Everyman

Definitely harder than the last one I blogged (2 weeks ago) and probably a little harder than last week. The surfaces here are impeccable pretty much throughout, and overall I felt this had … Read more >>

Three clues 1ac, 1dn and especially 2dn, held me up for some minutes before I completed the crossword. Across 1 CHOP-SUEY – CHOP (cut into pieces), SUEY, rev. of YE (the old), US … Read more >>

As always, a well-clued easy puzzle particularly suited to newcomers to cryptic crosswords. I have reservations with 6dn in that it makes very little/no sense in its surface reading. As far as i … Read more >>

Across 1 STAND – double def – set up/a partnership (as in cricket) 4 NET PROFIT – anag of IF TOP RENT 9 ROLL-NECK SWEATER – anag of TAKE CORNERS WELL – surface … Read more >>

Across 4 EGGPLANT — E.G. + G + PLAN + (allotmen)T 10 EXCHEQUER — “ex checker” 11 ORIBI — (I BIRO)< — the oribi is one of a number of regular crossword antelopes. … Read more >>

The last Everyman blog was back in August. As with some of the other weekend competition puzzles the feedback was low and bloggers wanted to concentrate their efforts on the daily puzzles or … Read more >>

Last regular Everyman blog… Lots of dogs and a cat or two. None of whom hailed from Scotland as far as I could tell. Across 1 BAS,SET – our first dog 4 DOGGY … Read more >>

Nice to be welcomed by a fairly straightforward puzzle to ease myself back into cryptic solving – having been on a diet of Les Mots Croises for the past couple of weeks. Scotland … Read more >>

My Scots theory I think has more evidence in the form of Everyman also being Ascot in the Spectator. This week, JJ is Jeremiah Johnson and admirably the two J’s are checked. Some … Read more >>

Across 1 BY (“buy”) CHOICE – “on the phone” is your homophone indicator. 12 NO MAN IS AN ISLAND – I think I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve seen this … Read more >>

Back to Scotland again this week with Muriel SPARK. More than Everyman’s usual share of weak surfaces though: e.g. 9A, 2D, 5D, 17D. The rest are quite good though so perhaps this isn’t … Read more >>

I think Partick Thistle is the only Scots reference in this puzzle. Of course, my Caledonian theory might be completely incidental but it gives me a goal each week. Overall, pretty easy cluing … Read more >>

Not too taxing and therefore perfect for a Sunday morning, especially if Saturday night went on too long and you’re in desperate need of a 23A or similar restorative. Across 8 AIR<,LAND in … Read more >>

The grid is almost 90 degree symmetrical: would be if 3D and 15D were both 15 letter lights. And we encounter Orlando Di LASSO again. I searched high and low for a Scots, … Read more >>