PeterO

Born 1944. I was introduced to cryptics, mainly the Telegraph, in the sixth form, as a group effort. This continued through college (physics), and after, but more sporadically after I moved to the US forty years ago. Now I am semi-retired from programming - I drive school buses - I have time to troll the internet for crosswords to my heart's content. I regularly do the Guardian, Independent FT and Private Eye. Despite rather regular entries to Private Eye and the Guardian Genius, the nearest I have come to winning anything was on a book publishers' website, a crossword compiled by Eddie James, I think. As the prizes included a bottle of Champagne, to avoid customs problems, I entered in my brother-in-law's name. He was somewhat surprised to win.

Everyman Nº 3,374 (29 May)

Sun June 5, 2011 at 12:01 am by PeterO

I found this distinctly easier than last week’s Everyman, with mostly simple wordplays, which should help if the range of your general knowledge does not coincide with the compiler’s. Across 1. Win and … Read more >>

Guardian Quiptic No 601 by Moley

Mon May 23, 2011 at 10:43 amMon May 23, 2011 at 4:18 am by PeterO

A Quiptic setter new to me, she hits the entry level spot on, with varied clue types, and nothing too convoluted. Across 4. Large flag for an Egyptian god (6) OSIRIS Charade of … Read more >>

Guardian Cryptic No 25,329 by Rufus

Mon May 23, 2011 at 3:07 am by PeterO

I found this easier than some recent Rufuses; not too heavy on the cryptic definitions (which I regard as a plus), but making up for it in the envelope department – if not … Read more >>

Guardian No 25,320 by Brendan

Fri May 13, 2011 at 1:35 amThu May 12, 2011 at 4:43 pm by PeterO

An entertaining offering from Brendan. … … … … The appearance of envelopes in almost every clue must be a theme of sorts; then there is the device indicated in 13A, for which … Read more >>

Guardian Cryptic No. 25,315 by Chifonie

Fri May 6, 2011 at 3:40 am by PeterO

Very definitely plain sailing, and none the worse for that. Across 1. French town’s brochure revised? Good! (9) CHERBOURG Charade of CHERBOUR, an anagram (‘revised’) of ‘brochure’ + G (‘good’). 6. Make sense … Read more >>

Everyman crossword No 3,368

Sun April 24, 2011 at 10:03 pmSun April 24, 2011 at 12:01 am by PeterO

This did not strike me as a top-notch Everyman. There are several simple charades where the answer is two words (or one word articulating naturally into two parts), and the wordplay just defines … Read more >>

Guardian 25,296 by Araucaria

Thu April 14, 2011 at 5:10 am by PeterO

I note the number of times in this post that I have added a note on the definition, more often because of obliqueness than obscurity. … I am fortunate to draw another very … Read more >>

Guardian Quiptic N° 593 by Arachne

Mon March 28, 2011 at 12:08 pmMon March 28, 2011 at 3:50 am by PeterO

An amusing offering from the Spider Woman, notable for some fine surfaces. Across 1. Exclusive property, often used in films (7,7) SPECIAL EFFECTS Charade of SPECIAL (‘exclusive’) + EFFECTS (‘property’). 8. A month … Read more >>

Guardian 25,277 by Bonxie

Wed March 23, 2011 at 3:28 am by PeterO

A brief offering, mainly because I started out with yesterday’s crossword by mistake! Across 1,23. Pick off reptile hiding in French 9 (6,5) CULLEN SKINK Charade of CULL (‘pick off’) + EN (‘in … Read more >>

Everyman No 3,362

Sun March 13, 2011 at 11:00 pmSun March 13, 2011 at 12:01 am by PeterO

And the envelope contains… Across 1. I’m so sexy in new lace undergarment (8) CAMISOLE Envelope (‘in’) of MISO, an anagram (‘sexy’) of ‘Im so’ in CALE, an anagram (‘new’) of ‘lace’. 5. … Read more >>

Guardian Quiptic No 589 by Orlando

Mon February 28, 2011 at 2:44 pmMon February 28, 2011 at 3:30 am by PeterO

Together with the Rufus, we have a veritable blizzard of double definitions today. Across 1. Where Marco Polo went in a yacht, wandering (6) CATHAY Anagram (‘wandering’) of ‘a yacht’. Cathay is an … Read more >>

Guardian 25,257 by Rufus

Mon February 28, 2011 at 2:17 pmMon February 28, 2011 at 2:35 am by PeterO

Nothing very demanding – notably heavy on double definitions, and only a hint of a cryptic definition. Across 1. Influences or distorts the standard (7) COLOURS Triple definition. 5. Makes an entry, a … Read more >>

Guardian No 25,243 by Arachne

Fri February 11, 2011 at 10:37 amFri February 11, 2011 at 3:37 am by PeterO

There are some clever clues here, and a few too clever by far for me. Across 1. Bird’s noise when pushing out many eggs (6) CUCKOO KOO is ‘many eggs’, which is the … Read more >>

Quiptic crossword No 585

Mon January 31, 2011 at 1:50 am by PeterO

I was feeling particularly leaden, and made heavy weather of solving this, but in writing it up there does not seem to be anything to struggle over: mostly straightforward charades and envelopes. Across … Read more >>

Everyman No 3,356

Sun January 30, 2011 at 12:01 am by PeterO

A few mild obscurities, perhaps, but plenty of smooth surfaces. Thanks to The Trafites and to PeeDee for the tools to help create this blog. Across 1. A master of light farce with … Read more >>