I found this quite tricky, especially on the left-hand side of the grid. I spent a lot of time trawling Chambers to make progress there.
Observer
AZED 2,212
This week’s plain puzzle contained several clues that would not be out of place in a daily cryptic.
Everyman 3551/26 October
A lot of clever anagrams in this one, and the typically good surfaces that we expect from Everyman. One or two tricky ones, though, where I for one needed some crossing letters before … Read more >>
Everyman 3,550
A quite enjoyable Everyman this week
Azed 2211
As ever, a well constructed puzzle from Azed. There are a couple of clues where I am not entirely sure of the wordplay, indeed for 16 across [SEMPER] I really … Read more >>
Azed 2120/mostly gentle
A relatively gentle exercise that didn’t require too many trips to Chambers. I got stuck though on the NE corner for a long time (as long as the rest of the puzzle took) … Read more >>
Everyman 3,549 (12 October)
The puzzle may be found at http://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/everyman/3549.
Everyman 3,548
Breezy stuff, on a breezy day.
AZED 2,209
The first of Azed’s Letters Latent puzzles since VE(S)TAL in 2009. I won’t give the complete preamble since you have no doubt already seen it, but letters are missing from each answer whenever they occur and these missing letters make an appropriate seasonal quotation. The definition is to the whole word, the subsidiary indication to the word with letters missing. Two words are missing from this quotation and the first one is clued like all the rest in the puzzle; the second one is the competition clue-word.
In the answers I have given the omitted letters in lower-case.
The quotation (which I have to admit to finding using Google) was from Ernest Dowson: ‘pale amber sunlight falls across the [reddening October] trees’.
As with all Azed’s specials, this was much enjoyed.
Everyman 3547/28 September
Another pleasing Sunday morning crossword from Everyman. One or two old chesnutty friends making an appearance, but it’s a puzzle for improving solvers, so we won’t quibble. Appearances from PORTIA and LADY MACBETH, … Read more >>
Azed 2208
I thought I was off to a good start with this when I got all four of the long answers around the edges (including 34a by some inspired guesswork). I then polished off … Read more >>
Everyman 3,546
A lot of cryptic defs I thought this week
AZED No. 2,207 Plain
A unusual grid from AZED this week.
Everyman 3,545
The puzzle may be found at http://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/everyman/3545.
AZED 2,206
A good puzzle for those who haven’t tackled an Azed before, with several clues that wouldn’t be out of place in a daily cryptic puzzle.