FT

A real bran tub today.  Our ports of call range from the dangerously shallow (yes, I’m talking about you, five-letter answers!) to almost uncharted waters (C19th operatic minutiae). Across 1 PENCHANT – p{oet} … Read more >>

Monday Prize Crossword on 23 August 2010 ACROSS 1 VILLAINOUSNESS *(an evil soul’s sin) almost an &lit 10 ELECT synonymous with SELECT 11 UNTAXABLE Zero-RATED (answer to 14) goods (like infant food) are … Read more >>

Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of August 21 This is one of those fairly typical Cinephiles where several of the clues, especially those for longer answers, fit a theme and are rather … Read more >>

I found this to be one of the hardest FT puzzles for quite some time. The right-hand side was filled quickly enough but the left-hand, particularly the NW corner, caused me a few problems. … Read more >>

I heard a short while ago that Agentzero cannot make it today so here is the clue analysis. There is only limited commentary because I am very pressed for time as I have to … Read more >>

It is befitting that we have a lovely Bradman puzzle to solve on Don Bradman‘s birthday. Many anagram clues today, some excellent ones like 27a and 17d. Across 1 DEVILS ADVOCATE (ADVISED LOVE … Read more >>

Please excuse the later than usual post; a plumbing emergency kiboshed my morning routine.  But now that an 18A has been successfully issued and implemented on the pipe in question, I got to … Read more >>

Monday Prize Crossword on 16 August 2010 Once again, Mr Smoothie is back to entertain us with his slick surfaces and glib clues. ACROSS 1 DIRECT dd 4 SCORED dd 8 ANIMATE *(a … Read more >>

Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of August 14 A fine Cincinnus this time with great anagrams in 24A (SVENGALI) and 5D (NOW THERE’S A THING), a dazzling cryptic definition in 13D (GOOD … Read more >>

The theme today seems to be an attempt to get into the grid as many words and phrases that are derived from French as possible. I have identified those that I know but … Read more >>

Nothing difficult here, but I admire how Armonie makes it all seem so effortless. As usual, the clues have excellent surfaces that read naturally. Across 1 OFF THE MARK dd 7 MACE M[ark] … Read more >>

The top-left of the grid held me up with an unfamiliar synonym of ‘river’ and some tricky wordplay. 9A is still waiting to be annotated. Tougher than Falcon’s usual, with all his elegance … Read more >>

Monday Prize Crossword on 9 August 2010 Another gentle start to the week. ACROSS 1 CONTAMINATED *(no admittance) 10 ENTREAT EN (40% of greEN) TREAT (party) 11 WAR HERO Cha of WAR (fight) … Read more >>

Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of August 7 Being on holiday in the Austrian Alps, I took this puzzle at a leisurely pace and it took me some time — there was … Read more >>