FT

Appropriately enough, I gained toehold in the grid with 9 ac.  After only some three in this set, I moved to Down segment where many fell quickly, one after the other. I must … Read more >>

 Financial Times 12,757 Set by ORENSE Posted by Octofem on 2nd May 2008   A straight-forward puzzle with a theme of sea creatures running through. My first blog so I am hoping it … Read more >>

An easy puzzle from Cincinnus with a few typically brilliant clues (1A, 13A, 18A, 5D). Across 1. BEANS ON TOAST – anagram of NOT A SNOBS TEA. And a wonderfully English &lit to … Read more >>

A rare outing for the full-perimeter (4×15-letter answer) grid. Although that does mean that quickly solving either 1A or 1D offers generous checking and a flying start. Across 1 GENERAL ELECTION – cryptic … Read more >>

After thirty minutes with the puzzle, I didn’t get 21ac and 24ac and 16dn. Any of my readers may please post the answers. Across 1 DESCRIBE – des, crib, E 5  HECTIC – … Read more >>

This puzzle has no fewer than three clues that I lack a complete understanding of: 26A, 5D and 21D. My copy of the paper did not include the clue for 23D and I … Read more >>

Across 1 JERRY BUILDER – jerry, ? – Gerald gives ‘jerry’ but I don’t know how Bob yields ‘builder’. The phrase itself is new to me but the second word can be easily … Read more >>

You know what it’s like when your mind wants an answer to be a particular word and won’t let go in the face of ridiculous amounts of evidence? Well, my mind so thought … Read more >>

Greetings earthlings! I’ve managed to resurface after something of a blogging exile – it turned out that the rehab clinic wouldn’t allow me wi-fi access during my (longer than anticipated) stay.  Good to see several … Read more >>

I breezed through this crossword, taking less than 15 minutes. This time around I solved all but a couple of Down clues first before looking at the Across set. When once these were … Read more >>

Yesterday Cinephile, today Bradman – it’s been an interesting couple of days. Some rather odd words in here! Across 9 BALALAIKA: BALA (Welsh Lake) + LAIKA (dog breed) 10 SCHWA: SA (salvation army) … Read more >>

Cinephile frequently does themed puzzles and works his themes in many different ways. Here we have the gentlest of themes: three clues that refer to the Dickens novel “The Old Curiosity Shop”. Across … Read more >>

Across 1 PIKESTAFF: as plain as a, and ‘fishing rod’ 6 FOCAL: anagram of CALF O (love) 10 MARIJUANA: JUAN (John) in MARIA (Miriam) 11 GRUB STREET: GRUBS (foods) + TREET (sounds like … Read more >>

I took a little more than an hour to complete this puzzle which I would rate as ‘above-average’ in difficulty. My entering one or two wrong answers initially did not help matters. I … Read more >>

Across 1 NEEDLEWORK: NEEDLE (niggle) + WORK (operation) 7 COVE: most of a COVE(N) 9 CHIC: H (hotel) in CI (channel islands) + C (west of Cuba, i.e. first letter) 10 CASHIERING: anagram … Read more >>