ilancaron

Neither fish nor fowl — can’t tell if there’s really a theme here or not: do fish and chips and grouse and chickens and pecking qualify? A couple of wordplays that I’m still … Read more >>

Christmas songs not being a strong suit, I would never have worked out the song so thanks to Shirley for putting me out of my misery. It’s “Green Grow the Rushes, O” – … Read more >>

A surfeit of cryptic definitions today which isn’t of course out of character for Rufus. It’s tempered by several well crafted clues though so a smile or two were produced. Across 9 TALL … Read more >>

I always feel more intelligent after solving a Brendan puzzle — I think it’s because he is fair, challenging and there’s a clever nina or theme which is always gratifying to identify. Anyway, … Read more >>

As always an intellectual treat to solve a Paul puzzle — and as usual he pushes the Ximenean envelope — typically from the outside, but always gratifyingly — e.g. 17D. A couple of … Read more >>

A good puzzle to learn a few new words via clear wordplay (e.g. SATINY, ASGARD, COLUMBA). One unusual river (AMUR) and an unfamiliar actress (ANNA NEAGLE) and a couple of other more familiar … Read more >>

I felt this was Rufus at his worst to be honest. There were too many long anagrams and too many unconvincing cryptic defs (yes, I realize this judgement is in the eye of … Read more >>

A few manly answers: TESTOSTERONE (which figured in a Times puzzle today or yesterday as well), and an ARTILLERYMAN wearing an EPAULETTE. I did this in fits and starts throughout the day so … Read more >>

Only fools would agree to blog a puzzle with such a parochial Britcom theme. Having said that, I’ve actually seen an episode or two here and there but I had to invoke the … Read more >>

This was hard. Not easy. Some of the clues seem better suited to a weekend puzzle — not to the mention the fact that the online version didn’t indicate enumerations (word divisions) at … Read more >>

A typical balanced Rufus opus with sensible surfaces and no cryptic definition overdose. And pleasantly not a rugby reference in sight. My last clue was 24A since my only exposure to opera so … Read more >>

I suspect that much of England has rugby on its mind even though it’s being played in France (conveniently beaten by the English last week or so). It appears that Brendan does as … Read more >>

Not for the first time a couple of clues for which I don’t understand the wordplay: e.g 26A, 4A, and a few others in which I can imagine what the answer must be. … Read more >>