Never knowingly undersolved
Solving time: 15:50 Perhaps one of Araucaria’s easier puzzles, although the last couple of clues, HATCHERIES and DARNLEY, stumped me for a good while. I thought 9ac (SOPRANO) was the best clue. Music … Read more >>
As often with Araucaria, I’m still a little puzzled but thoroughly entertained. Across 9 ALBATROSS There’s a lake ALO in Nigeria, and SS presumably comes from “southern sea”, but I can’t get the … Read more >>
*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, cd=cryptic definition, dd=double definition. All fairly straightforward, I think, with everything fitting together nicely. Across 7 BOOR – BOO + R. 8 OBSEQUIOUS – 0 + BISQUE* + OUS[ted]. … Read more >>
Usual great stuff from Bradman. In particular I liked PRONOUNCE, COLORADO, LOTUS-EATER. The left of the grid came together slower than the right. APOGEE was not so familiar, and the incomplete 13a in … Read more >>
Excellent puzzle from Charybdis – no extra words or letters in the clues, just a nice conceit in his letter from the editor. This was most confusing at first, but the meaning fell … Read more >>
In the asterisked clues the wordplay for the grid entry gave a Spoonerism of the answer suggested by the definition. The normal clues were for the most part (too) easy, though some (presumably) … Read more >>
Smiffy has been sidetracked by some unforeseen commitments so apologies for the lateness of this post. A straightforward solve today with all but about four answers being entered on the first pass through … Read more >>
Given the general tendency for Thursday’s puzzle to be on the tough side, it’s usual practice for me to check online at midnight. Probably just as well really, as we very rarely see … Read more >>
I made very heavy weather of this, although I’m not sure why, apart from picking the wrong letters as anagram fodder over and over again 🙂 Across 1. SCHOOLMASTER Cryptic definition 8. NEWPORT NEW … Read more >>
Solving time, 40 mins, a lot of which was looking for 5 down. * = anagram     < = reversed ACROSS 1 T(EACH)ABLE 8 SheeP LEAD 10 DO RIS(k) 11 IN THE GODS  (Thing … Read more >>
Monday Prize Crossword on 20 July 2009 dd = double definition cd = cryptic definition rev = reversed or reversal ins = insertion cha = charade ha = hidden answer *(fodder) = anagram … Read more >>
Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of July 18 Well I found this Cincinnus considerably harder than usual. How about you? Especially 1A, 20A and 16D. And I especially like 12A and 21D. … Read more >>
I found it quite challenging today, but that may be a reflection on my own circumstances having started a new job! Managed it all in the end, although 22dn and 5ac felt a … Read more >>
After last Wednesday’s romp, this week’s Cinephile, though easy in places, proved to be more of a challenge. One clue (24a) has defeated me completely so far and I have been unable to … Read more >>
Usual excellent offering from Dac, solving time, 24 mins. I found SE quarter the toughest. * = anagram < = reversed ACROSS 1 HOPPING hopping mad – double definition 5 BAGH DAD “Bag” … Read more >>