Guardian 25,081 / Brendan
A themed puzzle from Brendan today with a good mix of enjoyable, though not too demanding, clues. The theme was indicated by the middle row (15 & 17ac) and all the other across … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,456 – Sleuth
That was then, this is now…perhaps Sleuth is feeling a tad nostalgic, what with the three separate wordplay elements (13A, 28A, 6D) harking to times past. Two major sticking points for me; firstly … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,447 – Mudd
Monday Prize Crossword on 26 July 2010 After the weekend excitement of John Henderson’s marriage to Jane Teather, complete with themed crosswords in all the major quality papers, Mudd’s week starter in the … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,446 by Cinephile
Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of July 24 I was pleased with this typical and fine puzzle by Cinephile. I took a while over 10D and 15D, and I especially like 12A … Read more >>
Beelzebub 1,066 (25/07/10)
A pretty tough week, I found. Despite the auspicious puzzle number, I don’t see any Hastings-related material here, but then I will tend to miss whole themes entirely. 19ac remains unexplained. *=anag, []=dropped, … Read more >>
Independent 7426 by Dac
I found this very much on the easy side, with quite a few clues solved on first run through, solving time 16 mins. Excellent as always. * = anagram 1 VIPERS ER re … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,455 / Aardvark
Not a lot of variety today with only a couple of clues that didn’t involve a charade and/or an anagram. If my memory serves me correctly this is something I have remarked upon previously when … Read more >>
Guardian 25080 / Paul
A fun puzzle with Paul’s trademark dodginess evident in a few clues. Annoyingly, I can’t quite see 24a…. Across 8. VUVUZELA (V V [tiresom]E A ZULU)*; I like “the blasted thing?” as the … Read more >>
Inquisitor 1136: Things by Nimrod
Surely this is not the same Nimrod that was active on the Listener in the 1940’s? This was pretty hard: clues in alphabetical order of answers, to be entered in the grid in … Read more >>
Guardian 25079 – Bonxie
Phew! What a tough puzzle with hard boiled eggs dressed with pepper sauce. Without Google and Wikipedia, I would not have completed this blog. Otherwise, an entertaining and fair challenge. ACROSS 1 SUBSOIL … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,454 / Neo
This Neo puzzle didn’t take too long, although I learned a new word (14 across). No complaints and some clever clues. Across 1 ACADEMIA ME reversed in ACADIA (Atlantic Provinces). Whence the Cajuns … Read more >>
Independent 7,425 by Radian
A very tough puzzle, involving several unfamiliar words, from one of my favourite setters. I came close to cheating a few times, but was eventually pleased to complete this one unaided. No doubt … Read more >>
Wedding photos
There are photos of our wedding — Jane Teather and John Henderson (aka Enigmatist, Nimrod, Io, Elgar) — on my Facebook page. They include one of Araucaria speaking and proposing a toast. Wedding … Read more >>
Guardian 25,078 / Rufus
A typically straightforward Rufus, with the usual generous sprinkling of double and cryptic definitions and anagrams, with some nice touches. Nothing too controversial, I think. Across 1 CROESUS: anagram of SOURCES: the wealthy … Read more >>
Independent 7424 by Morph
*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, CD=cryptic def, DD=double def, sp=spoonerism Some very nice clues here that were mostly very accessible and didn’t require much general knowledge. 15 and 20 were my favourites overall. There … Read more >>