Guardian 29,479 – Qaos
An entertaining puzzle for an overcast Wednesday morning. Thanks to Qaos. Looking for the inevitable theme, I see a number of words that can go with SALAD: FRUIT, OLIVIER (I had to check … Read more >>
Andrew
Guardian Genius 254 – Pangakupu
Pangakupu is quite a regular in the Genius slot, and his last appearance was only 3 months ago. This was a fairly easy-going puzzle as Geniuses go, though I was helped by spotting … Read more >>
Guardian 29,472 – Anto
Some nice clues here – I liked the appropriate anagram in 9a – but also some niggles, as noted below. Thanks to Anto for the puzzle. Across 1 BED HOPPER Spooner’s accused … Read more >>
Azed 2722
A long answer at 1 across can be helpful in getting into a puzzle, but in this case I needed a lot of crossing letters to work it out. Apart from that it … Read more >>
Guardian 29,465 – Dynamo
A new setter today, or at least a new pseudonym. DYNAMO is famously an anagram of MONDAY, which may be significant. This was definitely a Monday-ish puzzle (it would have been a good … Read more >>
Guardian 29,463 – Jack
Thanks to Jack for an enjoyable puzzle, with a good range of difficulty in the clues. Like his alter egos Serpent and Basilisk, Jack usually includes a Nina of some kind, and here … Read more >>
Guardian 29,456 – Harpo
A tricky one today from Harpo (aka Monk), with some unfamiliar (though helpfully clued) words. Thanks to Harpo. With AJAX, QADI and ZONE in the grid, I suspected a pangram, and indeed it … Read more >>
Guardian 29,449 – Pangakupu
A fairly straightforward puzzle this morning, with the four multi-light downs providing lots of helpful crossing letters. Thanks to Pangakupu. Pangakupu puzzles usually have a Maori word or phrase hidden in the grid, … Read more >>
Guardian 29,442 – Vlad
I’m feeling well and truly impaled by this morning’s puzzle, with lots of tricky (though of course ingenious) clues. There are a couple that I haven’t been able to parse, and I don’t … Read more >>
Guardian 29,435 – Vulcan
A much easier puzzle than some I’ve blogged recently, but still with thought needed for some clues. Thanks to Vulcan. Across 1 MUSTANG Wild horse in EastEnders has to die (7)A cockney … Read more >>
Azed 2716 – Spoonerisms
The Spoonerism puzzle is a format invented by Azed that crops up every year or so. There hasn’t been one under the exact title since number 2551 in May 2021, but the last … Read more >>
Guardian 29,433 – Paul
Paul is up to his old tricks today, with multi-light answers, cross-references and a couple of outrageous “homophones”. With Enigmatist and Vlad, and now this, it’s been a tough week. Thanks to Paul … Read more >>
Guardian 29,426 – Paul
Paul has gone all-out today with a puzzle where almost every clue has a connection to the UK general election. I suspect that some of the references will baffle non-UK solvers. I found … Read more >>
Guardian 29,419 – Qaos
A fun puzzle from Qaos, with a couple of answers that were unfamiliar, but very helpfully clues. Thanks to Qaos. I was lucky to spot the (inevitable) theme early enough to get some … Read more >>
Guardian 29,412 – Brockwell
It was a surprise to see Brockwell (aka Grecian from the Independent) as today’s setter so soon after his appearance in Saturday’s Prize puzzle. No complaints from me though: an enjoyable solve, mostly … Read more >>