries start … Read more >>

Financial Times 16,675 by ORENSE

January 5, 2021 at 9:09 am by Grant Baynham

A themed Tuesday offering. Straightforward enough midweek fare, enlivened by a veritable shoal of themed solutions all over the grid. More puns from posters welcome. Thanks to Orense. ACROSS 1 FLOUNDER Struggle helplessly … Read more >>

Independent 10,680 / Wire

January 5, 2021 at 8:00 am by RatkojaRiku

It has been a long time since it has fallen to me to blog a puzzle by Wire. I found this to be an enjoyable, not overly taxing, puzzle to kick off my … Read more >>

Guardian 28,334 – Picaroon

January 5, 2021 at 8:34 amJanuary 5, 2021 at 7:54 am by Andrew

A clever and highly enjoyable puzzle from Picaroon based around 12d, with varying interpretations of the phrase. The gateway clue is quite an easy one, but it was still fun to work out … Read more >>

Guardian Quiptic 1103 Hectence

January 4, 2021 at 10:57 amJanuary 4, 2021 at 7:55 am by scchua

Thank you to Hectence for this tricky Quiptic. Definitions are underlined in the clues. Across 1. Luxury extension can perhaps ruin housing (12) EXTRAVAGANCE : EXT(abbrev. for “extension”) + [anagram of(… perhaps) CAN … Read more >>

Guardian Cryptic 28,333 by Imogen

January 4, 2021 at 7:45 am by loonapick

Vulcan's alter ego usurps the Monday slot. We have become used to Vulcan crosswords on Mondays over the last few years, but our setter (or the editor) may have considered this one a … Read more >>

Independent 10,679/Italicus

January 4, 2021 at 9:30 amJanuary 4, 2021 at 7:35 am by Pierre

Happy New Year! There we go, my one and only use of the exclamation mark over with for 2021. On with the puzzle from Italicus. He has been setting for the Indy for … Read more >>

Financial Times 16,674 by SLORMGORM

January 4, 2021 at 5:39 am by Teacow

Back to work this week, with a gentle SLORMGORM to start things off… Happy new year everyone! Once more round the Sun for 4d’s pale blue dot. Nice mix of clues with some … Read more >>

Cyclops 692 – Xmas Special 2020

January 7, 2021 at 9:48 amJanuary 4, 2021 at 12:01 am by mc_rapper67

Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without the Jumbo Cyclops special. This year he has chosen to visit the ‘Pseuds Corner’ feature for the theme… (is anyone else just itching to put an apostrophe in ‘Pseuds’ – before or after the ‘s’?! – but it seems there isn’t one in the published magazine…)