A poor show from Bluebird today …
Quick Cryptic 43 by Picaroon
This is the forty-third Guardian Quick Cryptic, a series of 11 x 11 crosswords designed to support beginners learning cryptic crosswords. The whole point of these crosswords is support and encouragement of new solvers, so special rules for these crosswords apply – see here – those rules include not posting solving times. This puzzle can be found here.
Guardian Prize 29,595 / Imogen
It seems that Imogen’s appearances in the Prize slot become less and less predictable. In my last Imogen Prize blog, I wrote, “For a while now, I’ve been used to prefacing my blogs … Read more >>
Listener No 4849 Peace at Last by Priest
Perhaps it is misguided of us to expect a gentle puzzle for the first of the Listener year. This one promised a literary work and we were going to find ‘echoes’ in every … Read more >>
Listener No 4849, “Peace at Last” by Priest
Here we are with the first puzzle of 2025. It’s also the first time in over 33 years that entries will go winging their way to an address not in St Albans. It’s … Read more >>
Guardian 29,600 / Pangakupu
Pangakupu rounds off the week with an enjoyable challenge. A nice variety of clue types, with some ingenious constructions and witty surfaces and definitions. I had ticks for 11ac HIP REPLACMENT, 21ac SPRING … Read more >>
Independent 11,948 by Phi
Our regular Phiday fun.
Financial Times 17,957 by GUY
A fun challenge from GUY this Friday
Enigmatic Variations 1677 No Fine Feathers by Vismut
31 clues missing a letter in their wordplay – The grid-fill will reveal the founder of an organisation and that organisation. 8 normal clues starting letters then need to be organised into what … Read more >>
Independent 11,947 by Mev
It’s almost 7 months since Mev’s last puzzle – this should be good!
Guardian Cryptic 29,599 by Paul
A slow solve with several bits of parsing that needed revisiting afterwards. My favourites were 12ac, 1dn, and 15dn. Thanks to Paul for the puzzle.
Financial Times 17,956 by GOZO
Gozo is today’s compiler.
Independent 11,946 / Eccles
Eccles has provided us with some mid-week cruciverbal entertainment this Wednesday. I found this to be a highly enjoyable, medium-difficulty puzzle, just right for the middle of the working week. I found the … Read more >>
Guardian 29,598 – Brummie
A straightforward puzzle with no hidden theme that I can see, though you never know. Thanks to Brummie. Across 1 CHARGER It can energise a mobile horse (7)Double definition 5 FREIGHT Father … Read more >>
Financial Times 17,955 by NEO
Thanks to Neo for this most enjoyable puzzle.