Guardian Quiptic 586 / Beale
While I enjoyed this puzzle, I thought it was a bit on the hard side for a Quiptic. All definitions given are from Chambers 11th Edition. Most of the standard abbreviations used in … Read more >>
Guardian 25,239 – Rufus
A very easy Rufus today, where my main difficulty came with some less-than-brilliant cryptic definitions that seemed too obvious to be true. I’m a little short of time so please excuse the rather … Read more >>
Independent 7585 by Tees
*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, CD=cryptic def, DD=double def, sp=spoonerism I thought this was quite difficult, mainly because of the longer phrases which ate up a lot of the grid and also a few … Read more >>
Beelzebub 1,093 (30/01/11)
A relatively tractable solve for the most part this week, with some rather playful clueing. I did have to check a small number of entries in Chambers though. Finally, 20dn required some creative … Read more >>
Independent on Sunday 1094: Quixote
The usual relatively easy Sunday solve from Quixote. And a rather hurried blog from me. Across 6 SCHOLASTIC Hot classic in translation – it’s educational *(Hot classic) 9 NAIL Slow creatures shedding outer … Read more >>
Everyman No. 3357 (30th January)
Nick: It’s me doing the blog this week, as Lorraine is a bit busy, but reading her notes, this weeks was pretty tough. As usual, thanks to Mr Everyman for a great crossword. Across … Read more >>
Genius 91 by Tramp
Solving time : about a day and a half. I found this hard, partly because of a grammatical error in the instructions which made them more obscure than was necessary. There were two … Read more >>
Azed 2018
Azed’s Plains are usually done at one sitting, even though that sitting can be very long indeed. This time. however, there were several clues that gave me trouble, both in getting them in … Read more >>
Indy 7578 (Sat 29-Jan) Anax
Congrats to Anax for a stonking puzzle that no doubt had a few in Derby scratching their collective heads over their pints. While I was struggling over this, I could imagine them all … Read more >>
Guardian Prize Puzzle No 25,232 by Araucaria – a river runs through it
Solving time: about an hour, although that left three clues unsolved. Many thanks to my neighbour and solving partner Timon, for his help with this and many other crosswords and for introducing me … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No 951 Half and Half by Rustic
Half the clues are normal and half need alteration. Where a conflict arises, this must be resolved to produce a real word. Simplicity personified for an EV, or so it sounds. Will half … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,609 / Bradman
A very quick solve for me today because Bradman’s cluing was, as usual, flawless and generally straightforward. The only clue that might be considered as being less than straightforward was 5dn which required … Read more >>
Guardian 25,237 / Orlando
Strangely, this is my second Orlando puzzle to blog in two weeks, having met the setter himself in Derby on the weekend in between 🙂 As usual, this was a very good puzzle – … Read more >>
Independent 7583 by Phi
After my plaintive cry that I might not be able to post today, the 15sq genie and helper (djinn and tonic) spirited away from the Indy with an early copy so here it … Read more >>
Independent 7,582 / Punk – Number-crunching
The key to this puzzle was correct interpretation of the references to the numerals 1-10 that, rather cleverly, appeared in ascending order as the first words of each of the ten across clues: … Read more >>