ilancaron

A Christmas Crossword Celebration Party!  I think this one is a bit harder than the 1913 instance.  Though I have to say that having struggled with Pointer’s Listener, this felt like R&R. Missing … Read more >>

Not sure how hard this actually was since I solved it over several days in between various meetings.   Found TBRB quite useful — understatement of the year. Across 1 GOSS,I,B – a … Read more >>

I found this somewhat harder than usual fare.  Maybe I was distracted but it took more than a couple of hours to crack. Across 1 APPL(ERING)IE[d] – yes, a type of wormwood I … Read more >>

Sitting on the dock by the bay as we speak.  But in Seattle waiting for a flight to the San Juans.  Where I will have no internet access.  Fairly easy standard fare from … Read more >>

Goodness! For me quite a struggle.  I had to invoke an email friend (thanks Frank Yellin!) to resolve some spoonerisms towards the end.  Since there are two types of clues, I found myself … Read more >>

I’ve solved harder Azeds.  Rather disappointed that there’s a wordplay I still can’t parse.  And I’m struggling to understand why Azed thinks the Grand Canyon is small? I’m sure someone will clarify though. … Read more >>

A single unresolved wordplay and what appears to be a mistake by our friend Azed.  Difficulty about mid-range for Azed — not terribly easy but nonetheless solvable by mere mortals such as myself. See … Read more >>

Pretty easy but I used the BRB without compunction and there’s a wordplay or two as “exercises for the reader”.  And a little Daily Telegraphism at the top: Dangerous Dan. Across 1 DESPERATE … Read more >>

Harder than usual even for an Azed.  I had to check the BRB for well over half of the answers.  OK I’m lying.  Closer to 80%.  A couple of unsolved wordplays await within. … Read more >>

I solved this early in the week… but forgot to write up my notes until early this morning.  So I’m regressing to the mean: after a reasonably long spell of decoding all of … Read more >>

Might be wrong about this but seems like Azed has eschewed Scots terms for the duration.  Of this puzzle at least.  In favour of Latin and Greek. Across 1 BI(O)AS,SAY 7 AM(B)O – … Read more >>

Not so dreadful though dreadfully showed up at least twice as an anagrind.   In fact, rather a gentle Azed that, other than all the French and Scots and Spenserisms, is a good … Read more >>

More than our usual share of compound anagrams — not that I have any statistical justification for claiming that.  My BRB is getting the worse for the wear… so I rely more and … Read more >>

A tale of two languages.  I think this is one of the rare occasions in which all is understood (famous last words).  Much credit is due my new shiny iPad with the Chambers … Read more >>

Oddly enough my last clue was the one I should have recognized immediately (since I used to live on a kibbutz) — namely, 15A.  On which I think Azed made a slight mistake. … Read more >>