Pete Maclean

Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of February 12 As most of you may know, John Graham (a.k.a. Cinephile) recently had his 90th birthday. I found this puzzle of his fairly tricky. I … Read more >>

Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of February 5 Here’s another good puzzle from Cincinnus. My favourite clues are 9A (TITLE), 12A (WHOA), 20A (NICK) and 7D (BEECH). Three answers were terms I … Read more >>

Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of January 29 This puzzle strikes me as one of Mudd’s best. Taking pride of place is the brilliant semi-&lit that is 16D (HEATHROW). And I also … Read more >>

Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of January 22 Once again Cincinnus comes up with an impressive set of clues. How juicy is 19A (REDSTART)? How witty 13A (NON-USAGE)! How splendid 8A (CON … Read more >>

Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of January 15 I had trouble finishing the lower-left quadrant of this puzzle and maintain a reservation about 17D (EGYPTIAN). My top clues here are 28A (BEGRUDGE) … Read more >>

Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of January 8 Cinephile gives us a few fine clues here, 1-18A (STANDING OVATION), 10A (DISARM) and 1D (SUPINE). And a couple of unconventional clues that I … Read more >>

Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of December 18 Another fine Mudd with, what was for me, a slightly difficult top-right corner. My favourite clues here are 13A (AFORESAID), 28A (NO FEAR) and … Read more >>

Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of December 11 I am well aware that deadlines can change around the holidays but, until I came to write this blog at my usual time, I … Read more >>

Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of December 4 A decent, slightly challenging puzzle from Cinephile this time. My top clue is 25A (KIBOSH). I also like 7D (DECOR) although its wordplay is … Read more >>

Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of November 27 A merely excellent Cincinnus on this occasion. But with one clue whose working I do not understand (24A, TORSO). It is especially rare that … Read more >>

Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of November 20 For once Cinephile uses a theme that does not make his whole puzzle rather easy once one has copped to it! In fact I … Read more >>

Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of November 13 Let’s start with wild applause for the brilliant &lit. 20A (IDES). Then another ovation for, collectively, 28A (REPHRASED), 2D (SPIRITUAL), 7D (GRILL) and 18D … Read more >>

Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of November 6 Now here is what I call a good Mudd, a puzzle that I can easily imagine took a lot of thought. It was somewhat … Read more >>

Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of October 30 A very easy puzzle from Cinephile this time. Easy for me except that I had to look up the names of the main characters … Read more >>

Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of October 23 This strikes me as a rather pedestrian puzzle. I particularly like 23A (ARC) and 16D (DOWNSTAIRS). Across 9. CASTOR OIL – O (old) in … Read more >>