Financial Times 13,306 / Cinephile
Yesterday it was P (in the Guardian), today it is O for a word having the same meaning wherever it appears in the clues. After the party we have the opera (usually it … Read more >>
Independent 7276/Dac
As usual, what can one say, apart from perfect smooth surfaces and hardly anything to whine about? Dac’s crosswords never have those rough edges where words like ‘of’, ‘with’ and ‘by’ are used … Read more >>
Independent 7,275/Virgilius
Another very impressive themed puzzle from Virgilius. Took me a while to spot what was going on and I found the bottom half tougher than the top, but once I’d twigged the drinks-related … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,305 / Armonie
As usual, Armonie’s clues are impeccably written: clean and concise, with smooth surface readings. I found myself wishing, though, for a surprise or two. A few too many of these seemed to be … Read more >>
Guardian 24929 – Araucaria’s Party Time
Another well crafted puzzle themed on P, which I fortuitously happened to cotton on from the very beginning. As usual, The Master led us all on a fun chase … nothing too convoluted … Read more >>
Independent 7274 by Glowworm
*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, CD=cryptic def, DD=double def, sp=spoonerism Nicely varied crossword that was probably a bit easier than some of Glow-Worm’s previous offerings. I was mostly held up by 2 down, which … Read more >>
Guardian 24,928 – Rufus
Traditional Monday fare from Rufus here, with the usual generous smattering of cryptic definitions. I don’t remember seeing this grid before, with four consecutive three-letter answers in the downs. … Read more >>
Azed 1966: Know-how
Better late than never, I hope. I was relieved finally to retrieve my solved copy of this from the recycling bin, as I did not want to find time for re-solving it before … Read more >>
Everyman No. 3305 (31st January).
Lorraine: Pretty straight forward this week, brain back to normal after the flu. Legend to solution comments: * = anagram. Across 1. BEDFORD BED + FOR + D 5. MORI MO + RI; … Read more >>
Guardian 24,921 (Sat 31 Jan)/Araucaria – Urned respect
Solving time: 11 mins Overall, much more accurately-clued than Araucaria’s Saturday crossword two weeks previously. In fact his puzzles vary so much in style from week to week that sometimes I wonder if … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No. 899 – Transported by Charybdis
It’s been the pantomime season and so here was a topical puzzle from Charybdis, with a neat little twist at the end. Some of the clues were rather tricky, even by EV standards, … Read more >>
Inquisitor 1110 – I beg your pardon by Lato
Inquisitor puzzles must be subject to the same kind of rule as umbrellas – if I fail to notice that it’s my turn to blog and do them in a hurry, they turn … Read more >>
Beelzebub 1,041 (31/01/10)
A mixed week for me. I proudly managed all but a handful quite quickly without opening a dictionary, stumbled on a couple more, then failed on 4dn having inexplicably written in HORNPIPE at … Read more >>
Guardian 24926 / Rover
A quick solve for us apart from 12 across, which I don’t understand. Across 7. DANSEUSE Cryptic definition; “Nice girl” is meant to be read as “A girl from Nice”, along with “corps … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,302 / Adamant
Plenty of anagrams made this an easy ride. I have questions at one or two places, indicated along with the answers to clues. Across 1 SPHERICAL (CAR IS HELP)* 6 OASIS O (ring) … Read more >>