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 7382 by Morph

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*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, CD=cryptic def, DD=double def, sp=spoonerism Obviously, this was written a few weeks ago when the ash cloud debacle was at its height. Inexplicably, though, the Eyjafjallajökull volcano doesn’t seem … Read more >>

Independent 7376 by Glowworm

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*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, CD=cryptic def, DD=double def, sp=spoonerism An elegant puzzle with some very good clues, although very much on the easy side. 24 was my favourite clue, although I quite liked … Read more >>

Independent 7370 by Hypnos

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*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, CD=cryptic def, DD=double def, sp=spoonerism A moderately challenging puzzle by Hypnos. There were no real stand-out clues for me but everything was well constructed. One or two of the … Read more >>

Independent 7364 by Eimi

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*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, CD=cryptic def, DD=double def, sp=spoonerism Just when you thought the politicking was all over, Eimi pops up with this themed puzzle to celebrate (if that’s the right word) the … Read more >>

Independent 7358 by Tees

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*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, CD=cryptic def, DD=double def, sp=spoonerism A very good puzzle by Tees which didn’t give me too many problems. As ever with Tees, there was a sprinkling of cultural references, … Read more >>

Independent 7346 by Virgilius

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*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, CD=cryptic def, DD=double def, sp=spoonerism Another brilliant themed puzzle by Virgilius. The theme was set out in clue 14 (“marginal seats”) and all the words along the perimeter of … Read more >>

Independent 7336 by Nimrod

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*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, CD=cryptic def, DD=double def, sp=spoonerism I volunteered for this slot after the scheduled blogger fell victim to volcanic ash on the assumption it would be a nice easy Dac, … Read more >>

Independent 7334 by Hypnos

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*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, CD=cryptic def, DD=double def, sp=spoonerism I found this extremely challenging to finish, the SW corner being the worst. There were some very good clues with nice misdirection in places … Read more >>

Independent 7328 by Mordred

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*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, CD=cryptic def, DD=double def, sp=spoonerism A solid rather than spectacular puzzle which I finished fairly quickly, although there were a couple that lost me completely and some others I … Read more >>

Indepedent 7316 by Morph

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*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, CD=cryptic def, DD=double def, sp=spoonerism Pleasant Monday crossword from Morph with some cracking clues. It wasn’t too difficult, although it took me a while to get going with it … Read more >>

Independent 7310 by Glowworm

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*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, CD=cryptic def, DD=double def, sp=spoonerism This was one of those puzzles where I spent more time working out the logic behind some of the answers than I did filling … Read more >>

Independent 7304 by Hypnos

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*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, CD=cryptic def, DD=double def, sp=spoonerism I finished this fairly quickly, with only the NE corner giving me a few problems. There was an unusually high number of &lits, of … Read more >>

Independent 7298 by Eimi

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*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, CD=cryptic def, DD=double def, sp=spoonerism It’s probably a first for me to be blogging the same compiler two Mondays running. This one seems to be timed to coincide with … Read more >>