NealH

I've been doing crosswords off and on since university back in the 1980s. I used to do the Guardian, but defected to the Independent a year ago. My solving standard is still not what I'd like. I'd love to be able to knock off a crossword in 10 minutes, but find I'm still getting stuck for long periods when the inspiration doesn't quite arrive. I once had a go at compiling crosswords but, after a very rude rejection for the editor of the Telegraph, I didn't bother any further.

Independent 11,872 by Italicus

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Firstly, apologies for posting the wrong blog this morning. I use the Drury's website to do the puzzle but, unfortunately if you open an Indy puzzle in advance of the date there and it hasn't yet been uploaded, rather than tell you it's not there it just shows you an old puzzle. Normally, I check that it's the right puzzle but on this occasion I forgot and just dived in.

Thankfully, the correct puzzle wasn't too difficult and I could knock it off fairly quickly. That's not to say it was a bad puzzle – there were loads of good clues.

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Independent 11,854 by Lark

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I've not seen this compiler before, although I can see that there have been earlier puzzles. I found it more difficult than most Monday puzzles, although that may in part be related to my unfamiliarity with the setter.

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