manehi

A fairly gentle start to the year from Rufus – I quite liked 13 and 21. Across 5 REAPED P[hysical] E[ducation] in READ=study 6 RECENT CE=church in RENT=schism 9 STRAYS STAYS with R[ight] … Read more >>

Enjoyable as ever from Brendan with a nice theme around a recent anniversary [spoiler]. Solved pretty quickly after the theme fell, then had to stare at 10a for a good while before the … Read more >>

Enjoyable puzzle today with nothing too difficult and a cute mini-theme. Across 1 TIEBACK TIE=”match” + BACK=”second” 5,8 NUCLEAR REACTION “He commonly”=>’E + EQUALS EMCEE SQUARED, which describes the mass-energy equivalence demonstrated by … Read more >>

Due to the earlier site access problems, manehi sent me a copy of his analysis but without a preamble. As I have been too busy getting the site back on-line to do this … Read more >>

A pleasant challenge from Orlando with a cute mini-theme around “11”. 14a, 16 and 17 were especially nice. Across 9 HINDEMITH HIND=back + EMI=record company + TH[e] 10 OPRAH rev(HARPO) Marx 11 LATERAL … Read more >>

Many happy returns, Gordius. I got into this quickly then struggled with the last few clues. Still unsure about some wordplay, and 24dn was a new word for me. 8 and 25 made … Read more >>

Found this pretty slow going. 13, 29 and the last part of 7 were unfamiliar but guessable, whereas 15dn went in almost immediately. Across 1 HOODING =the use of a hood in torture. … Read more >>

Some clever clues but pretty easy overall from Orlando today. Across 1 RESIGNS S[hilling]=Bob inside REIGNS=rules 8 EVINCED ED[ward]=”little boy” carrying VINCE 9 SHAWNEE [George Bernard] SHAW=playwright + NÉE=”born in France” 10 RANKING … Read more >>

I’m not a huge fan of grids such as this where the long clues can somewhat spoil the fun if you get them early or lock you out of a corner if you … Read more >>

Probably my quickest Araucaria solve to date, with several straightforward anagrams and the Keynes reference giving me the bottom half in next to no time. Across 1 BEHOLD EH=”What was that” in BOLD … Read more >>

Found this pretty quick for a Chifonie, but well-clued as usual. 20ac made me smile and my only slight niggle was with the repetition of the “O” indicator in 9 and 13. Across … Read more >>

A topical tennis theme from Crucible, who also covered the Snooker World championships in two out of six previous Guardian puzzles. Plenty of clever cluing, especially 29,12. Across 9 OPERA-GOER =”Met fan”, referring … Read more >>

I’m possibly a little jaded against loose setting having just come out of exams, but this wasn’t my favourite Paul. Maybe 3 and 5 will look better in the morning. Across 1 ANUBIS … Read more >>

Extremely clever as always from Brendan. 12 especially made me smile. Across 9 NASTINESS N[ew] + ASTI=an Italian wine region + NESS=head 11 WHITE WHIT=a little bit + E[uropean] 12 GARDENERS (enraged)* + … Read more >>

The first Bonxie I’ve blogged is also the first time I’ve seen 3dn, 18dn or 22ac. Everything else was mostly straightforward, but I did have to guess and google 3 and 22 in … Read more >>