Independent 7953 / Dac
An enjoyable but not spectacular puzzle from Dac. As usual the clues were well composed with some clever use of adjectives, nouns and verbs changing usage which some people may not like…. but … Read more >>
Guardian Cryptic N° 25,607 by Orlando
A very satisfying puzzle – not too difficult, with a plethora of ingenious and witty devices. Across 1. Last queen but one between posts (6) KEEPER A charade of KEEP (‘last’) + ER … Read more >>
Inquisitor 1223: Fools by Rasputin
There’s a misprint in the definition in all clues. In clue order, they spell out a two part instruction, which will help us to identify a “running joke.” Once the grid’s complete, we have to transform … Read more >>
Northern Sloggers and Betters: 21st April 2012 Todmorden
Just to update you on events for next week. The venue for the meet Bramsche Bar is now booked and tables reserved. The new menus should be on the website (http://www.bramsche.co.uk/) and they … Read more >>
Financial Times 13974 Gurney
Thanks to Gurney for this enjoyable puzzle. I have the impression this was a tad harder than usual, but totally enjoyable with some clever misdirections. Apologies for the later timing. Definitions are underlined in … Read more >>
Independent 7,952 / Anax
The pleasure and challenge of blogging an Anax had not fallen to me in a good long while, so I was excited this morning when I first set eyes on the grid. However, … Read more >>
Guardian 25,606 – Gordius
Quite a gentle walk this morning through Gordius’s garden with a couple of unfamiliar words (but compensated by very gettable clueing). Hold cursor over clue number to read a clue. Across 1 BEAUFORT … Read more >>
Guardian 25,605 / Rufus
A fairly typical Rufus mix of anagrams, double definitions and cryptic definitions – except that several of the cryptic definitions are rather less cryptic than usual. Across 1 WELL OFF: WELL [oil producer] … Read more >>
Independent 7951/Punk
Punk and I keep bumping into one another on a Monday morning, which I don’t mind in the least, because his puzzles always raise a few laughs and smiles, which is rather what … Read more >>
Guardian Quiptic 647 Orlando
This was one of the very much easier Quiptics. Thanks Orlando, for the double and cryptic definitions and anagrams, and for the absence of obscure words, whether dialect, slang, English or foreign. Definitions are … Read more >>
Everyman crossword No 3,417
First of all, a Happy Easter to all, and a farewell, at least for the time being, as I find myself unable to live up to my compromises with 225, so have decided … Read more >>
Azed 2078/ochkpaatr
I kept an open mind about this but the APRIL FOOL theme was unavoidable — i.e. once the grid was full there was no obvious way to resolve the clashes other than to … Read more >>
Independent on Sunday 1154/Glow-worm
With the date being what it was, I was half-expecting un poisson d’avril theme, but it turned out not to be so. However, since it was also Palm Sunday, we have a little … Read more >>
Independent 7,944 by Bannsider (Saturday Prize Puzzle, 31/03/12)
A challenging yet entertaining Saturday puzzle from Bannsider this week, featuring some wonderfully misleading surfaces and inventive wordplay. I did wonder if there were going to be a Ronnie Barker theme, due to … Read more >>
Guardian Prize 25,598 / Gordius
Well, here’s a turn-up – a Gordius as a Prize crossword, especially after a week of pretty challenging puzzles. [Regular readers will understand that I was speechless when I saw it as my … Read more >>