Azed 1823 / Outrageous!
Solving Time: around an hour and 15 minutes (in two sittings) Azed’s Monthly puzzle for May was a Plain puzzle with a short word to clue. Finding a starting point is sometimes tricky … Read more >>
Observer
Everyman 3163/Tuscany and Fairbanks
Solving time: 20′ Another rather fast solve for me… though spent a couple of minutes at first staring until the first clue (EVITA) succumbed. VP Spiro Agnew shows up again, proving that he’s … Read more >>
Everyman 3162/no longer a greenhorn
Solving time: 15’ Rather fast solve for me… nothing really held me up with the long clues falling almost on first read. I think this means that I’m no longer an Everyman GREENHORN. … Read more >>
Everyman 3161/slipped on cargoship?
Solving time: pretty quickly except for one clue I went through this at a pretty good clip but I’m still befuddled by the wordplay for 5D (CARGOSHIP) : I suspect I’ve completely missed … Read more >>
Azed 1,822: Reasons to be cheerful
NUDDY at 12 across brought to mind the lines from Ian Dury’s ‘Reasons to be Cheerful – Part 3: “Something nice to study, phoning up a buddy, being in my nuddy”. The song, … Read more >>
Azed 1821 – a tough work-out
Solving time: 59 minutes, with Chambers used after about 30. Although I finished up with a slightly quicker time, I think I understand why last week’s commenter Ali said they were finding this … Read more >>
Everyman 3160/quick solve
Solving time: pretty quickly Not sure how long I took to solve this since I was multi-tasking at the time but I don’t recall any untoward hold-ups. In retrospect not much to comment … Read more >>
Azed 1820 – tough for me
Solving time: 64 mins, with Chambers Not sure why this one was substantially harder than the previous week. The problems I remember a week later are finding the beer in 1A, and my … Read more >>
Everyman 3159/Irish cricket?
Solving time: 45’ I actually fell asleep solving this – not because the puzzle was boring, simply due to jet-lag (or as my aunt would say, let-jag). Probably unintended but a couple of … Read more >>
Azed 1819 – making haste fairly slowly
Solving time c. 45 mins in two sittings (without Chambers), but one mistake (or maybe more – see 8D). I’m surprised more crossword setters haven’t had fun with clues for FESTINA LENTE (35A). … Read more >>
Everyman 3158/crosstown traffic
Solving time: 20’ except for one answer This puzzle number as printed in the paper is No. 00. So even The Observer isn’t free of Graudian Gremlins. I did this in a minicab … Read more >>
Everyman 3157/playing favourites
Solving time: 25′ Good puzzle with strong clear wordplay leading unequivocally to the right answer: pleasant diversion over morning tea (even coffee) Across 4 WAG,E SLAVE – leaves* follows WAG for “jocular type”. … Read more >>
Everyman 3156/live at Leeds
Solving time: intermittent Solved on and off on the tube last Sunday with only 18A refusing to yield until I got home. Not sure I’ve fully worked out the wordplay for EXTRAVAGANZA. Across … Read more >>
Azed 1,817: A rare slip of the pen?
When I made an error in a competition puzzle last year, after failing to confirm a guess in Chambers, Azed was kind enough to drop me a note pointing out my ‘lapsus calami’, with … Read more >>
Everyman 3155/Mar 18
At first I thought there might be a King Lear theme since he showed up along with one of his daughters. But then it petered out. 25A (TELAMON) was new to me and … Read more >>