Enigmatic Variations 871: Needs by Charybdis
A puzzle from one of my favourite setters (with another one from him in this week’s Listener as well). A quick read of the preamble and ‘Oh my giddy aunt’!! What on earth … Read more >>
Guardian 24760 / Auster
It only seems fair to give our Australian commenters first say about this fun puzzle from Auster. Across 1. PARTY HAT PARTY = “Do” + [t]HAT 5. OFFSET OFF = “inoperative” + SET … Read more >>
Inquisitor 133 – ODDS AND ENDS by Tipster
Another new blogger … and a new setter to boot – double whammy? (I’ll be walking in the Pyrenees when this should come out, so no response from me anytime soon.) The entry … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,136/Flimsy
Nothing pant-wettingly exciting here, but a nice vein of humour running through some of the clues, which raised a few smiles. Please excuse the slightly late blog (again). While the FT have certainly … Read more >>
Independent 7,104 by Nestor
*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, cd=cryptic definition, dd=double definition. Entertaining and challenging, as one tends to expect from Nestor. I’ve done my best to explain them, but I’ve failed in several places. I’ll blame … Read more >>
Guardian 24,759 – Paul
Maybe not as fiendish as some Thursday puzzles, but still tricky – I’m still in the dark about 10ac. Some lovely clues today, especially 13dn and 11ac. Across 1. BUMPER. Double definition. 4. … Read more >>
Independent on Sunday 1014 by Quixote (19 July 2009)
Not too difficult, solving time 16 mins * = anagram < = reversed ACROSS 6 BULL(y) y = yen (Japanese currency) 7 RINGO STA RR (Organist)* bishop = RR (Right Reverend) The Beatles’ … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,127 – Crux
Monday Prize Crossword on 13 July 2009 dd = double definition cd = cryptic definition rev = reversed or reversal ins = insertion cha = charade ha = hidden answer *(fodder) = anagram … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,126 by Cinephile
Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of July 11 I enjoyed this puzzle from Cinephile. Had to look up a couple of words (CUMAE and PRETERITE). I particularly like 1A, 14A and 24-26A. … Read more >>
Independent 7103/Merlin
A rare departure from Wednesdays for Dac, but this Merlin offering is excellent. To begin with I found it very easy and it seemed that all would be done quickly by my standards, … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,135 / Cinephile
A surprisingly easy puzzle for a Wednesday, particularly considering it was set by Cinephile, with a theme involving British Prime Ministers from 1963 to date and a ‘hopeful’. Early solving of 4a quickly … Read more >>
Guardian 24,758 / Brendan
A very enjoyable romp round theatre-land from Brendan, but also quite an easy one, for me anyway: it must have been one of my quickest solves for a while. The strange grid, with … Read more >>
Independent 7,702/Nimrod
Pretty much everything you could want from Nimrod here – lots of 15-letter answers, some lovely anagrams, an answer that defies all standard clue-type classification and a handful that will need further explaining. … Read more >>
Guardian 24,757 – Gordius
dd = double definition cd = cryptic definition rev = reversed or reversal ins = insertion cha = charade ha = hidden answer *(fodder) = anagram What a delightful day. Dr G and … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,134 / Armonie
A quick and easy puzzle today. No complaints though; I thought the clues were generally clean and concise, with good surfaces. Across 1 DESPOT S (head of security) in DEPOT (store) 5 TACKLING … Read more >>