neildubya

Some of the slightly odd words and phrases in the grid are explained the Nina: look at the letters around the perimeter of the grid, starting from the top-left hand corner and going … Read more >>

Across 1 ASS,ASS,IN – I liked “rears” to indicate the two ASSes. 9 B(I,OP)IC – writers aren’t always people. 10 BAN< in WANE – I’m pretty sure I haven’t come across WANNABE in … Read more >>

Another very tough but very satisfying Saturday puzzle, this time from Nestor. Lots of great stuff here but I can’t work out the wordplay in 3, 15 and 17. I filled in 11 … Read more >>

I found this mostly reasonably easy but with a few tough spots here and there. I only spotted the Nina (in the perimeter running clockwise from the bottom left-hand corner) once I’d finished … Read more >>

Another superb puzzle from Bannsider with some very original and rigourous clueing. Very tough too, but always a pleasure to solve. Across 1 (PRAYER THAT)* – ART THERAPY. Great clue with an excellent … Read more >>

Something of a rarity for me: a Nimrod puzzle where I understand every clue! Across 1 (FILM DUO AT)* in SIGHT – STADIUM OF LIGHT. Quite a tricky one to parse: “originally directing” … Read more >>

I somehow managed to finish this, despite the half dozen or so clues that I filled in without really knowing why. Offers of enlightenment gratefully received. Across 1/4 IN POLE POSITION – I … Read more >>

Across 1 BE in (ANIMAL)* – LIMA BEAN. 10 MIDDLE-AGE SPREAD – I can’t decide if this is a cryptic definition or if there’s some aspect of the wordplay that I’m missing because … Read more >>

Nice puzzle from The Editor with an appropriate Nina for a puzzle that appeared the day after that amazing opening ceremony in Beijing: in the unchecked letters on the grid perimeter we see … Read more >>

If you solved the online puzzle today then this post is going to be of no use to you because, as it says in a note under the printed version of the puzzle: … Read more >>

I found this mostly quite easy but the bottom left-hand corner gave me no end of difficulties. Eventually I filled in 20, 15 and 16 without really knowing why, along with 21. Across … Read more >>

Across 1 NS in (PETRA)*,T – “Troy” is a reference to the system of weights rather than the city, which is why it can be abbreviated to T. 5 BOATER – sounds like … Read more >>

Across 1 JACK,INK<,FED 10 (A QUIET COVE)* – EQUIVOCATE. “Divers” is the misleading anagram indicator here as it’s another spelling of “diverse”. 11 SU(NB)ED 14 PETER SELLERS? – haven’t the faintest idea if … Read more >>

An impressive puzzle where every clue has a sporty feel to it (although 2 and 3 seem to be stretching things a bit). Some very clever stuff here and more than one excellent … Read more >>