A nice puzzle from Shed – I found this on the easier side at first but tough to finish. Favourite clues were 5ac, 24ac and 4dn. 29ac was new to me.
Financial Times 14,572 – Mudd
Monday Prize Crossword/Mar 17 Yes, the first word of the first clue was “Bottom” but other than that this was a smutfree crossword by one of the UK’s favourite setters. I often find … Read more >>
Financial Times 14,571 by Bradman
Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of March 16, 2014 For the first time since I started blogging here, I am moved to seriously criticise a puzzle. I do not mind one or … Read more >>
Financial Times 14,580 by AARDVARK
I found this pretty tricky and for a while thought I might not be able to finish.
Guardian 26,217 – Otterden
I’m sorry to say I didn’t find this very satisfying – as in previous Otterden puzzles there are some excessively obvious clues (e.g. 26a, 3d) and some rather dodgy constructions. There are some … Read more >>
Independent 8563 / Hypnos
After Crosophile appeared yesterday, I was wondering who the setter would be today. I’m very happy to see one from Hypnos Crosophile presented a puzzle yesterday that incorporated a number … Read more >>
Inquisitor 1325: Stopping Service by Phi
There was a long preamble to this Inquisitor puzzle by Phi. It stated: Unclued answers (all of two words) are an entertainment and four locations therein. In four down clues, the grid entry … Read more >>
Financial Times 14579 Jason
(Please click here for this same blog but with a picture quiz added. Please do NOT post hereinbelow any comment relating to the picture quiz. Thank you.) A straightforward puzzle, until left with … Read more >>
Financial Times 14579 with Picture Quiz
(Please post comments on ONLY the picture quiz hereinbelow. To post comments on the crossword puzzle, please click here.) A straightforward puzzle, until left with a couple in the NW quadrant, which took … Read more >>
Independent 8,562 by Crosophile
I wonder what’s lined up for tomorrow, since the Crosophile puzzle which would normally appear on the last Wednesday of the month is a day early. No point in trying to guess, since it’s probably a significant anniversary of some football club or of the formation of some group.
Nothing to get very excited about today, but a good solid performance from Crosophile. In one or two places I have my doubts but I expect that someone will put me right. As for a Nina, the two words along the top suggest that there are things to be found in the puzzle but my knowledge of them is rather shaky.
Definitions in italics.
Guardian 26,216 by Orlando
Orlando today with a rather sweet crossword….
Independent 8561 by Raich
This was a relatively gentle start-the-week puzzle from Raich with lots of well-constructed clues. There were a few that needed a bit of thought e.g. 24 and 6. Across 1. Bill, controversial broadcaster, … Read more >>
Guardian Quiptic 749 / Nutmeg
Nutmeg has as ever provided a nice crossword at a reasonably simple level, though the smooth surfaces may lead solvers up a few blind alleys. Anagrams are comparatively thin on the ground, but … Read more >>
Guardian Cryptic N° 23,215 by Rufus
The puzzle may be found at http://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/cryptic/26215. I found this harder than most Rufus puzzles, not helped by some definitions that I find doubtful. He seems to be on an envelope kick. … Read more >>
Beelzebub 1,254
Another very tough week, I found. Let’s hope it’s not just me losing my faculties. This took quite a lot of looking things up on the internet to finish, not least because there … Read more >>