I was fully expecting there to be no puzzle today.
Independent 11,922 / Stamp
Stamp has provided a puzzle with a festive ghost theme to keep us entertained between the presents and the turkey this Christmas Day. I found this to be quite a challenging crossword, although … Read more >>
Inquisitor 1886: Talk Among Yourselves by Ifor
Our second IQ blog is an Ifor – we’re in for a challenge!
Independent 11921 / Moriarty
It’s the day before Christmas and we have a puzzle by Moriarty When writing the blog, I wondered whether ANTITYPE [9 across] is a contronym or Janus word that has … Read more >>
Guardian Cryptic 29,574 by Pangakupu
The puzzle may be found at https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/cryptic/29574.
Financial Times 17,929 by GURNEY
This entry from Gurney seemed to get harder as I worked my way from top to bottom.
Financial Times 17,928 by VELIA
VELIA kicks off this Christmas week…
Guardian 29,573 / Philistine
It’s Philistine, with a rather chewier offering than usual for a Monday but really rewarding to work out. Philistine is up to all his tricks, with a medley of anagrams and an abundance … Read more >>
Independent 11,920/Madcap
Madcap made a debut in November with a heavily themed puzzle. I couldn’t find anything here, but that didn’t in the least detract from a well-constructed and pleasing crossword. Abbreviations cd cryptic definition … Read more >>
Financial Times 17,927 by Gozo
Puzzle from the Weekend FT of December 21, 2024
Guardian Quiptic 1,309/Picaroon
A Quiptic from Picaroon which I enjoyed solving and blogging. A couple of clues that took a bit of pencil-chewing; but it’s all clearly signposted if you read the instructions carefully. Abbreviations cd … Read more >>
Financial Times Sunday 72 – News by Julius
The monthly puzzle inspired by recent events. Find it to solve online or download and print at ft.com/crossword, or use the FT smartphone app.
Independent on Sunday 1,817/Filbert
Filbert is one of the Independent‘s most frequent setters these days, and I am never disappointed when he turns up on my watch. A pleasing puzzle which took a bit of teasing out, … Read more >>
Azed No. 2,739 Plain
A pleasant but not a terribly demanding Azed before the trials of next week’s Christmas competition. There are unusually several mistakes, which makes one feel that he’d have benefited from an editor, who could have noticed them. But who’d be Azed’s editor? What he says goes, and it’s amazing that for well over 50 years every week we’ve had a nice crossword with very few mistakes. I shall be surprised if next week we find any, even though it will no doubt be highly complicated.
Definitions in crimson, underlined. Anagram indicators in italics.
Everyman 4,078 by Everyman
Everyman to be solved so time to persuade the dog to take me to the pub