Observer

Everyman 4,033/4 February

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Everyman provides us with another well-constructed cryptic crossword this Sunday. Abbreviations cd cryptic definition dd double definition cad clue as definition (xxxx)* anagram anagrind = anagram indicator [x] letter(s) removed definitions are underlined … Read more >>

Everyman 4,032

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A sound and good crossword from Everyman. Long ago the idea of this being an entry level crossword seems to have been abandoned and some of the clues, like 1ac, are rather tricky. But it all seems to be sound, and one could argue that that is more important. 3dn and 7dn are a rhyming pair (I can’t find any others) and there are the usual self-referential and first letters clues.

Definitions underlined, in crimson. Indicators (homophone, hidden, reversal, etc) in italics. Link-words in green. Anagrams indicated (thus)* or *(thus).

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Azed 2692

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I found this pretty easy for an Azed, though it took me a while to get the parsing of 15a, and I have a couple of quibbles. Thanks to Azed.   Across 1 … Read more >>

Azed No. 2,691 Plain

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It’s always a relief when blogging duty coincides with an Azed plain, because his specials, which are especially good, always take me ages to do. I admire his grid construction: OK some of the words are pretty wild, but they are all there in Chambers so far as I can see, and to fit words into a 12×12 grid where there are four 11-letter words abutting each other in pairs seems brilliant. 5 and 8dn are presenting problems, which I’m sure will be explained to me.

Definitions underlined in crimson. Anagrams indicated (like this)* or *(this), with their indicators in italics.

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Everyman 4,029/7 January

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As always, when I’m blogging at least, a carefully constructed puzzle which should entertain and in places stretch the less experienced solver and provide a diversion for those who’ve been doing the puzzle … Read more >>

Azed No. 2,688: ‘A Cool Yomp’ – Christmas Competition Puzzle

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NOTE:  This blog was previously posted on December 31, 2023, and was temporarily withdrawn in light of the announcement of a corrected closing date for the competition.

I viewed with some dread the fact that I had drawn the Christmas Eve Azed slot, having failed in years past to complete the special holiday puzzles (the one about “presents around the tree” being an especially unpleasant memory.) And as one who finds Spoonerisms nearly always overwrought and almost never even remotely witty, the prospect of an entire puzzle constructed with Spoonerisms put a wet blanket on my Christmas cheer. And as one who frequently struggles with purported “homophones” based upon Received Pronunciation, I knew that I was in for a mindbender, at best, and outright failure, at worst. Setting those grinchy cavils aside, I must say, I think that I have actually completed this crossword correctly. It took me several sittings, but ultimately, I found the challenge enjoyable. Saying the words and their possible phonemic inversions out loud definitely helped with solving.

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Everyman 4,028

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The standard of these clues seems to me to be pretty high nowadays. Where I take issue with Everyman is in his use of question marks: he doesn’t always use them when he should, and he sometimes uses them pointlessly. There are several clues where the answer is a complete anagram of words in the clue. Very clever, but is the device overused? 3dn and 12dn are I think the pair, in that one begins with ‘Old’ and the other with ‘New’. 1dn is the self-referential clue and 22dn is the first letters clue.

Definitions underlined in crimson. Indicators (hidden, homophone, anagram, reversal etc.) in italics. Anagrams shown (like this)* or *(like this) [yes you’re right of course, Tony Collman@27]. Link-words in green.

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Azed 2689

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This is the final Azed of 2023 with the usual mix of known and lesser know entries.       I know this blog precedes the blog for the Spoonerism Competition Puzzle Azed 2688, … Read more >>