Guardian 24784 / Araucaria
Having an appalling ignorance of history, I found this difficult, and only worked out the theme after filling the grid and Googling the names. The joke is that CABALLEROs might have been members … Read more >>
Independent 7,124 by Anax (Saturday Prize Puzzle, 15/08/09)
I haven’t blogged an Anax puzzle before – in fact I’m not sure that I’ve even seen one in the Independent. That said, the name is of course more than a little familiar … Read more >>
Inquisitor 137 – No Yens by Schadenfreude
This has to be one of the toughest Inquisitors I have ever tackled. I think I have the grid correct though I’m not sure about some of the thematic material. Solving time: several … Read more >>
Independent 7128 by Nimrod
This was one of the hardest Indy puzzles I’ve ever tackled. Only one answer entered on first run through as a tentative guess which, as the rest of the puzzle was solved, turned … Read more >>
Guardian 24,783 – Shed
This is just the level of difficulty I like on a Thursday – hard to crack into, but ultimately yielding its solutions with some persistence and nothing feeling ‘unfair’. Across 9. GASTROPUB. BUG< … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,160 / Flimsy
Smiffy is on holiday so we will not be seeing his cheerful avatar for a couple of weeks. Nothing particularly difficult or outstanding in today’s puzzle and I got a feeling of déjà vu … Read more >>
Independent on Sunday 1018 by Quixote – 16 Aug 2009
Solving time, 24 mins * = anagram ACROSS 1 S (AU CE) PAN 6 BU(i)CK 9 Shed NAILS 10 RE PR IS AL 11 BUSINESS LETTER 12 FA(C)T O TUM 13 (ma)LICE 16 … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,151 – Crux
Monday Prize Crossword on 10 August 2009 dd = double definition cd = cryptic definition rev = reversed or reversal ins = insertion cha = charade ha = hidden answer *(fodder) = anagram … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,150 by Cinephile
Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of August 9 Cinephile is in good form here with a puzzle that I found moderately easy but very satisfying. I particularly like 17A. Across 9. POORHOUSE … Read more >>
Independent 7,127/Dac
Apologies for the late posting. Lousy workload! Nowt lousy about this offering from the mid-week maestro though. Elegant stuff from Dac, who never fails to impress. Across 1 LIBIDO – I in LIB … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,159 / Cinephile
A mixed bag today with some old chestnuts (eg 12a, 2d & 22d), a relatively modern reference (4d) and some clues that are typical Cinephile (eg 1d & 6d). I have a question … Read more >>
Guardian 24,782 / Enigmatist & Paul – In Memoriam Albie Fiore
A delightful tribute to the late Albie Fiore by the double-act of Enigmatist and Paul. Naturally I was able to fill in 18ac immediately, but some of the other clues held me up … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,158 / Neo
A mix that included some fairly easy anagrams and some significantly trickier (and well done) clues. I really enjoyed this, even though 3 down still eludes me. Across 1 PREVENT PRE (before) VENT … Read more >>
Independent 7126/Radian
Whenever ones sees several answers that are not ‘properly’ checked (in other words which have more unchecked than checked letters) one is alerted to the fact that there is some theme; although I … Read more >>
Guardian 24,781 – Gordius
dd = double definition cd = cryptic definition rev = reversed or reversal ins = insertion cha = charade ha = hidden answer *(fodder) = anagram ACROSS 1 HANDEL Sounds like handle (name) … Read more >>