We have a Tees to blog this Thursday.
Month: February 2022
Guardian Cryptic 28,689 by Nutmeg
The puzzle may be found at https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/cryptic/28689.
Enigmatic Variations No.1526 – Elimination by Wan
“In 27 clues an extra letter (always in the wordplay part) must be discarded before solving, thereby completing most of A PROCESS OF ELIMINATION; another to be eliminated must be removed from the grid. The finisher must be revealed by replacing an appropriate word (six cells). The theme must be highlighted in the grid, apart from the 1st, 5th and 14th (last) letters. Finally, the two parts must be linked by adding a bar and then both parts embellished (in the solver’s own style) to depict the finisher. All changes leave real words; Chambers Dictionary (2016) is recommended.”
Financial Times 17,017 by Mudd
Non-prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of February 12, 2022
Independent 11,034 / Eccles
Today brings us the latest offering from our every-other-Wednesday setter, Eccles. For me, this was pitched at exactly the right level for a mid-week puzzle, with challenge and entertainment on offer in equal … Read more >>
Financial Times 17,026 by MOO
A nice puzzle in a traditional style, but not old-fashioned. Some easy clues, some hard ones. Thank you Moo.
Guardian 28,688 / Philistine
It’s five months since I blogged a Philistine puzzle, so I was very pleased to see his name on this one. I thought this was Philistine in slightly less tricky mode, apart from … Read more >>
Inquisitor 1738: Cover Story by Ifor
Ah, an Ifor puzzle. We can expect some tricky clues with misleading definitions (though fair) and an intricate end game. The rubric read: There is an extra word of four or more letters … Read more >>
Guardian Cryptic 28,687 by Vulcan
Happy 90th to Rufus, and thanks to Vulcan for the puzzle…
Independent 11033 / Radian
Radian sets the Independent puzzle today Tuesday is usually theme day in the Independent and I think one of the challenge’s today is to determine how wide the theme goes. … Read more >>
Azed No. 2,592 Plain
A plain puzzle from Azed, if any of his puzzles could ever be described as plain.
Guardian Quiptic 1,162/Hectence
Hectence is a long-established and reliable setter of Quiptics. I have one or two niggles in this one, however. It’s still a puzzle that beginners would enjoy, I have to say. It was … Read more >>
Independent 11,032 by Wire
An enjoyable Monday challenge from Wire.
Financial Times 17,024 by BOBCAT
Some very simple clues mixed in with some really quite obscure ones. Perhaps I’m just having an off morning?