Beelzebub 1,059 (06/06/2010)
Apologies for a delayed post again. The usual top quality puzzle, with the bonus of several good long anagrams this week. I think I found this one of average difficulty, but made life … Read more >>
Simon Harding
Independent 7,377 by Radian
One of my favourite ever crosswords that I’ve had the pleasure of blogging was Radian’s classical music-themed Saturday prize puzzle 7,148, back in September. So I was very pleased to find that today … Read more >>
Beelzebub 1,058 (30/05/10)
Slightly late, slightly rushed post this week, but a quality puzzle as always. *=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, cd=cryptic definition, dd=double definition. Across 1 SPEARHEADING – (EAR + HE) in SPADING. 10 AGAR-AGAR – … Read more >>
Independent 7,372 by Dac
I found this one really quite challenging for a Wednesday, but there were some very good clues in there, and some impressive anagrams. *=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, cd=cryptic definition, dd=double definition. Across 1 … Read more >>
Beelzebub 1,057 (23/05/10)
A tough week, I found. I’m still a little 34ac with regard to explanations for 22ac. *=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, cd=cryptic definition, dd=double definition. Across 1 TASK – T AS K. Clever one, … Read more >>
Independent 7,367 by Yorick
Cursory research suggests Yorick to be a new setter for us to lock horns with, though I say that with some caution as we’ve seen familiar setters use unfamiliar pseudonyms in the past. … Read more >>
Independent 7,363 by Scorpion (Saturday Prize Puzzle, 22/05/10)
Whilst I used to be pretty well intimidated by Scorpion puzzles, these days I tend to enjoy them a great deal. This was the expected combination of a fairly stiff challenge and moments … Read more >>
Beelzebub 1,056 (16/05/2010)
I found this to be an average week, in terms of difficulty. There remain one or two details that elude me for the time being. *=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, cd=cryptic definition, dd=double definition. … Read more >>
Independent 7,362 by Phi
A very throughly themed puzzle for us today, based around characters in the works of 5ac. My own knowledge here is deeply lacking, which was a significant obstacle, though a good number are … Read more >>
Beelzebub 1,055 (09/05/10)
Back down to earth with a bump for me, after doing very well indeed the last couple of weeks. There’s a fair bit in here that I can’t explain, and even a bit … Read more >>
Independent 7,353 by Radian
It feels like a while since I tackled, let alone blogged, a Radian. This was characteristically inventive and good fun. For me the top half seemed toughest, though spotting the Nina in the … Read more >>
Beelzebub 1,054 (02/05/10)
Well I never, two weeks running with a correctly-filled grid and not so much as a look at Chambers. This week did feel a lot tougher than last week though, and by the … Read more >>
Independent 7,348 by Dac
The usual quality Wednesday puzzle from Dac, if a little tougher than some weeks. I failed at 1ac, at least, though everything else fell into place steadily enough. *=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, cd=cryptic … Read more >>
Beelzebub 1,053 (25/04/10)
Brilliant, finally a whole Beelzebub completed without recourse to references, and in reasonably good time too. Whilst I’d like to think I’m getting better, it seems more likely that this was a relatively … Read more >>
Independent 7,339 by Tees (Saturday Prize Puzzle, 24/04/10)
A challenging ornithologically-themed Tees this week, which didn’t seem to get any easier once the theme was rumbled. A few of the thematic entries were quite obscure, and I half expected to have … Read more >>