Everyman 3491/1 September
Another fine Sunday crossword from Everyman. Just one clue this morning where I had to rack my brains a bit to discover the parsing. Abbreviations cd cryptic definition dd … Read more >>
Pierre
Guardian Quiptic 720/ Nutmeg
It’s a Quiptic, Jim, but not as we know it … At least that’s what I thought, but you will no doubt put me right. It’s a generally sound puzzle throughout from Nutmeg, … Read more >>
Guardian Quiptic 719/Pan
A fine puzzle from Pan. Full of charades, anagrams, hidden answers and insertions, with nary a cryptic or double definition in sight (well, maybe just one …) Just what a Quiptic should be. … Read more >>
Independent 8382/Quixote
Another sound as a pound Quixote Monday offering. When I’m trying to persuade friends to get beyond the ‘Oh, I can’t do cryptics’ stage and have a go, I always recommend Quixote on … Read more >>
Independent on Sunday 1226/Commoner
It’s the first time I’ve blogged a Commoner puzzle, although I think he has had a few published in the IoS before. I really enjoyed this one: there was some quite complicated wordplay, … Read more >>
Everyman 3487/4 August
Another fine puzzle from Everyman to accompany the Sunday morning coffee. Not so many anagrams as normal, and no old films today; but a nod to the cinema nonetheless. Abbreviations … Read more >>
Guardian Quiptic 716/Hectence
I enjoyed solving and blogging Hectence’s puzzle this morning, but I fancy the target audience might have found it a bit of a struggle. There were some excellent surfaces, but often, in my … Read more >>
Independent 8364/Raich
One of the little pleasures in life is being a Monday Indy blogger and seeing who you’ll be up against when Quixote is enjoying a long weekend. Today it’s Raich, who has given … Read more >>
Independent on Sunday 1222/Poins
Poins has become a bit of a regular in the IoS slot over the last couple of years, and I always look forward to solving and blogging his/her puzzles. This was a value … Read more >>
Independent 8346/Quixote
Those that followed a thread elsewhere in cruciverbal cyberspace a few weeks ago will have seen an opinion expressed about bloggers being sycophantic, and blogs here and elsewhere being unhealthy blogger and setter … Read more >>
Everyman 3483/7 July
Another thoughtfully-constructed cryptic from Everyman. We only as a rule get a few comments on this site. But I’m certain his Sunday puzzles bring pleasure to many solvers, both in the UK and … Read more >>
Guardian Quiptic 712/Orlando
People have said previously that Orlando has mastered the art of the Quiptic, and I think this was another example of that. Plenty of anagrams to get you going, plenty of wit, and … Read more >>
Independent on Sunday 1218/Kairos
Well, I don’t know about you, but I found this hard. Some very good cluing by Kairos, and you have to say that this setter takes care with his surfaces; there were some … Read more >>
Independent 8328/Alchemi
I’m not sure what to make of this one. It’s not a bad puzzle by any means, but it didn’t really hit the spot for me. Some of the cluing is pretty complicated … Read more >>
Everyman 3479/9 June
A delightful, well-constructed entry-level puzzle from Everyman, with a variety of devices and everything clearly clued. Abbreviations cd cryptic definition dd double definition (xxxx)* anagram anagrind = anagram indicator [x] … Read more >>