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.

Independent 7809 by Crosophile

Wed October 26, 2011 at 11:49 pmWed October 26, 2011 at 2:45 am by flashling

Crosophile reappears to give Dac a rest, only just done one from him in Sunday’s Independent of 3 days ago but I don’t think that’s giving too much away on that one, yesterday … Read more >>

Independent 7804 by Anarche

Thu October 20, 2011 at 4:17 pmThu October 20, 2011 at 8:24 am by flashling

Anarche has stopped running dressed as a bottle for charity for long enough to weave more trickery for the unwary, indeed there’s at least one I just can’t see the wordplay to. I … Read more >>

Independent 7799 by Phi

Fri October 14, 2011 at 10:23 am by flashling

And so it’s Friday and Phi after yesterday’s rather hard Nimrod about the Today Programme, this seemed a lot easier. Well here we have a Nina of Six Hundredth Year across the … Read more >>

Independent 7790 by Raich

Tue October 4, 2011 at 12:26 pmTue October 4, 2011 at 11:04 am by flashling

Raich returns to our screens/dead trees today with a fairly reasonable crossword compared to some Tuesdays. Well it is theme day and across the top we have CARRY ON and some of the … Read more >>

Independent 7785 by Crosophile

Wed September 28, 2011 at 1:49 am by flashling

Was expecting a smooth Dac and got a cracking Crosophile instead, not complaining though, good stuff. No obvious ninas or themes or pangrams today – this is not a bad thing. Some midnight … Read more >>

Independent 7780 by Tees

Thu September 22, 2011 at 7:00 am by flashling

Last time I got Tees he set a triple pangram, not this time but I found this to be a stern test in places, rather tricky indeed… Definitions underlined in clues, as ever … Read more >>

Independent 7775 by Phi

Fri September 16, 2011 at 6:32 pmFri September 16, 2011 at 12:15 pm by flashling

It seems the epidemic of pangrams at the Independent seems to be calming down. No obvious theme here, ok Winter and Sum(m)er songs appear. Not entirely convinced about 12d though. Across 1 CREATURE … Read more >>

Independent 7766 by Radian

Tue September 6, 2011 at 12:52 pmTue September 6, 2011 at 9:34 am by flashling

Radian seems to be doing a French course today. . Bit of an oddity for our theme day, French words, dictionaries, Harry Potter and Tom Cruise. Oh and it’s a pangram of course, … Read more >>

Independent 7761 by Crosophile

Wed August 31, 2011 at 10:12 am by flashling

So it’s Crosophile for me today. I found this mostly straightforward with no obvious Ninas or other setter games being played which is a relief after last week’s Tees. . Across: 1 … Read more >>

Independent 7756 by Tees

Fri August 26, 2011 at 2:46 pmThu August 25, 2011 at 10:44 am by flashling

Three cheers for Tees today. I’m back after my week off here setting off a few fireworks and many thanks to Eileen for covering for me. . Well a remarkable crossword today – … Read more >>

Independent no. 7742 by Radian

Tue August 9, 2011 at 2:29 pm by flashling

When I started to blog here I never thought I’d be reporting from a war zone. So a warm, ok fiery welcome from SE London Gosh I found this hard, the theme is … Read more >>

Independent 7737 by Dac

Wed August 3, 2011 at 10:41 am by flashling

Dac’s back after a week away. 1ac is a new term for me but a quick internet search confirmed it. Some nice long anagrams to get yer teeth into. Indicates Anagram = * … Read more >>

Independent on Sunday 1119 by Glow-worm

Sun July 31, 2011 at 11:44 am by flashling

Sunday afternoon means a pint (or two!) and the IOS crossword. So here’s Glow-worm from last week. Can anyone help with the wordplay for 14a ? thanks Sil I see we have a … Read more >>

Independent 7732 by Nimrod

Thu July 28, 2011 at 11:10 amThu July 28, 2011 at 10:32 am by flashling

I was rather hoping Nimrod’s new job as editor for the Saturday magazine Inquisitor crossword would keep him too busy to set the Thursday toughie, alas not… We almost have a Nina here, … Read more >>

Independent 7727 by Phi

Fri July 22, 2011 at 11:27 am by flashling

It’s Friday so it must be Phi. Usual good stuff and for me a pretty quick solve certainly under 20 minutes without really trying. No obvious (to me at least!) theme here. As … Read more >>