Financial Times 14,202 by Falcon
Enjoyable puzzle Across 1 COWSLIP rabbit in Watership Down COW (heifer) SLIP (lose footing) 5 DECAMP leave suddenly D[e]E CAMP (affected) 8 SNODGRASS Thomas Jefferson DONS< (fellow aback) GRASS … Read more >>
Beelzebub 1190
Fiendishly difficult – hidden festive greeting given after the answers ‘Where letters clash, enter both (Across then Down) to get our wish for you’ Across 1 Crazy with rage? … Read more >>
Independent 8182 / Phi
Another great Friday offering from Phi. We always suspect a possible Nina with this sort of grid, especially from Phi, and lo and behold, there it is! (clockwise in the perimeter starting bottom … Read more >>
Guardian Cryptic N° 25,836 by Picaroon
To solve this, I had to negotiate my way past an impressive array of diversionary tactics. Across 9. Opponent finished Old Course (9) ANTIPASTO An charade of ANTI (‘opponent’) plus PAST (‘finished’) plus … Read more >>
Guardian Christmas Prize No 25,826 by Araucaria
A characteristically allusive and wide- ranging puzzle for our Christmas delight, with much to appreciate in the 21 x 21 grid. As one might expect there was considerable ingenuity in some of the … Read more >>
Financial Times no.14,201 by Alberich
Good morning, and a happy New Year to the lot of you! This was a challenging solve to start 2013 (the traditional thick New Year head-cold didn’t help): some pretty tortuous clueing, I … Read more >>
Guardian 25,835 / Paul
A classic Paul puzzle, brimming with clever, witty clues and ingenious constructions, providing several ahas and smiles while solving, along with – not surprisingly – a couple of lavatorial references. 16ac … Read more >>
Independent 8,181 / Nestor
The last time I was scheduled to blog a Nestor puzzle was the unfortunate occasion on which I confused my dates and someone had to step in and write a blog on my … Read more >>
Financial Times 14,195 – Dante
Monday Prize Crossword/Dec 24 A proper crossword consists of a grid and a set of clues, right? Dante’s Christmas present had no grid (we were invited to fill in the blanks ourselves) while … Read more >>
Financial Times Christmas Crossword Set by Gozo
We were told that: “Each of the 26 pairs of clues leads to solutions beginning with the letter indicated. In each pair one of the clues leads to a thematic solution, though no … Read more >>
2013 Crossword Centenary
This year is the centenary of the crossword, the first one being published in the New York World on December 21st 1913. To mark this, John Halpern (aka Paul, Mudd, Dada, Punk) is … Read more >>
Financial Times 14,200 by Gozo
Apologies for the late post today. Any help with 20dn? Gozo crosswords are on a subject, I think of them as lessons in Crossword School. Today we are having games. I found this quick … Read more >>
Independent 8180 / Dac
Dac continues in 2013, as he has done throughout 2012, with a well constructed challenge for the commuter on the Clapham omnibus. Dac doesn’t do themes or tricks or pangrams; … Read more >>
Inquisitor 1261: DIY Card by Rasputin
Rasputin is the pseudonym of a group of three crossword setters (Artix, Chalicea and Ilver). I only know that because Chalicea admitted to their composition by commenting on a previous Inquisitor crossword by … Read more >>
Guardian 25,834 – Philistine
This is Philistine’s eleventh Guardian puzzle, and the third one I’ve blogged – checking the history reminded me that the last one had a rather bizarre clue for TOUOUSE-LAUTREC. There’s nothing so quite … Read more >>