Fifteensquared – Page 1016 – Never knowingly undersolved

Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of February 28, 2015 My clue of the week here is 12a (WINGSPAN). I have some concerns about 27a (ERNE) and 2d (ADVANCE). ACROSS 1 US composer’s … Read more >>

Financial Times 14,876 by ALBERICH

Wed March 11, 2015 at 11:48 amWed March 11, 2015 at 9:47 am by PeeDee

I enjoyed this very much. Nice to have some good straightforward cryptic puzzles in the mix. No bells and whistles just quality clues and a sensible grid. Thanks Alberich.

Another week, another new setter. Actually Vlad has appeared a couple of times as the setter of the Genius puzzle (including the current one), but I think this is his (?) first appearance … Read more >>

Independent 8862 / Dac

Wed March 11, 2015 at 8:12 am by Bertandjoyce

Another well-crafted offering from Dac this week, but one clue didn’t seem to fit the normally excellent surfaces and wordplay. Perhaps because we hadn’t heard the phrase ‘wall pass’ before (not being football … Read more >>

Inquisitor 1375: Illusion by Phi

Wed March 11, 2015 at 10:53 amWed March 11, 2015 at 12:01 am by kenmac

Preamble: Solvers must scale component letters of some entries to match the illusion. This will require some letters to be entered in such a way that one to a cell is not maintained; … Read more >>

Independent 8,861 / Radian

Tue March 10, 2015 at 3:57 pmTue March 10, 2015 at 12:27 pm by RatkojaRiku

Owing to difficulties accessing the puzzle, I am posting this blog somewhat later than is customary, for which I apologise. Radian has conjured up our daily dose of lexical gymnastics this Tuesday. I … Read more >>

Financial Times 14,875 by NEO

Tue March 10, 2015 at 10:28 am by loonapick

My first blog entry for several years, so be patient!

This was a fairly straightforward solve, with no clue taking more than a minute to solve. I don’t like the use of names as synonyms in the middle of clues which spoiled a couple of them for me, but that’s a personal thing.

Guardian 26,515 by Picaroon

Wed March 11, 2015 at 8:48 amTue March 10, 2015 at 8:46 am by flashling

Picaroon for me again, a bit wearing in places though.

Guardian Quiptic 799 Moley

Mon March 9, 2015 at 10:34 amMon March 9, 2015 at 9:11 am by scchua

A fair Quiptic, with a couple of clues that I felt weren’t that cryptic, even for a Quiptic. Thanks to Moley. Definitions are underlined in the clues. Across 7 Goddess just atrophied away (9) … Read more >>

Independent 8,860 by Morph

Mon March 9, 2015 at 2:02 pmMon March 9, 2015 at 8:44 am by flashling

Morph appears – to start our week in the Indy

Guardian 26,514 by Rufus

Mon March 9, 2015 at 7:30 pmMon March 9, 2015 at 2:04 am by PeterO

The puzzle may be found at http://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/cryptic/26514.

Beelzebub 1,304

Sun March 8, 2015 at 6:49 pmSun March 8, 2015 at 5:29 pm by Simon Harding

Apologies for the slightly tardy posting. I’ve only just managed to finish this one, though I think that’s more down to my own disorganisation this week, rather than this being an unusually challenging … Read more >>