Beelzebub 1,075 (26/09/10)
I’ve fallen behind with blogging these, due to various other commitments and tribulations, so I’m going to try to catch up properly this week. 23dn escapes me at the moment: I think I … Read more >>
Independent on Sunday 1077 by Quixote – 3rd October 2010
The usual collection from Quixote here, with the three long answers all anagrams, as often seems to be the case. 14 and 18 down were both new words to us. ACROSS 5. VEGETABLE … Read more >>
Everyman 3340
Once I got going this was a pretty quick and enjoyable solve, but a few film names and references that may have thrown you if you’d never heard of them before. Across 1 … Read more >>
Azed 2001
After the challenge of last week, a pretty gentle Azed. This was mostly solvable from the wordplay alone, though I needed Chambers to check a few things. Blogged rather in haste, as I … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations 934: Origin by Samuel
I normally leave the occasional rant to my other blogging duties at Listen With Others, but I’m feeling a bit mischievous as I write this. What I want to know is why do … Read more >>
Guardian 25,131 (Sat 2 Oct)/Puck – Arrogate-gate
Solving time: 10½ minutes. The two central answers this week combined to yield ‘British resort’ (’15 19′ in several clues), and there were several such hidden in the grid. Usually when there’s a … Read more >>
Independent 7477 (Sat 2-Oct) Punk
Punk (Paul really) is promised at a gathering in a few weeks: Nov 30: Secrets of the setters. In this crossword I felt he did not push the boundaries of his “libertarian” tag. … Read more >>
Independent 7,482 by Phi
Another excellent puzzle from Phi. I seemed to get through this fairly swiftly, despite a few unfamiliar terms. One or two in the SW corner held me up a little though. *=anag, []=dropped, … Read more >>
Guardian 25,136 / Bonxie
Bonxie has given us a very entertaining and ingeniously constructed puzzle, in which all the across clues pick up the last word[s] in the preceding one. Some clever clues and nice misdirection. Across … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,511 / Cincinnus
A straightfoward, elegant puzzle from Cincinnus. It is a high point in solving when the last few answers come not with looking up aids for unfamiliar facts but with delightful ‘aha’ moments. This … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,510 / Sleuth
Something of a geographic safari today, with a trinity of African countries/cities cropping up in the wordplay and answers (oh, and not forgetting Simon Le Bon’s favourite North American river too). I have … Read more >>
Independent 7481 by Bannsider
Bannsider today, not sure I’ve seen him other than Saturday before. If there are any Nina type things I’ve completely missed it. Pretty tough I thought. There’s one I can’t see at all … Read more >>
Guardian 25,135 – Gordius
A typically mixed bag from Gordius, with some reasonable clues but a lot of what I think is rather loose wordplay, and not much wit to compensate. Specific niggles listed below.. … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,501 – Dante
Monday Prize Crossword on 27 September 2010 Another light and easy puzzle from our regular week-opener, Dante. ACROSS 1 ASSUME AS (when) SUME (rev of EMUS, birds) 4 GRAFFITO *(a gift for) a … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,500 by Cincinnus
Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of September 25 Another great one from Cincinnus. I would say that 17A, 19A, 24A, 1D and 4D are rather run-of-the-mill clues but the rest are typical … Read more >>