Eileen

My first blog for four weeks and so, first of all, many thanks to mhl and Gaufrid for standing in for me while I was, firstly, marking exam scripts and then away on … Read more >>

What a treat! – my favourite compiler and a number of theatrical / literary allusions. I realise that, on both counts, this will not be everyone’s cup of tea but it was right … Read more >>

An entertaining puzzle from Bonxie, featuring references to Guardian crossword compilers, past and present. [I must admit to having forgotten some of them.] Lots of clever surfaces and wordplay. Across 8   GADABOUT: A … Read more >>

A characteristically straightforward yet stylish offering from Rufus, with the ingenious anagrams and seamless, story-telling surfaces that we know to expect, with not too many cryptic clues for those who dislike them. [Unfortunately, … Read more >>

It’s only three weeks since the last Arachne puzzle and, according to Andrew’s review of the year, we had only seven of hers in 2009, so this is a welcome early return. There’s … Read more >>

Well, Andrew’s observation turned out right again. I’ve looked forward for a long time to blogging my first Shed, especially since his RHOTIC clue last year, and this didn’t disappoint. [There is  even … Read more >>

Rufus on Monday – All’s right with the world! – as Browning didn’t say. The familiar start to the week, after two Rufusless Mondays in the last four. I said that the last … Read more >>

This is a fairly typical Chifonie puzzle, largely made up of charades and straightforward insertions. There is one clue that I particularly liked and, I’m afraid, one that, however good the rest of … Read more >>

A fairly typical Paul puzzle, with  witty, cheeky, story-telling surfaces – but none of his really outrageous cluing. I hope the relatively new solvers whose confidence has been boosted in the last few … Read more >>

I’d half expected a St George or Bardic theme today. There’s a small nod to the latter but, otherwise, I haven’t really anything to say about this:  there’s nothing exceptional or exceptionable, I … Read more >>

I found this more straightforward than last week’s Rufus but, I thought, rather  lacking in the expected sparkle. There are the usual fine surfaces but some rather tired wordplay, including AD = notice … Read more >>

If there had been no name on this puzzle, I think it would not have taken regular solvers long to supply one. All the Pauline hallmarks are here: cheeky surfaces and / or … Read more >>

I was rather apprehensive at being down to blog today, especially when I saw Paul’s name on the puzzle. After completing the grid, I stared at it but, apart from CLOT leaping out … Read more >>

A reasonably straightforward puzzle from Bonxie, with some nice touches. I have some quibbles with two or three definitions. Across 1   SCARECROW: anagram of CAW SCORER: this surface made me smile. 6  BOOM: … Read more >>

The usual Rufus combination of cryptic [not too many] and double definitions and elegant and witty surfaces. Across 7   PHILATELY: PHI [anagram of HIP] + LATELY 8   QUICK: double definition [‘quick’ = ‘living’ … Read more >>