Everyman 3,946/29 May

Another well-constructed and accessible puzzle from Everyman, which I enjoyed solving and blogging. Abbreviations cd cryptic definition dd double definition cad clue as definition (xxxx)* anagram anagrind = anagram indicator [x] letter(s) removed … Read more >>

Everyman 3,945

A pleasant crossword from Everyman. There were several anagrams — no bad thing in a crossword that’s intended to be on the easy side, but some of the fodder was a bit tortuous and didn’t really lend itself to elegant surfaces. I often didn’t get them until I had plenty of crossers.

Definitions in crimson, underlined. Indicators (for anagrams, homophones, first letters, reversals etc) in italics. Anagrams indicated *(like this) or (like this)*. Link-words in green.

Read more >>

Everyman 3,942/1 May

Another pleasing Sunday puzzle from Everyman. Since it’s primarily aimed at newer and improving solvers, I have tried to give full explanations of the parsing, but if there is anything that is not … Read more >>

Everyman 3,941

For much of this crossword I was thinking how pleasant it was, but towards the end some of the clues seemed to become rather tortuous. Who knows if I’ve actually got it right — I may be barking up the wrong tree — but there were some clues that I’m a bit doubtful about. Which will encourage the poster a few months ago to mention my crabbiness. Sorry — I’m hard to please!

Definitions underlined in crimson. Indicators (homophone, hiddem, anagram etc.) in italics. Link-words in green. Anagrams indicated *(like this) or (like this)*.

Read more >>

Everyman 3,938/3 April

Another pleasing and tractable puzzle from our Sunday setter. There were some nice touches in this one, I thought, as well as the trademark rhyming pair and ‘initial’ clue. Abbreviations cd cryptic definition … Read more >>

Everyman 3,937

Some good clues here: Everyman has been clever in discovering several apposite anagrams that make for lovely extended definitions. I’m still a bit unsure about one or two of the explanations though, but am sure people will do my job for me. We have the long alliterative clues at 1ac and 26ac, also 5dn, the first letters extended definition, and the self-reference at 9ac.

Definitions in crimson, underlined. Indicators (reversal, homophone, hidden, etc) in italics. Link-words in green. Anagrams indicated *(like this) or (like this)*.

Read more >>

Everyman 3,935

Our fellow blogger Sil has been a bit unwell recently hence his missing a couple of blogs, so during his convalescence I’m going to be standing in for him.

Get well soon Sil and we’ll share a glass or two of vino sometime.

Read more >>

Everyman 3,934/6 March

A pleasing puzzle from Everyman this morning, with a number of stand-out clues and a good variety of devices. Abbreviations cd cryptic definition dd double definition cad clue as definition (xxxx)* anagram anagrind … Read more >>

Everyman 3,933

I find it hard to believe that Everyman is just one person, unless there are days when they’re badly off form. This crossword was so much better than the one I blogged last month: no clues are seriously unsound and the surfaces, although not in every case really up to a lot, are generally pretty good. And Everyman makes things quite demanding for him/herself: there are the long onomatopoeic (yes, alliterative, as several pointed out; wrong word) answers (potato peelers, penalty points, private property), the first letters homophone clue (1dn), the self-reference (20ac), and maybe others that I’ve missed, and they all fit in without strain.

Definitions in crimson, underlined. Indicators (anagram, homophone, hidden, juxtaposition etc.) in italics. Link-words in green. Anagrams indicated *(like this) or (like this)*.

Read more >>