Azed 1929/Sunday 17th May
A regular Azed plain, which means of course that there are some very nice clues, as well as one or two that I’m not quite sure about. I’m away this Whitsun weekend, so … Read more >>
Beelzebub 1,004 (17/05/09)
*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, cd=cryptic definition, dd=double definition. Excellent stuff as always. I found it unusually tough to get started, but then things started to flow nicely. Across 1 ROSY – ROS[-ar]Y. 4 … Read more >>
Guardian 24,701 (Sat 16 May)/Paul – Futilitarian
Solving time: 11:50 A fairly gentle offering from Paul, I thought – only 2dn (FUTILITY) and 9ac (BORING) really held me up in this. My favourite clues were probably 2dn (OMIGOD) and 7/20dn … Read more >>
Comment Preview
I have added a facility whereby you can preview your comments prior to submitting them should you so wish (a new button under the comment box). I have also disabled the automatic capitalisation … Read more >>
Guardian 24,706 – Shed
Not really an overall theme today, but a few movie references and some very enjoyable clues. (X) = inserted (x) = removed) * = anagram “” = homophone < = reversed d.d. = … Read more >>
Independent 7,051 by Phi
*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, cd=cryptic definition, dd=double definition. A fairly straightforward one for the most part, I think, although I did have to resort to a bit of cheating to finish it off … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,083 / Mudd
I’m always pleased when I open Friday’s crossword and find I have Mudd to blog about. This was as enjoyable as Mudd consistently is, with some innovative definitions, entertaining wordplay and great clue … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations 862: Secret Tribute by Hypnos
Quite a bit going on in this puzzle: a ‘secret’ figure to be discovered from unclued entries, three works to be deduced, two determining how two sets of clues are to be entered, … Read more >>
Inquisitor 124 — Tots by Nitsy
Quite an easy puzzle for me though I didn’t fully understand the theme until the very end despite seeing HENRY JAMES on the main diagonal about half way through. Though solving the clues … Read more >>
Independent 7,050/Scorpion
A nice, tough offering from Scorpion with some very neat surface readings. There seem to be a lot of clues using abbreviations of one kind or another, some of which were a bit … Read more >>
FT 13,082/Viking
An overabundance of reversal devices today but, overall, a satisfying puzzle. I’m far from confident that I’ve plumped for the right guess at 13A though (assuming that’s it’s some kind of cryptic/punning definition?) … Read more >>
Guardian 24,705/Pasquale
Seeing Pasquale’s name is a guarantee of soundly-constructed and witty clues, and this was no exception. Although there were a few slight obscurities it yielded eventually, with the NW corner being the most … Read more >>
Independent on Sunday 1005 by Quixote (17 May 2009)
I found this a bit tougher than usual from Quixote, solving time 28 mins. * = anagram ACROSS 1 PREMIS(E)S 6 B RAISE 9 CARDINAL WOLSEY (so radically new)* 10 UNHEATED a in … Read more >>
Independent 7046 (Sat 16 May) Eimi – Pride’s progress
Lots of interesting history and other information discovered when I researched the answers that I had to check afterwards. I don’t normally note solving times, but I happened to notice the owl on the … Read more >>
Financial Times13,073 – Falcon
Monday Prize Crossword on 11 May 2009 dd = double definition cd = cryptic definition rev = reversed or reversal ins = insertion cha = charade ha = hidden answer *(fodder) = anagram … Read more >>