Financial Times 15,611 by REDSHANK

I find Redshank’s puzzles have an elegance to them.  I can’t put my finger on exactly what it is but there is a “just right” feel to them; neither too hard nor easy, neither too clever nor too hackneyed.  Whatever it is and however you do it: thank you Redshank.

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Financial Times 15,605 by MONK

Nice puzzle with one clue I cannot explain.  I am away on holiday and about to start a long journey so I can’t spend any more time on this.  I will try and get backto the blog this evening if I can.  Thanks Monk.

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Financial Times 15,593 by AARDVARK

This was five mini crosswords: four corners and a middle, each connected by a single cell. I enjoyed each of them individually and and the puzzle as a whole.  The clues were not hard but the repeated cold starts made completing the whole a little more of a challenge.  Thank you Aardvark.

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Guardian Prize 27,232 by Picaroon

I made very heavy weather of this one, it took me an absolute age to finish it.  In retrospect I cannot see any reason for this.  The clues are very straightforward and there are no devious tricks in here at all.  I think making a straightforward puzzle seem tricky must be considered a form of deviousness in itself.  Thank you Picaroon for somehow pulling one over on me!

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Financial Times 15,581 by IO

This was hard.  Solving the puzzle, explaining the answers and writing it all up took hours, and being so engrossed in sorting all this out I have forgotten to give my daughter a lift to the dentist.  I am going to be in big trouble later.  Thanks Io.

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