Independent 7331 / Mass
It’s been three months since we last saw Mass but again he has come up with a themed puzzle that provided a great deal of enjoyment, at least once 8A/2 had been solved. … Read more >>
Guardian 24,985 (Puck)
Second last time out I had Puck also. No surprise then to find some tricky wordplay. I enjoyed this once I got going but I had the feeling this could have been a … Read more >>
Independent on Sunday 1052 by Quixote 11th April 2010
Once again, we did most of this in good time, but then needed a second session to get the last few. We filled this one out while sitting in Cleaver Square in Kennington … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,360 / Alberich
A fairly quick solving time, at least relative to the previous Alberich vs Smiffy head-to-head form-book. As usual, plenty of hallmark precision engineering (or should that be precision artistry?) in evidence. 3D, 8D, … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,351 – Dante
Monday Prize Crossword on 5 April 2010 Once again, we get back our Monday mainstay, Dante who never fails to entertain us with his slick and smooth surfaces and his cryptic definitions (which … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,350 by Cinephile
Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of April 3 I enjoyed this Cinephile puzzle, especially 23A and 1&2D. I do not fully understand 18D. Across 1. NOSE JOB – NOSE (snoop) + JOB … Read more >>
Independent 7330 by Dac
I found this very easy, solving time 13 mins. anagram = * reversed = < ACROSS 1 SPECKS Kid in SPECS 5 TELEMANN German composer who I’d not heard of but managed to … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,359 / Cinephile
Some unusually easy clues in today’s puzzle from Cinephile, offset by a couple that needed something a bit more than general knowledge. I found it a relatively gentle start to the morning. The … Read more >>
Guardian 24984 / Araucaria
A fair but rather tricky puzzle for a week day, largely due to a few obscure or archaic words. There’s a nice set of “reversed clues” where the answer might clue some words … Read more >>
Independent 7,329 by Virgilius
Another themed puzzle from Virgilius. There didn’t seem to be anything too difficult here, especially as the theme was very clearly signposted in 15ac. I did, however, learn about a couple of previously … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,358 / Jason
There was a bit of a theme here with words for various kinds of frivolity. However, I’m afraid this puzzle was not as much of a “lark” or a “hoot” as it might … Read more >>
Guardian 24983 – Gordius
Quite a heavy-going and stodgy offering from Gordius with some strange words and weird constructions; some which escaped me. The one shining and lustrous pearl of the morning was that superb cryptic definition, … Read more >>
Beelzebub 1,050 (04/04/10)
A mixed one for me, initially thinking I’d be done in record time, but eventually almost failing to finish at all. 5dn is yet to be explained. *=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, cd=cryptic definition, … Read more >>
Independent 7328 by Mordred
*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, CD=cryptic def, DD=double def, sp=spoonerism A solid rather than spectacular puzzle which I finished fairly quickly, although there were a couple that lost me completely and some others I … Read more >>
Guardian 24,982 / Rufus
I found this more straightforward than last week’s Rufus but, I thought, rather lacking in the expected sparkle. There are the usual fine surfaces but some rather tired wordplay, including AD = notice … Read more >>