I found this an inventive and amusing challenge.
Financial Times no.13,988 by STYX
I’m writing this in a whole new postal district, surrounded by boxes of books that need unpacking… but the move obviously hasn’t helped my brainpower, as this engaging offering from Styx took me … Read more >>
Guardian 25,620 / Araucaria
A reasonably straightforward puzzle from Araucaria, with a trademark long answer to help things along and some nice constructions to boot. Very enjoyable, I thought. Across 1,5 ROBINSON CRUSOE: ROBINS [birds] + ON … Read more >>
Independent 7,966 / Nestor
My Thursday slot often presents me with a puzzle by Nestor and today was one such day. For me at least, this puzzle fell into place more easily than some earlier Nestor puzzles … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,979 – Falcon
Monday Prize Crossword/Apr 16 Quite a surprise to see a Falcon crossword on a Monday (instead of the expected Dante who, for once, took the Tuesday spot that week), but this neatly clued puzzle was … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,978 by Cinephile
Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of April 14, 2012 I sailed through this puzzle with ease. Well, except for 12A (MISSEL THRUSH) which was not a bird I knew of, although the … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,987 by Cinephile
A pretty straightforward puzzle today, very enjoyable nonetheless. Thank you Cinephile. Hold the mouse pointer over any clue number to read the clue. Across 1 ALLIGATOR sounds like “alley gaitor” (passage and legwear) … Read more >>
Independent 7965 / Crosophile
This looks like a fairly standard crossword from Crosophile. The clues are not too difficult, the wordplay is not too complex and the vocabulary of the entries comprises words I would expect to … Read more >>
Inquisitor 1225: One Down by Schadenfreude
This puzzle had quite a long preamble, as follows: ‘Initially the filled grid will contain seven consecutive empty cells. One letter must be removed from the answers to 20 clues and the residue … Read more >>
Guardian 25,619 – Gordius
Another rather horrible grid, with four semi-isolated quadrants. There were a couple of these last week, where the setters had helpfully split some answers around the quadrants. No such luck here, but instead … Read more >>
Independent 7964/Anax
A quite excellent crossword from Anax. He seems to be a frequent contributor to the Independent (or perhaps it’s just that he always seems to get me) and although his crosswords are on the … Read more >>
Financial Times 13986 Armonie
A first pass got me worried, until I got a foothold in the SE corner, and things then went okay. Thanks Armonie for an enjoyable puzzle, perhaps a little harder than usual. Definitions … Read more >>
Guardian 25618 – Paul
I really enjoyed myself this morning . This has got to be one of the best Paul puzzles … there is sex, there is religion, there is intrigue and there is royalty. Did … Read more >>
Independent 7963 by Mordred
A puzzle which I enjoyed, solving time 32 mins. I found the top half very easy but the bottom half far more difficult. Mordred often has themes/Ninas, sometimes quite subtle ones. … Read more >>
Guardian 25,617 – Orlando
Excellent, challenging puzzle from Orlando today. Favourites were 13ac, 24ac and 20dn. Across 1 VANDAL =”Old German” tribe VANDA=”V and A”=Victoria and Albert museum, + L=”fifty” in roman numerals 4 LILY PAD =”FLOATER” … Read more >>