Financial Times 13,404 by Cincinnus
Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of June 5 Cincinnus regales us with another selection of clues many of which are so simple they seem almost obvious but are really brilliant. My faves … Read more >>
Independent 7384/Dac
As usual a nice puzzle from Dac. I may be getting old and feeble, and the fact that I did it on-screen meant that I had to get the anagrams without writing anything … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,413 / Sleuth
No particular problems today apart from 27ac where I cannot make up my mind as to the correct interpretation of the clue. There are a couple of possibilities, or maybe even something else … Read more >>
Guardian 25,038 – Quantum
My second posthumous puzzle in a row – Quantum died in May 2008 – and sadly another one that I can’t be very enthusiastic about. Most of the clues are fine, though not … Read more >>
Inquisitor 1129 Oh! by Schadenfreude
I found this pretty challenging (=difficult), though really interesting, and certainly would not have finished it without computer aids! (My favourite is a little program I’ve had for many years called “Puzzlex”.) We had … Read more >>
Independent 7383 by Virgilius
Superb themed fun puzzle from Virgilius with some really clever clues. All the acrosses are pairs in one form or another. Solving time, 20 mins. * = anagram 1 BOO-BOO Boo twice 4 … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,412 / Crux
Some clever clues here from Crux. As seems usual for me lately, there is one clue I haven’t been able to parse: 19 across. I’m sure it’s something clever that will elicit an … Read more >>
Guardian 25,037 – Puck
What a tantalising offering from Puck who teased and tormented us with such a wide and varied array of cryptic devices …. and like all masochistic cruciverbalists, I thoroughly enjoyed each clue. ACROSS … Read more >>
Guardian 25,036 / Rufus
As usual, good stuff from Rufus – smooth surface readings, clever constructions and plenty of smiles from the cryptic definitions. (Apologies for any errors – I’ve had to do this post very fast … Read more >>
Independent 7382 by Morph
*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, CD=cryptic def, DD=double def, sp=spoonerism Obviously, this was written a few weeks ago when the ash cloud debacle was at its height. Inexplicably, though, the Eyjafjallajökull volcano doesn’t seem … Read more >>
Azed 1984 – Doublethink (Competition puzzle)
This puzzle reminded me (after completion) of a famous clue from N C Dexter, back in January 1984 (Azed 610), when the word to be clued was DOUBLETHINK. The winning clue was: By … Read more >>
Everyman No. 3323 (6th June)
Lorraine: No real problems this week really so long as you read the clues properly!; 6 across being a fine example, I put ‘free association’ which then messed me up for 6 down, … Read more >>
Guardian 25,029 (Sat 5 Jun)/Araucaria – Teething trouble
Solving time: 16 mins (23ac wrong and another possible mistake at 10/27ac) Similarly to last week’s puzzle, this was very hard until I spotted the theme (a class of creatures like anteaters) and … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No. 917 – Prime Mover by Samuel
I came to this EV tired and jaded after a long weekend away golfing and drinking…(or was that the other way around?)…not having done a crossword of any form for 4 days – … Read more >>
Independent 7,380/Eimi
Much as I usually love drawing the Friday blog and finishing the working week with a nice piece of Phi, I was hoping that the start of the World Cup would mean that … Read more >>