Andrew – Page 59 – Fifteensquared

Azed 2053 – ‘Wrong Number’

October 9, 2011 at 2:35 pmOctober 9, 2011 at 12:00 am by Andrew

“Wrong Number” is one of the older types of “special”, dating back at least to Ximenes. These puzzles can be hard to get started on, because you have to solve a lot of … Read more >>

Guardian 25,446 – Arachne

October 6, 2011 at 8:54 amOctober 6, 2011 at 12:53 am by Andrew

I rattled through this pretty quickly, but there were some excellent clues that made it very enjoyable, with 9ac being my favourite. Thanks to Arachne for the entertainment. The reference at 11dn (and … Read more >>

Guardian 25,441 – Gordius

September 30, 2011 at 8:47 am by Andrew

A typical Gordius, with some nice ideas but sometimes flawed by inaccurate or clumsy execution, though my opinion may be coloured by having had to solve it (and write this) in rather a … Read more >>

Guardian 25,431 – Rufus

September 19, 2011 at 12:36 am by Andrew

A very quick and easy one from Rufus today, with plenty of cryptic definitions (of varying degrees of crypticity) for those that like them, and the usual smooth surface readings. Only 3dn had … Read more >>

Guardian 25,427 – Paul

September 14, 2011 at 10:16 amSeptember 14, 2011 at 9:23 am by Andrew

I found it quite hard to get started on this one, and things didn’t get much easier even after getting a few answers in. There are two themes, based on 9+16ac and on … Read more >>

Guardian 25,422 – Araucaria

September 8, 2011 at 10:26 amSeptember 8, 2011 at 8:55 am by Andrew

The instruction “FH has the same meaning throughout” is the sort of thing that is common in Araucaria’s puzzles in the Financial Times ( as Cinephile), but less often seen in the Guardian. … Read more >>

Shirley O’Brien (Auster)

September 7, 2011 at 11:18 amSeptember 6, 2011 at 5:23 pm by Andrew

I was sorry to learn from Hugh Stephenson’s latest newsletter that Shirley O’Brien, aka Auster of the Guardian, died on 12 July at the age of 79. There’s an obituary from the Brisbane … Read more >>

Guardian Genius 98 – Crucible

September 5, 2011 at 3:33 pmSeptember 4, 2011 at 8:29 am by Andrew

Well, I must say these Genius puzzles vary a lot in difficulty. After two hard ones from Araucaria and Tramp, I found this one from Crucible hardly more difficult than a standard daily … Read more >>

Guardian 25,417 – Araucaria

September 2, 2011 at 2:22 pmSeptember 2, 2011 at 1:09 am by Andrew

Our favourite nonagenarian is in literary mode here, with an author and the title of several of his novels. I got the name early on, and that led to several long answers as … Read more >>

Azed 2047 – “Cherchez la Femme”

August 28, 2011 at 9:07 amAugust 28, 2011 at 12:05 am by Andrew

Azed last (and I think first) set a special of this kind in June 2008. Tilsit reported finding it very difficult (and I see from the comments that I did too), and I … Read more >>

Guardian 25,407 – Rufus

August 22, 2011 at 7:56 amAugust 22, 2011 at 6:43 am by Andrew

Standard Rufus fare, rather heavy on the cryptic definitions for my taste (six of them). I don’t think I was quite on the right wavelength for this one today, as it took me … Read more >>

Guardian 25,403 – Pasquale

August 17, 2011 at 8:07 amAugust 17, 2011 at 12:58 am by Andrew

A welcome return for The Don. There’s nothing too difficult here, except that 20dn was a new word for me (though easily guessable), and the phrase at 10dn may be unfamiliar to some, … Read more >>

Guardian 25,398 – Brendan

August 11, 2011 at 8:53 am by Andrew

In a world gone slightly mad, it was a delight (as always) to take some refuge in this puzzle, whose theme is a well-known play and an even better-known speech from it, part … Read more >>

Guardian 25,393 – Tramp

August 5, 2011 at 8:22 amAugust 5, 2011 at 1:03 am by Andrew

Having struggled somewhat with Tramp’s Genius puzzle last month, I was a bit apprehensive to see his name again here, but this turned out to be quite plain sailing. Of the linked answers, … Read more >>

Guardian 25,379 – Philistine

July 20, 2011 at 9:46 amJuly 20, 2011 at 9:13 am by Andrew

A second outing from Philistine (the first was in May), and rather a trickier one this time round, I thought, but very enjoyable and with some interesting and witty clueing. Thanks Philistine, and … Read more >>