Independent on Sunday 1,200/Donk
My first Donk puzzle and I have to say this was both excellent and very tough! There are some brilliant clues here – far too many for such a new setter! – but … Read more >>
Everyman 3463/17 February
Another well-constructed and entertaining crossword from Everyman. Geography, Literature, Mythology, Cinema, Natural History, Botany, Opera … it’s all here this morning. Abbreviations cd cryptic definition dd double definition [xxxx] anagram … Read more >>
Azed 2124
Having scarcely finished the previous week’s difficult Misprints puzzle before starting on this one I was expecting (hoping for?) a bit of a respite,. and so it proved, with a puzzle that was … Read more >>
Arachne / Anarche
As some of you will know from her recent comments, Sarah (Arachne/Anarche) is getting married today. John Henderson (Enigmatist et al) has produced a puzzle in honour of the occasion which will be handed … Read more >>
Independent 8219 – Hob (Saturday Prize Puzzle 16/02/13)
We’ve not come across Hob before – is this another guise of one of the regulars, or is it a new face? If so, we wouldn’t have expected a Saturday debut, but with … Read more >>
Guardian Prize No 25,873 by Araucaria
Another wide-ranging puzzle from Araucaria, with a mini-theme of early British kings, and references to Armstrong-Siddeley and Michael Winner, to name but two. As always, the surfaces are immaculate, but I have noted … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No. 1056: Winter Festival by Kcit
My first thoughts on seeing this puzzle were a) not another ‘split clue and decide where to put the answers’, like my last blog, EV1052, and b) that the split grid device was … Read more >>
Financial Times 14,244 by Peto
Pretty straightforward – not sure about a couple of double definitions Across 1 DISTRACT amuse DI (policeman) S[teele’s] TRACT (political pamphlet) 5 PHENOL acid O (old) HEN (layer) in … Read more >>
Guardian 25,878 / Brummie
A pleasant puzzle from Brummie to end a rather remarkable week – not so taxing as the last day or three but a nice, unobtrusive little theme, which I’ll leave you to spot, … Read more >>
Beelzebub 1198
Highest quality as usual Across 2 Ability to prosecute child curtailed by nasty fight about end of case INFANGTHIEF right to arrest INFAN[t] (child curtailed) [cas]E in (FIGHT)* 10 … Read more >>
Independent 8,224 / Phi
It is Friday already – how quickly a week can pass! – and Phi is occupying his familiar slot. I actually found this one an easier solver than the average Phi, even though … Read more >>
Financial Times no.14,243 by Falcon
Thanks, first off, to Jed for covering my FT shift last week. This was a nice puzzle to come back to: fairly straightforward, but enjoyable and inventive. Thank-you, Falcon. ACROSS 1. FACE CARD … Read more >>
Guardian 25,877 – Picaroon
A belated and hurried posting, partly due to the Guardian’s failure to publish the puzzle properly on its website (the online version is still not there as I write this), so apologies in … Read more >>
Independent 8223 / Scorpion
This puzzle from Scorpion made me think quite a bit before I solved it all. I normally write the blog for these puzzles a day or two in advance by accessing … Read more >>
Financial Times 14,234 – Dante
Monday Prize Crossword/Feb 11 A friendly starter of the week (a week ago, that is), one that can be found here. Not much to groan or moan about, although I realise that at … Read more >>