Everyman time, I note the paper is now the home of the QUIPTIC on Sundays & a new easier crossword as well on Saturdays
Observer
Everyman 4,041/31 March
I think we should acknowledge that it is a big ask to produce an entry-level puzzle every seven days. On the whole, I think our setter manages that well: this week there are … Read more >>
Azed No. 2,702 – Plain
A more than usually tricky puzzle from Azed this week.
Azed 2701
A plain Azed for us to enjoy today. Possibly there will be something different this Easter weekend. The thing that struck me most about this puzzle was the quality of … Read more >>
Azed No. 2,700 Plain
A few flashes of insight finally got me into the groove on this pleasant puzzle . . .
Everyman 4,039
The puzzle may be found at https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/everyman/4039.
Everyman 4,038
First of all apologies for posting this too early, I just typed the wrong number and that somehow failed to fill in one answer. Everyman doing what he does
Azed No. 2,699 Plain
A plain Azed puzzle.
Azed 2698
Slightly harder than some recent Plains, I thought, but not too many problems. Thanks to Azed. Across 1 UMBRELLA‑STAND Bit of hall furniture? Broken tumblers land around one (13, 2 words)A in … Read more >>
Everyman 4,037/3 March
Another sound and pleasing puzzle from Everyman this morning. Clearly clued and with all the usual trademarks. Abbreviations cd cryptic definition dd double definition cad clue as definition (xxxx)* anagram anagrind = anagram … Read more >>
Azed No. 2,697 – Plain
A pleasant and not too difficult crossword from Azed. I got into a bit of a mess with the software that produces the blog (which was thrown by the strange enumeration at 1ac), but with some help from the writer of the software and a little fiddling I think it’s now in an acceptable form. Some of the anagram indicators are a bit extreme, but Azed basically allows anything where there is a little bit of jiggling.
Definitions in crimson, underlined; anagram indicators in italics; anagrams indicated *(like this) or (like this)*.
Everyman 4,036
When I’m not blogging I sometimes miss The Everyman, but when I did it a week or two ago it seemed to be becoming easier, and I wondered if Alan Connor was deliberately making it so in response to the several remarks that this was no longer an entry-level crossword. However, this one has shown that this is not apparently the case, because I thought this was very tricky and I’m still not sure of the parsing of one or two of the clues. I couldn’t find the usual rhyming pair or much of that type; two answers ended with the same three letters although they didn’t rhyme, and I’ve highlighted them in a rather doubtful grey, not the usual flamboyant colours which announce a discovery.
Definitions in crimson, underlined. Indicators (Hidden, anagrams, homophones, insertion, reversal, etc.) in italics. Anagrams indicated *(like this) or (like this)*. Link-words in green.
Everyman 4,035
The puzzle may be found at https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/everyman/4035.
Azed No. 2,696 Plain
A couple of typos appear to have crept in to this week’s puzzle.