Guardian 24,690 / Rufus
This was an easy, but enjoyable, start to a wet and windy Bank Holiday Monday, just the thing to relax with whilst having a coffee after breakfast. As usual for a Rufus puzzle, … Read more >>
Independent 7035 by Phi
*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, CD=cryptic def It’s fairly unusual for me to blog a Phi puzzle because they normally occupy the Friday slot. He’s actually one of my favourite compilers, with a straightforward … Read more >>
Azed 1926
Solving time: about 1 hour Not too difficult, but not a giveaway. I worked without Chambers except for 10A, 18 and 3. Across 1 OBJECT=ai, LESS ON=more off. Pretty sure this was solved … Read more >>
Everyman Crossword No. 3265 (Apr 26)
Three clues 1ac, 1dn and especially 2dn, held me up for some minutes before I completed the crossword. Across 1 CHOP-SUEY – CHOP (cut into pieces), SUEY, rev. of YE (the old), US … Read more >>
Beelzebub 1,001 (26/04/09)
*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, cd=cryptic definition, dd=double definition. All back to normal this week after a couple of themed Beelzebubs, with clueing as solid as ever. The eagle-eyed may question how Beelzebub 1,001 … Read more >>
Guardian 24,683 (Sat 25 Apr)/Araucaria – Poe faced
Solving time: 32:35 Wow, that was difficult – and that despite me knowing (for once) a few of the many literary references. I nearly reached for the dictionary / Google on a few … Read more >>
Guardian 24,688 – Bonxie
An unfamiliar setter to me, but seems quite fond of anagrams. In fact once I started to assume every answer was going to be an anagram, the second half went a lot quicker. … Read more >>
Independent 7,033 by Dac
*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, cd=cryptic definition, dd=double definition. Aha, so here’s this week’s Dac. Whilst I do have a habit of missing such things, there doesn’t appear to be any particular Mayday theme … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,065 / Bradman
Good fun puzzle from Bradman, with great surfaces to most of the clues. Not too tough by Bradman standards – though I’m still scratching my head over 1A. Across 1 WEAVER? [Update: WEAVER … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations 859: Hidden Hints by Piccadilly
Four 6×6 squares had to be filled with answers from unnumbered clues. The four mini grids could then be positioned according to four hints hidden in the completed grid. According to the Solving … Read more >>
Independent 7028 / Mordred (Prize Puzzle 25-04-09)
My first attempt at blogging a daily crossword, having previously blogged The Inquisitor regularly and Guardian Genius (once so far). I thought the clueing in this crossword was elegant with a number of … Read more >>
Inquisitor 121 BUILDING by Loda
I’m usually worried when I can do 1 across immediately, but solving the clues here was pretty straightforward though I had a number of question marks about several of the across wordplays and … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,064 / Adamant
I couldn’t spot anything here that required more than a cursory explanation, but please leave a message after the tone if you disagree…..beep…. Across 1 EARTHQUAKE – (heart)* + quake 7 CUFF – … Read more >>
Independent 7032 by Nimrod
Hard as Nimrod usually is, solving time, 58 mins. Very hard to break into, but seeing 1 down was a breakthrough helping with the LHS of the grid. Never systematically counted but Nimrod’s … Read more >>
Guardian 24687 / Araucaria
A typically difficult puzzle from Araucaria, but with some very pleasing clues. Across 1. TRAVESTY T + RAVE + STY 5. THAMES HAM in SET reversed 9. MIA FARROW AIM reversed + FARROW, … Read more >>