Never knowingly undersolved
Quite a complex preamble this week – additional letters in the wordplay of the across clues, additional words in the down clues and ten unclued entries, seven of which required modification. So what about … Read more >>
A struggle for me today, even for an Araucaria. Managed to fill in the grid thanks to checkers but still can’t figure out some of the clues. Favourite clues were 23ac, 7dn. Edits … Read more >>
This was a fairly easy puzzle for Nimrod, solved in 12 minutes. My first instinct on sight of the grid, with two black corners and big T’s in the middle, was “there must … Read more >>
Straightforward solve today with most answers entered on first pass through the clues. I had to look up a couple of wordplay components that involved people’s names, but this didn’t pose much difficulty. … Read more >>
An unusually large number of words that I hadn’t really heard of in the usual nice Phi offering. The pairs of four-letter answers at top R and bottom L suggest something, but I … Read more >>
I started quite slowly with this puzzle, but that turned out to be a good thing… The theme turned out to be one of the stock ones for barred-grid puzzles – Sherlock Holmes, … Read more >>
This was very good indeed. nmsindy has admitted to weaknesses esp films but is prepared to admit to a strength, football, which was v helpful here. Solving time, 50 mins. Thematic words 13 … Read more >>
I covered Alberich’s first FT puzzle eighteen months ago and my opening comment was “I don’t think I have ever completed an FT quite so quickly, the answers just seemed to enter themselves”. … Read more >>
An in-bed solve, lasting perhaps 25 minutes. ACROSS 1. R(AD)OME 4. S POKE N 8. PALL OR 9. SOLSTICE (it’s close)* 10. CO M MAN DAN T 11. HANK dd Hank Marvin of … Read more >>
A rather rushed post, I’m afraid, so apologies for errors and omissions, which I probably won’t be able to fix until much later. Overall, an enjoyable puzzle, with the odd bit of tough … Read more >>
Monday Prize Crossword from 1 March 2010 A not-too-difficult week-opening puzzle from Crux … the Monday FT series is eminently suitable for beginners to cryptic crosswords to cut their teeth on. On my … Read more >>
Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of February 27 The nominees for best charade are 17A, 18A, 21A and 8D. And the winner is 8D! For best anagram or anagram-combination, the nominees are … Read more >>
I haven’t much to say about this puzzle. There is nothing contentious, I think, but, for me, no ‘ahas’ or smiles, either, and too many charades, my least favourite type of clue. Across … Read more >>
A mixed one for me, having raced through all but three clues in mere minutes, to find myself completely stumped on 10, 25 and 28. I’ll blame the fact that today’s post has … Read more >>
A pretty challenging puzzle, with a rather curiously chosen mini-theme. My own personal recommendation from the menu would be a No. 5, a No. 11 and a No. 25. Across 1 CAPITALLY – … Read more >>