Never knowingly undersolved
This was quite a challenge, though the very thoroughly-implemented theme was a big help once it clicked. *=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, cd=cryptic definition, dd=double definition. Across 6 BROWN – BROW + N. 8 … Read more >>
A good one from Neo, with some creative dissections of words in the charades (e.g., 25 and 29 ac). Across 9 OVERHEARD *(HAVE ORDER) 10 PLANT dd 11 MERCURY CU (copper) in MERRY … Read more >>
An intricately crafted puzzle mini-themed on a subject, something well before my time. Thank goodness for Wikipedia that came to my rescue. Paul, to his credit, clued the themal words most fairly, thereby … Read more >>
*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, CD=cryptic def, DD=double def, sp=spoonerism Quaiteaux is a relatively recent recruit to the Indy stable and this was a decent, if fairly easy, effort. Surface readings were mostly quite … Read more >>
It’s Monday. A classic Rufus puzzle. No further preamble necessary. Across 1 CRUMBS: cryptic definition: ‘Crumbs’ and Crikey’ were two favourite expressions of Billy Bunter, the ‘Fat Owl of the Remove’, in the … Read more >>
Blunder on my part that is as I find that yet again my pen writes the letters for down answers in the wrong order. May be it’s the ink that can’t spell. 3D … Read more >>
So far as I can discover, this is the first Playfair competition puzzle for around two years, the last having been 1804, which must have been in December 2007 (probably the Christmas competition) … Read more >>
Well I think the obvious feature of this one is all the compound solutions. Personally I think these are fun, but that they make the whole thing much easier (the more words they … Read more >>
Just over three years and three months ago I wrote this blog. I think it was my first for Fifteensquared. Since that Independent puzzle I have blogged the Guardian, Everyman, Azed, Inquisitor and … Read more >>
Solving time: About 8 mins This was fairly straightforward but took me longer than it should have because of the redesigned website. First impressions were not sparkling but I see this has been … Read more >>
A new blogger is wanted for the EV. If anyone is interested please contact: admin {at} fifteensquared {dot} net Thanks.
A slightly strange one for me, racing through all but a handful unhindered and thus unaided, struggling on a few more, and finally finding myself absolutely stumped at 21dn, for which I’ve reproduced … Read more >>
Nothing very troublesome from Gordius today. Across 1 TRAFFIC (Craft if)*. Nice &lit 5 SUSTAIN STAIN around US 9 IVY LEAGUE (i.e. vaguely)*, i.e.=”that is” 10 PILOT I=”one” in PLOT 11 LAMP L[arge] … Read more >>
After a series of easy Fridays, a tough one from Viking with some fine clues. The bottom-right corner was the last to fall, with 21a/21d causing much perplexity before the ‘aha’ moments came. … Read more >>
… or so said Nimrod by e-mail when it turned out that I’d found an extra bit of thematic material. Solving time: 11:27 A fairly easy but well-crafted example of the multi-cross-reference puzzle … Read more >>