Ringo

Cryptic crosswords don’t come much more straightforward than this morning’s offering from Jason (a  hiccup at 27ac. excepted). Smart, tidy, by-the-book and breezily enjoyable – thank-you, Jason. ACROSS 1. PULL THE PLUG  Double definition … Read more >>

Morning, everyone. Only time for a rather hasty run through Redshank’s tricksy and very enjoyable puzzle today… ACROSS 1. SKELETON  Anagram of K(ey) lets one – nice &lit 5. EARWIG  I(talian) within anagram of wager 9. OLEANDER  … Read more >>

I struggled somewhat with today’s offering from Loroso, though in retrospect I’m not entirely sure why. A testing puzzle, for sure, with plenty of ingenious mechanisms and subtle misdirections, but nothing to grumble … Read more >>

A breeze of a puzzle, this one, really, but still, a pleasant diversion on a rather bleak morning in England. One or two clues didn’t quite satisfy, but all-in-all no real grumbles – … Read more >>

An outstanding puzzle today from Alberich, by turns fiendish, witty, inventive and fun. The glut of highbrow allusions – Gerontius? Idomeneo? Borodin? – did make me blanch at first, but once I made … Read more >>

I always enjoy Redshank’s puzzles, although my enjoyment in this instance was tempered by the fact that, having dashed through the NW corner, I spent half an hour staring at the rest of … Read more >>

I think Jason is a new setter for me – hullo, Jason! – and, aside from its opening with an anagram at 1ac. (a bugbear of mine), I can’t find much to fault … Read more >>

I’m seldom at my best when I have to call on my scanty reserves of French to complete a crossword, and Dogberry made me do it not once but twice this morning. Still, … Read more >>

Good morning, all. A pleasant enough puzzle from Gurney today, although, for me, a surfeit of anagrams made it something of a plod. No problems, though, and one or two very nice clues … Read more >>

Much to enjoy in this offering from Orense. Nothing too challenging, so a fairly quick solve, but a fun one, too. Yes, there’s a theme, which as regular readers (Sid and Doris Bonkers) … Read more >>

I was hoping for something easy and breezy to see me off on my Easter hols, so my heart sank when I saw that Gozo was treating us to a themed puzzle – … Read more >>

Sorry I’m so late. I awoke with a headache and – on seeing that it was once again a Hamilton Thursday – an agonised groan. For some odd reason I always find Hamilton … Read more >>

A crossword as splendid as the fine frosty morning outside my office window. Not too testing a challenge, but inventive and for the most part old-chestnut-free – and a dash of old-school Hollywood … Read more >>

Good morning, all. And happy World Book Day! This offering from Sleuth was more Janet and John than War and Peace for me, but that’s not to say it wasn’t enjoyable (though I do … Read more >>

Not a toughie, but a goodie: plenty of variety and invention here from Orense, though perhaps one too many hidden solutions. A nice accompaniment to my morning coffee (and what a splendidly sunny … Read more >>