Independent 7,201/Phi
A characteristically lovely offering from Phi rounds off what has been a really rather good working week of Indy puzzles. The last 5 days have given us pretty much everything cryptic crosswords should … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,233 / Bradman
Apologies for the delay in posting. I couldn’t finish the puzzle in my lunch hour as I normally do. I found this extremely challenging. Words beyond my vocabulary (SKIDDOO, EDENTATE, to name two), … Read more >>
Guardian 24856 / Gordius
I enjoyed this one – quite a few nice clues. (3 of my last 8 blog posts have been on Gordius puzzles, as it turns out…) Across 4. SADDEN ADD = “increase” in … Read more >>
Inquisitor 149 – Out of Pocket by Ikela
I think this was Ikela’s second Inquisitor (update: I gather it his third). I blogged a previous one just under 6 months ago. That one, entitled Fatal Attraction, was based on Bonnie and … Read more >>
Independent 7190 by Eimi (Saturday Prize Crossword 31 October 2009)
This blog has been delayed a week due to the threat of postal strikes around the normal submission time. Consequently many of you will probably have forgotten about the puzzle. The grid was one … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,232 / Flimsy
Apologies for yet another late Thursday blog. I found this something of a Punk 19a (mixed bag), a couple of good &lits (particularly 20d), some decent surfaces (eg 23a & 25a) but also … Read more >>
Guardian 24,855 – Araucaria
I’ve had a run of Araucaria recently, and was hit by a pang of fear when I saw how many clues referred to 11ac today. However, once that clue fell I relaxed as … Read more >>
Independent 7,200 by Punk
*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, cd=cryptic definition, dd=double definition. I don't recall blogging a Punk for some time, though maybe that's for the best as I can rarely get to grips with them! This … Read more >>
Independent on Sunday 1030 by Quixote – 8 November 2009
Solving time, 18 mins. * = anagram < = reversed ACROSS 5 S (PARR)OWS 7 Itch A MB I(1) Feet of a line of poetry 11 H ONE STY 12 AMEN pleaseD ED … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,223 – Dante
Monday Prize Crossword on 2 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 13,222 by Cincinnus
Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of October 31 The copy I downloaded from the FT’s Web site claims this is a Cincinnus puzzle. Did the print version say that too? (Most weeks … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,231 / Cinephile
A relatively straightforward puzzle by Cinephile standards with a legal theme in a number clues. I rather liked ‘cave’ in 19d being indicated by ‘old people’s home’ and one or two other clues … Read more >>
Guardian 24,854 / Brendan
A tour-de-force of linked clues and clever wordplay from Brendan that is exceptional even by his high standards. Unfortunately I’ve had to solve and blog this in rather a hurry before catching an … Read more >>
Independent 7199/Dac
I’d expected something to do with Remembrance Day, but no, Dac as usual and up to his usual standard; however, when is he ever not up to his usual standard? This seemed to … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,230 / Neo
Some pleasantly tricky clues from Neo today. Across 1 PLASTIC SURGEON *(SUSPECTING ORAL) 10 HOGAN HOG (pig) AN (one). The reference, of course, is to Hogan’s Heroes. I can still hear the theme … Read more >>