Azed

The luck of the draw is giving me all the Azed specials to blog these days. Right and Left is another one that comes up fairly regularly: I think the format was devised … Read more >>

As usual with an Azed, I came across some words I had not met before, though all could be readily determined from the wordplay and a little help from Chambers. It took me a … Read more >>

A difficult enough puzzle anyway, made more so by the fact that the clues for 23 and 24 down were transposed in the version printed in The Observer (and of course in the … Read more >>

If you’re finding the bottom half harder than it should be … It’s been announced elsewhere that in the printed paper, the clues to 23D and 24D were swapped. In case the online … Read more >>

A pretty straightforward Azed, though containing some unusual words, including lots of Scottish words. Unusually for an Azed, there are no ‘hidden in’ answers this week. There’s no competition for my favourite clue … Read more >>

Somewhat of a Compu-Indo-Scots vocabulary this week. I did this rather fast (for me!) at an airport lounge… guessed some answers from the definition in several cases and left the wordplay for later. … Read more >>

A regular Azed plain, which means of course that there are some very nice clues, as well as one or two that I’m not quite sure about. I’m away this Whitsun weekend, so … Read more >>

    Halfway through moving to a new flat, and a welcome break from shredding paper and packing boxes. After the stresses of the Spoonerism puzzle the previous week, this was a nice … Read more >>

I knew this special was coming because, unusually, Azed told us about it in the monthly Slip from the previous competition. It’s a format that he invented, and it crops up from time … Read more >>

Apart from the “definitions […] distorted by one Spoonerism” ones being much easier for me, and “don’t give up too easily – checking letters will help”, I don’t have a lot of helpful … Read more >>

Solving time: about 1 hour Not too difficult, but not a giveaway. I worked without Chambers except for 10A, 18 and 3. Across 1 OBJECT=ai, LESS ON=more off. Pretty sure this was solved … Read more >>

I found this puzzle even easier than the previous week’s, mainly thanks to the grid. Although there are several words where the initial letter is unchecked, the overall checking is so generous that … Read more >>

A pretty easy Azed for Easter. I didn’t time myself, but I reckon I got through this as quickly as I have ever completed an Azed. No clue particularly stands out, but I … Read more >>

Did this at work in my copious free time — which wasn’t much so I’ve left a few questions behind.  The 12 letter perimeter words were all compound words. Across 1 PINCH,COMMONS – … Read more >>

Azed is on good form in this crossword, and some of the clues have excellent surfaces. Across 1 DOWLAS — owl in (sad)rev. 6 PHRASY — p{oseur} (syrah)*, nice [something]&lit. 10 HONEYCARTS — … Read more >>