Independent 7181/Dac
I was slowed by two words of which I’ve never heard, one of which I can find in no English dictionary; and there’s one more I’m not very comfortable with. Otherwise (at least) … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,213 / Dogberry
This was one for those who don’t like cryptic definitions (there weren’t any) or double definitions (only one). Some very good surfaces and misdirection but I had a feeling of déjà vu with … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,212 / Dante
As usual with this setter, some nice cryptic definitions. 14dn fooled me for a while, but of course is obvious in retrospect. It felt to me that this puzzle had a few too … Read more >>
Independent 7,180/Virgilius
As sometimes happens with Virgilius’ themed puzzles, I managed to get through this without fully understanding some of the connected answers. Probably me being a dunce, but I don’t quite get the links … Read more >>
Guardian 24,835 – Puck, the Magic Dragon
dd = double definition cd = cryptic definition rev = reversed or reversal ins = insertion cha = charade ha = hidden answer *(fodder) = anagram Quite a challenging set of clues with … Read more >>
Independent 7179 by Tees
*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, CD=cryptic def, DD=double def, sp=spoonerism This was similar to a Christmas puzzle a couple of years ago where the setter uses lots of his fellow compilers as either solutions … Read more >>
Guardian 24,834 / Rufus
A bit of a Grauniad glitch meant that the online version was late in appearing, but it all seems to be sorted out now. I found this a bit more difficult than some … Read more >>
Everyman No. 3289 (October 11th)
Lorraine: Straight forward again this week apart from 8 down (Obregon), I could not find any reference to this artist in any books I own so had to get Nick to google it … Read more >>
Azed 1950
As always Azed produces a top-class grid, with four words crossing it completely and two more almost doing so. As a result, of course, there are many words that need a painstaking hunt … Read more >>
Beelzebub 1,025 (11/10/09)
This is still one of my perhaps two favourite crosswords, the other being Inquisitor, also in the Independent the day before. Beelzebub seems to hit the perfect balance between challenging and eminently solvable, … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations 883: Knocker by MynoT
I didn’t know whether to expect a tricky puzzle from MynoT, or an easy one. He seems to be a setter who can produce varying levels of difficulty but, this being EV, I’ll … Read more >>
Guardian 24,827 (Sat 10 Oct)/Araucaria – Arial survey
Solving time: 19 mins I found this the hardest prize puzzle for some time (the recent Jumbo excepted) & really struggled to get started. The inclusion of three foreign language classical arias was … Read more >>
Independent 7177/Phi
A couple of words where I felt no hint of guilt in using the aids: HAEREMAI (obviously familiar to Phi but not perhaps to people outside New Zealand) and MEERSCHAUM, and one more … Read more >>
Guardian 24832 / Brendan
As usual, a really top quality puzzle from Brendan – great surface readings and some surprising wordplay. Thanks to IanN14 for pointing out the theme of U.S. presidents, Franklin PIERCE, Abraham LINCOLN, Andrew … Read more >>
Independent 7,172 by Merlin (Saturday Prize Puzzle, 10/10/09)
*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, cd=cryptic definition, dd=double definition. This week’s answers seemed to go in fairly steadily, albeit with a certain amount of "research" needed to shed light on some of the more … Read more >>