Independent 8719/Quixote
Quixote setting and me blogging on a Wednesday? The Indy crossword world is upside down. Not really: Quixote seems to be taking over the last Wednesday of the month slot; and I’m off … Read more >>
Pierre
Independent on Sunday 1282/Kairos
I thought this was an excellent IoS puzzle from Kairos. Just one or two where I’m not entirely sure of my parsing. I don’t normally big up setters, because they are overweening and … Read more >>
Guardian Quiptic 774/Nutmeg
Nutmeg is now a regular setter of the Guardian cryptic, but she’s not forgotten how to do the ‘easy’ stuff. I liked this one. Abbreviations cd cryptic definition … Read more >>
Independent 7177/Phi – online version
We’re having quite a kerfuffle this morning. Because of ‘technical difficulties’, the puzzle in the paper by Phi isn’t the same as this one. So having never blogged a Phi puzzle before, I’ve … Read more >>
Independent 8705/Phi – paper version
Phi on a Monday? And we have a note in the paper saying that the online version is different ‘for technical reasons’. What’s occurring? Well, what’s occurring is another fine crossword from … Read more >>
Everyman 3543/31 August
Another sound as a pound puzzle from Everyman. Struggled with the bottom half this morning. It’s all there, though: when in doubt, read the instructions. Abbreviations cd cryptic definition dd … Read more >>
Guardian Quiptic 772/Pan
I thought this was a super Quiptic from Pan. Clear and witty cluing; no obscurities; friendly grid. What more do you want on a Monday morning? Abbreviations cd … Read more >>
Independent on Sunday 1278/Raich
Always a pleasure to get a Raich puzzle to solve and blog. Only a couple that held me up here, and those were down to my muppetry rather than the quality of the … Read more >>
Guardian Quiptic 770/Provis
Well, come on, tell me what you thought. Lurkers are particularly invited to comment. Abbreviations cd cryptic definition dd double definition (xxxx)* anagram anagrind = anagram indicator … Read more >>
Independent 8687/Crosophile
The days of the Monday Indy being the ‘easy’ entry to the week seem to have long gone. I liked this puzzle, and there were enough straightforward answers to get you going; but … Read more >>
Everyman 3539/3 August
Everyman on good form this morning. One or two definitions which I thought were a bit imprecise, but otherwise all sound, with some clever anagrams. Abbreviations cd cryptic definition … Read more >>
Guardian Quiptic 768/Orlando
Orlando’s got the hang of this Quiptic thing, you know. A delightful puzzle, full of clear cluing and fine surface readings. I’ll be farming this one out to my friends who are just … Read more >>
Independent 8669/Scorpion
Flipping heck, I only put my hand up to blog the Monday Indy on the grounds that it was ‘easy’. Easy this wasn’t. I got really stuck on two or three occasions, and … Read more >>
Independent on Sunday 1274/Alchemi
I think the kindest thing I can say about this puzzle is that it was not my favourite ever IoS crossword. But much more importantly, what did you think? And can someone explain … Read more >>
Guardian Quiptic 766/Hectence
Bonjour! I liked this Quiptic: one or two tricky clues to parse, but once you’d reached base camp, the rest was all there to be worked out and the summit was attainable. Just … Read more >>