Pete Maclean

Even a run-of-the-mill Cincinnus is jolly fine. Across 1. ALICE SPRINGS – cryptic definition 10. ROBINIA – ROBIN (boy wonder) + AI (sloth) backwards 11. GUMDROP – MUG (face) backwards + DR (doctor) … Read more >>

Mudd gave us a few sterling clues in this puzzle (2D, 18D, 26D), one that I think is weak (19D). Across 1. WOMBAT – TAB (bill) + MOW (cut) all backwards 4. BLACKOUT … Read more >>

The Weekend Prize Puzzle from 13 September 2008 It must be obvious that I am fairly good at FT puzzles but I am not a particularly fast solver. It does happen once in … Read more >>

An uninspiring puzzle this week with a couple of fine clues and a few that I find questionable. Across 1. ROUND TABLE – double definition 6. MINI – [ad]MINI[ster]. I did not originally … Read more >>

I found this more challenging than the typical Cincinnus puzzle but just as enjoyable and satisfying. I failed to fathom the wordplay in one clue, 16A. I especially liked 9A, 10A, 2D and … Read more >>

A typically clever and enjoyable puzzle from Mudd. I particularly like 13A, 20A and 10D. Across 1. FRAPPE – F (loud) + RAPPE[r] (musician not entirely). I wondered about the appropriateness of the … Read more >>

Here’s a Cinephile puzzle with a non-cryptic theme – synonyms of “crazy”. While it has a few fine clues (I like 12A, 14A and 27A), it also has a one that I do … Read more >>

I purchased my copy of the FT containing this puzzle at the railway station in Wörgl, Austria, a place I had never heard of until I found myself changing trains there while heading … Read more >>

A sound puzzle by Falcon this week. I particularly like 8D. I am going on holiday and so will not be blogging this puzzle for the next three weeks. Maybe someone else on … Read more >>

Here’s one of those Cinephile’s that falls out fairly easily once one detects the theme: in this case, Scottish things. Across 1. REGICIDE – IC (in charge) in RIDE (journey). I learned something … Read more >>

The top right corner of this puzzle was hard going for me. I particularly found 11A, 13A and 5D challenging and I do not understand how 8D works. Then I was totally stumped … Read more >>

So, I am getting to know Falcon now. This was a little more difficult than the few of his I have done before. Clue 5A in particular took me a while. Across 1. … Read more >>

An easy Mudd this time around. 19D was the only clue that stumped me for a while. Across 1. HOPPER – [c]HOPPER 4. SCHOONER – CH (companion) in SOONER (rather) 9. READER – … Read more >>

I found this Cincinnus distinctly more difficult than I am used to. Did others feel the same? It carries on his elegant quality with great clues such as 13A, 19A, 5D and 24D. … Read more >>

Mudd kept me busy for a while with this one. 21D strikes me as an interesting case: I believe it works perfectly as a cryptic definition yet the cryptic-ness of it seems rather … Read more >>