Beelzebub 1,031 (22/11/12)
*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, cd=cryptic definition, dd=double definition. Across 1 JOSEPH – EP in JOSH. 8 CALTHA – CA + ((T + H) in LA). 9 EXCORIATIONS – (X in ECO) + RIA … Read more >>
Independent 7219 by Phi
I found this quite an easy puzzle, solving time 13 mins. * = anagram < = reversed ACROSS 1 B (O OK) ENDS 6 P ARK 9 E (D WIN) A 10 AMOROUS … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,251 / Adamant
An easy, rather predictable one with many double definitions. The clue surfaces are good but a few clues like 19a, 25a don’t seem entirely satisfactory. Across 1 DEFECT dd 4 THICKSET THICK (stupid) … Read more >>
Inquisitor 152: On Tour by Glow-worm
What a struggle. Firstly there was no magazine in The Independent in my local shop and none to be had in the nearest big city. A quick SOS email to my bellow floggers … Read more >>
Independent 7214 by Anax – Saturday Prize Puzzle 28 November 2009
This blog was nearly a non-event when I realised on Wednesday that I had thrown out Saturday’s paper and the recycling binmen had taken it away. Many thanks to nmsindy for coming to … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,250/Sleuth
Far from a desperately strenuous challenge overall, but that doesn’t detract from the fact that there were plenty of well-rounded clues in their own right. It’s always something of a nebulous thing, but … Read more >>
Independent 7,218 by Nimrod
*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, cd=cryptic definition, dd=double definition. Nimrod has been something of a nemesis of mine since I started blogging here. As with children, the workmanship is impressive, but I can't manage … Read more >>
Guardian 24,873 / Paul
An entertaining but quite tricky puzzle from Paul, with a lot of long answers spanning two positions in the grid and a fair amount of cross-referencing. The SW corner caused me the most … Read more >>
Independent on Sunday 1033 by Quixote – 29 Nov 2009
Solving time, 21 mins * = anagram ACROSS 1 CROTCH ETY (yet)* 9 ON PAPER (Propane)* 10 A PO (CO) PE Omission of final sound of a word 11 P (HEN) OLice 12 … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,241 – Dante
Monday Prize Crossword on 23 November 2009 dd = double definition dud = duplicate definition cd = cryptic definition rev = reversed or reversal ins = insertion cha = charade ha = hidden … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,240 by Cincinnus
Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of November 21 Another splendid puzzle from Cincinnus this time. I especially like 16A, 20A and, most of all, 21A. Across 1, 4. WILLOW GROUSE – WILL … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,249 / Satori
Not the friendliest of grids with the NW and SE corners only connected to the rest of the puzzle by one clue each. Add to this some misleading (not in a bad way) … Read more >>
Guardian 24,872 (Araucaria)
I enjoyed this but then I always enjoy Araucaria. Across 1 DROPLET: DR (debtor, one obligated) + OP (work) + LET (for hire) 9 ATHENAEUM: A + THE (articles) + anagram of A … Read more >>
Independent 7217/Dac
Dac just goes on producing crosswords with clues that run so smoothly you think he must have been lucky. Well the only way he may have been lucky is in having the ability … Read more >>
Independent/7,216 – Virgilius
Yet another example of why Virgilius really is the undisputed master of the themed daily. In puzzles such as this, you’ll often find that there are one or two obscure words in the … Read more >>