Independent 9901 by Monk (Saturday Puzzle 7 July 2018)
I found this a fairly gentle (but enjoyable) workout from Monk… …with a Nina to boot – although I only spotted it as I struggled to get my last one, 2D DIVE, in… (Mental … Read more >>
mc_rapper67
Enigmatic Variations No. 1335: Treasure Hunt by Kcit
My solving notes for TREASURE HUNT simply say ‘WOW!’ once I got to the end of this Herculean task… Yet another carte blanche – no bars, clue numbers or even enumerations! – but at … Read more >>
Cyclops 627 – Coital Hotbed Simmers…
A relatively quick solve – for your correspondent at least – with this fortnight’s Cyclops…but plenty to enjoy along the way… 8A was a bit of a write-in first up – clever surface … Read more >>
Independent 9871 by Nimrod (Saturday Puzzle 2 June 2018)
Ouch! My brain has only just recovered from the pummelling it received from Enigmatist/Nimrod’s recent Grauniad Genius, so to get a Saturday Indy from him as well could inflict further neural damage… …and … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No. 1331: Alternative to a Beer by Charybdis
Is there such a thing as an ALTERNATIVE TO A BEER? Shurely just shomething to precede/follow/accompany/complement?… The preamble states that: “In ALTERNATIVE TO A BEER?, a theme word (4) must be written below … Read more >>
Cyclops 625 – Right-Wing Press Clutch at Straws
A hint of a nod to the Royal Wedding, with ‘Harry’ and ‘Markle’ both making an appearance in the clues…is Cyclops getting a bit soft in his (presumably/relatively) old age?… …and some American … Read more >>
Guardian Genius 178 by Enigmatist
First thought – oh dear, it’s Enigmatist this month…oh, well, at least I have 4-5 weeks to solve and blog it… A strange looking grid, with two large areas of black squares – … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No. 1327: Titles by Oxymoron
A multi-layered puzzle from Oxymoron this week – my head was spinning just from reading the instructions! The preamble states that: “28 clues contain an additional word which must be removed before solving. … Read more >>
Cyclops 623 – Nerve Agent Trespass
Some relatively ‘topical’ subject matter from Cyclops this fortnight… …with a SCHEME of NEUROSCIENTISTS and an IOTA of NERVE AGENT leaving UPTOWN Salisbury needing a good DRY CLEAN! Did anybody TRESPASS on our … Read more >>
Independent 9841 by Maize (Saturday Puzzle 28 April 2018)
Two Maize puzzles in a row on my 5-weekly shift – I must have done something good in a previous life… This seemed a little lighter and fluffier than Indy 9811, especially once … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No. 1323: Capital Letters by Stick Insect
Stick Insect seems to have averaged one or two EVs a year since 2013-or so, and I think I have attempted/solved most of them, but this is the first of his I have … Read more >>
Cyclops 621 – Proposition Overthrown
I had this blog all set up…and then the Bank Holiday weekend just crept up on me… Hopefully it is all covered below…the usual mix of Cyclops-ean establishment targets and skoolboy-ish smuttery… Keep … Read more >>
Independent 9811 by Maize (Saturday Puzzle 24 March 2018)
More top quality work from Maize – no fancy themes or Nina (that I can see), but a testing cryptic workout to keep us on our toes… I timed this one at 12:45, … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No. 1319: Vive la Différence by Harribobs
Oh dear…this makes three of the last four EVs that I have failed to complete… Am I losing my touch? Should I be handing in my pencil and heading for the rocking chair, with a … Read more >>
Cyclops 619 – North Korea Gambit
A relatively quick/easy Cyclops, from a pure solving/timing perspective, but the usual level of quality in surface readings and sarcastic/satirical digs, as one would expect from Private Eye… …only one mention of the … Read more >>