Guardian Quiptic N° 649 by Pan
I found this slow going at first, because of the lack of answers which leapt out at me, but it came out handily in the end. Across 1. Attack garden pest with empty … Read more >>
IoS 1,156/Radian
This was a tour de force from Radian, with about as much thematic material as you could hope for. Having solved the puzzle mid-week, the significance of the date of publication was lost … Read more >>
Azed 2,080
An unusual grid construction in this week’s Azed gave us rather more 4-letter words than usual, as well as the usual quotient of obsolete, foreign (particularly French) and downright obscure words. The 4-letter … Read more >>
Everyman 3419/ 15 April 2012
Another pleasing Sunday morning solve from Everyman, with a wide range of references. Fewer anagrams than usual from this setter, but still an accessible puzzle with a nice range of cluing devices. And … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations 1013: Essentials by Rustic
A seemingly straightforward puzzle this week, but I was sure it wouldn’t turn out to be free of a trick or two. There were no extra/missing letters/words or misprints in the clues, just … Read more >>
Guardian Prize No 25610 by Paul
This is the second prize puzzle by Paul that has fallen to me to blog in succession, and there are no complaints from me, although I do have a couple of quibbles. This … Read more >>
Independent 7956 by Monk (Saturday Prize Puzzle 14 April 2012)
A nice ‘straightforward’ puzzle here from Monk, with no obvious thematic links or complications, but some lovely surface readings, especially the two long across clues. I originally found myself wondering if this was ‘difficult’ enough … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,983 by Sleuth
Straightforward puzzle today from Sleuth ACROSS 1 REMARK comment RE about MARK point for merit 4 ASTERISK sign A STE[p] part of stairs RISK hazard 10 CAVALCADE procession CAVA wine … Read more >>
Guardian 25,615 / Puck
I thought this puzzle was great fun – lots of smiles and ‘aha’ moments along the way. Many thanks, Puck, for a very enjoyable and entertaining end to a wet week. … Read more >>
Beelzebub 1154
This was at the speedier end of the Beelzebub spectrum ACROSS 1 Plenty more winds limiting man’s assessment of clouds NEPHELOMETRY HE man in (PLENTY MORE)* study of clouds … Read more >>
Independent 7,961 / Phi
It’s Friday, so it’s a puzzle by Phi, as you might expect. I found this one tougher than the average Phi crossword overall, despite filling in 1A and 1D instantly and thinking it … Read more >>
Financial Times no.13,982 by JASON
Nothing hugely challenging. An overdose of charades and a few too many four-letter words for my taste, but some solid clueing and some marvellously misleading definitions. Thank-you, Jason. Nice way to start a … Read more >>
Guardian 25,614 – Pasquale
I learned a couple of new (botanical) words from today’s puzzle. Fortunately, the clues were reasonably easy and, as one would expect from Pasquale, admirably sound. The grid is not one of the … Read more >>
Independent 7960 / Tees
Tees has given us a puzzle, mainly populated with well known words, although the main theme did generate one slightly obscure phrase (to me, at least) that was fairly easily deducible from the … Read more >>
Financial Times Monday Prize 13973 Crux
An enjoyable prize crossword, neatly clued. Thanks to Crux. Definitions are underlined in the clues. Across 1 Basic floor design requires a ruler (8) PLANKING : PLAN(design,blueprint) plus(requires) KING(a ruler). Answer: A basic … Read more >>