Guardian 24,566 / Rufus
Another pleasant start to the week from Rufus, with his usual sprinkling of cryptic definitions, but nothing too demanding and not much to comment on. [I find, to my great embarrassment, that my … Read more >>
Private Eye/Cyclops 379 – Humbug
Cyclops getting in early with his opinion of Xmas at 1 Across? Across 1 HUMBUG HUM (stink) BUG (infection) Had me foxed till I got that first U. 5 FEROCITY (OF, ER)* AInd: … Read more >>
Azed 1905
Another moderately difficult Azed. I’ve been struck down with a horrible cold over the last coouple of days so haven’t ben able to write a very full blog: I’ve shown the basics of … Read more >>
Guardian 24,559 (Sat 29 Nov)/Araucaria – D’Oyly water
Solving time: 11:36 (one mistake, 23dn) I really enjoyed solving this puzzle, despite a few quibbles. There’s no major theme that I can see but there is a lot of linkage going on … Read more >>
Financial Times 12,943 by Bradman
A reasonably gentle end to the working week, with only a couple of relatively obscure words (18a and 11d). OK, 18a isn’t perhaps all that obscure because I knew it from previous crosswords … Read more >>
Guardian 24,564 / Brendan
The usual entertainment value from this Brendan puzzle, with its elegant surfaces, clever anagrams and cunningly hidden answers. It included four reiterative phrases neatly placed around the perimeter, plus another one at 13ac, … Read more >>
Independent 6908 by Phi
Everything I associate with a Phi puzzle, bullet-proof clues with excellent surface readings , references to classical music and matters astronomical. As there were 4 15-letter entries around the perimeter, I said I’d … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No. 839 — Two Words by Piccadilly
A very brief introduction today. This was an excellent puzzle with a tough twist at the end. Oddly my other blog today, IQ100, is also about the puzzle name. Here variations of ENIGMATIC … Read more >>
Independent 6903/Monk (Prize puzzle 29-11-08)
It’s been a while since we last saw Monk in the Indy so this was, for this solver at least, a welcome return. Just one query at 3. Across 1 POST,P ONE – … Read more >>
Inquisitor 100 — I ASK YOU! by Schadenfreude
Schadenfreude usually fills me with a mild dread. He can produce some very tough puzzles in the Listener series and so I was expecting a tougher than usual Inquisitor. The title, at the … Read more >>
Independent 6,907/Nimrod
Pretty much everything you could want from Nimrod here – his unique style, pretty tough overall, some lovely clues and some which I’ll need fellow solvers to explain. I do admire the way … Read more >>
Financial Times 12,942, Set by FLIMSY, 4 December 2008
Not in the same league as yesterday’s splendid puzzle but pleasant enough. I had constant interruptions this morning so I apologise for the lateness and rather sketchy explanations. One or two parsings need … Read more >>
Independent on Sunday 981 by Quixote (30 Nov 2008)
Solving time, 21 mins * = anagram < = reversed ACROSS 1 CUPIDS DARTS Got this when I’d some crossing letters – thanks, Wikipedia for telling me where it comes from – a … Read more >>
Guardian 24,563/Araucaria
I’d been thinking we hadn’t seen much of Araucaria lately, especially during the week, so it was a pleasure to find this one on a cold and miserable December morning. A mixture of … Read more >>
Financial Times 12,933 – Dante
Monday FT Prize Crossword on 17 November 2008 dd = double definition cd = cryptic definition rev = reversed or reversal ins = insertion cha = charade ha = hidden answer *(fodder) = … Read more >>