Azed 2731

Azed provides us with a plain puzzle this week.       Azed seems to have been scouring the dictionary for alternative spellings this week.   I counted six entries that were not … Read more >>

Everyman 4,069/13 October

Another pleasing puzzle from Everyman this week.   Abbreviations cd cryptic definition dd double definition cad clue as definition (xxxx)* anagram anagrind = anagram indicator [x] letter(s) removed definitions are underlined Across 1 … Read more >>

Everyman 4,068 by Everyman

What is now the usual Everyman, with a few tricky clues, but everything sound so far as I could see. Rather too many CDs for my liking. The rhyming pair is highlighted, as are the first letters clue and the self-referential clue.

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

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What is now the usual Everyman, with a few tricky clues, but everything sound so far as I could see. Rather too many CDs for my liking. The rhyming pair is highlighted, as are the first letters clue and the self-referential clue.

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

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Azed 2,729 – placeholder

The blog for Azed 2,729 (“Give and Take)” will now appear a week later than normal (October 20) due to the following announcement that is due to appear in the Observer on Sunday, … Read more >>

Azed 2728

Recently I’ve been solving Azeds quite quickly; on this one, however, I made rather a slow start, but once I’d got a few answers in the rest came reasonably smoothly. Thanks to Azed. … Read more >>

Azed No. 2,727 – Plain

A medium-difficulty Azed plain. I was a bit surprised to see two homophone clues: these always excite comment from people whose regional accents don’t make them obvious and Azed has in the past expressed misgivings about using such clues, for just this reason. In my case although I don’t have a regional accent one of them I pronounce differently from what is intended. But never mind; I won’t (like some) make an issue of it: it’s quite obvious what is intended.

Definitions in crimson, underlined. Anagram indicators in italics.

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Everyman 4,065/15 September

Another carefully compiled puzzle from Everyman this week. All the usual elements are there: the primary letters clue, the rhyming couplet, the self-reference. Some original clueing as well in a couple of places, … Read more >>

Everyman 4,064 by Everyman

Apart from one or two small criticisms that appear in the blog, this is a good well-constructed crossword. Everyman seems to be paying more attention to the surfaces of his clues nowadays. It’s quite impressive that he manages to produce a pleasant crossword week after week, with all the restrictions that he imposes on himself (the rhyming pairs, the first letters clue, the self-reference).

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

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