A typically delightful offering from Araucaria.
Guardian 25,647 – Rufus
I found this a bit harder to get going on than usual for Rufus, but after getting a few answers in it all fell into place quite quickly. I have to say I … Read more >>
Cyclops 469: Going to the dogs
An entertaining Cyclops puzzle this fortnight, with some clever wordplay. I think the very first clue, 8a, has to be my favourite. Across 8 UNDERDOG Don’t spy on park shaggers enough to be … Read more >>
Beelzebub 1,159
A tough puzzle that had me plugging away at it all week, only just finishing in time to crack on with the following week’s Beelzebub! *=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, cd=cryptic definition, dd=double definition. … Read more >>
Everyman No. 3424 (20th May)
Lorraine: Good morning to you all, yet again another fine example of a lovely Everyman crossword. No problems this week, particular favourites were, 1, 20 and 23ac and 5, 7, 9 and 13dn. Thank … Read more >>
Azed 2085
This was a standard plain crossword from Azed. As usual in an Azed crossword, there were a number of uncommon words, some with Scottish links. However, I felt that today’s assortment of words were … Read more >>
Independent on Sunday 1161 Eimi
Sometimes Eimi can be quite tricky, but it looks as if he’s toned it down for a relaxing Sunday with this enjoyable piece. Thanks Eimi. From past experience, Eimi’s puzzles have been known to have … Read more >>
Guardian 25,640 / Araucaria
Apologies for the lateness of this post. We did the puzzle last weekend, but in the general chaos of moving house, I completely forgot that I was also meant to be writing it … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations 1018 Self-Evident by Kruger
Well quite complicated in the preamble stakes this week. Single letter omissions from definitions in some clues spell out a phrase and 4 down clues have missing letters in their wordplay. There’s also … Read more >>
Independent 7986 by Bannsider (Saturday Prize Puzzle 19 May 2012)
This is the fourth Bannsider puzzle that the ‘once-every-five-weeks’ schedule has sent my way and, as usual, it presented a stiff but enjoyable challenge… …and, unless I am mistaken, not just a pangram, but … Read more >>
Financial Times 14,013 by Flimsy
Lucid and far from flimsy fare ACROSS 1 SECONDHAND dd 7 COKE pop OK certainly in CE church 9 OBOE hidden backwards in sterEO BOoming 10 RETRACTION withdrawal TR … Read more >>
Independent 7991 / Phi
It’s Phi-day so we are happy! We sometimes find musical references within clues somewhat difficult but all of the answers here seemed fine. We don’t think there is a link between them … Read more >>
Financial Times no.14,012 by GAFF
Sorry I’m late; had to do some last-minute work on [PLUG ALERT] my forthcoming book on the history of toilet paper. Reliance on lengthy themed solutions always puts me in rather a bad … Read more >>
Guardian 25,644 / Gordius
The usual Gordius mix, I think. Across 1 INVOICE: simple charade of IN [fashionable – yet again] + VOICE [singing] 5 GOODBYE: anagram [trip] of BODY and EGO: the clue actually indicates that … Read more >>
Independent 7,990 / Nestor
I always know there’s a good chance of a puzzle by Nestor when I have the Thursday blogging slot, and so it was today. I really plodded through what was an excellent puzzle … Read more >>