flashling

Reincarnated blogger. I’m now 62 and sadly recently made redundant. Started doing cryptics whilst living in Oxford (despite being a Cambridge man) in about 1988 when I started buying the Independent which I’ve done pretty much every day since. Flirted with the Guardian and Times but prefer the Indy. I’m not an overly fast solver, preferring to savour rather rush through it. Away from crosswords I used to do professional firework displays as a part time job/hobby but it's best left now to younger fitter folks.

Guardian 26,193 by Otterden

Wed February 26, 2014 at 12:53 pmWed February 26, 2014 at 10:29 am by flashling

My first blog of an Otterden, somewhat delayed by a cancelled train…

Independent 8,537 by Raich

Mon February 24, 2014 at 9:41 am by flashling

Welcome return from 15sq Old Boy Raich.

Independent 8,519 by Quixote

Mon February 3, 2014 at 10:33 am by flashling

Alternate Mondays usually mean having Quixote to solve.

Guardian 26,163 by Paul

Wed January 22, 2014 at 12:42 pmWed January 22, 2014 at 10:01 am by flashling

Many thanks to Pierre and Writinghawk for doing my blogs last week after my eye operation. I can’t get new glasses yet so this was a bit of a struggle to see and … Read more >>

Guardian 26,149 by Rufus

Mon January 6, 2014 at 3:54 pmMon January 6, 2014 at 9:17 am by flashling

A new year but Rufus is still going strong, lower than usual count of CD and DD clues I felt. The usual mix of stuff, was thinking there weren’t any anagrams as I went … Read more >>

Independent 8,484 by Monk

Mon December 23, 2013 at 12:03 pmMon December 23, 2013 at 10:36 am by flashling

My last blog for the year and it’s a Monk, you know you’ve got your work cut out with him. I found this quite tricky in places, but I think it’s all done, … Read more >>

Guardian 26,134 by Philistine

Wed December 18, 2013 at 12:29 pmWed December 18, 2013 at 10:48 am by flashling

A week to Christmas, my first Philistine I believe. Some very terse cluing and some rather misleading to those used to Rufus’s style but not too difficult in hindsight. Hope to see some of you Saturday. … Read more >>

Guardian 26,127 by Pasquale

Tue December 10, 2013 at 11:23 amTue December 10, 2013 at 9:29 am by flashling

Quixote’s harder brother, struggled a bit with this to be honest, some rare words and some of the wordplay has me less than convinced. Thanks Pasquale. Oh and for folks using the mobile … Read more >>

Independent 8,466 by Quixote

Mon December 2, 2013 at 1:55 pmMon December 2, 2013 at 9:47 am by flashling

Second blog today so a bit rushed, seemed quite easy except for 1ac which I’d not heard of. Across 1 CY PRES Fancy President will squash this law (2,4) New to me … Read more >>

Guardian 26,120 by Rufus

Mon December 2, 2013 at 9:07 am by flashling

Typical Rufus crossword of cryptic and double definitions to start the week. Not much else to add but a welcome change of grid compared to the recent ones of his I’ve done. Across … Read more >>

Guardian 26,104 by Gordius

Wed November 13, 2013 at 9:58 am by flashling

The Grauniad strikes again. There’s a couple of problems today. There’s an error in 14ac and the enumeration is missing in 25d which has caused the blogging software to fail, and despite the … Read more >>

Independent 8,448 by Morph

Mon November 11, 2013 at 11:55 amMon November 11, 2013 at 11:01 am by flashling

Sorry this is a bit late, having real trouble with the internet today. I’ve come rather unstuck today, with a few I can’t explain so any help would be nice, there appears to … Read more >>

Guardian 26,097 by Brummie

Tue November 5, 2013 at 9:58 am by flashling

November the fifth and Brummie is playing games with us…. Quite a lot of the answers are card games, found this a little tricky in places. I’m off now to set up and … Read more >>

Guardian 26,090 by Rufus

Mon October 28, 2013 at 1:17 pmMon October 28, 2013 at 9:32 am by flashling

Good morning, as we start the week with the usual Rufus mix, this blog was delayed by trees on the line. It was good to meet a few of you fine folks on … Read more >>

Independent 8,430 by Quixote

Mon October 21, 2013 at 10:06 amMon October 21, 2013 at 9:32 am by flashling

A wild and wet morning here brings Quixote for our fortnightly monday entertainment. Quite a quick solve and blog today except possibly 17a where I feel I’m missing something possibly to do with … Read more >>