Monk is often on the tough side. Or so I thought before tackling this.
Quick Cryptic 28 by Chandler
This is the twenty-eighth Guardian Quick Cryptic, a series of 11 x 11 crosswords designed to support beginners learning cryptic crosswords. The whole point of these crosswords is support and encouragement of new solvers, so special rules for these crosswords apply – see here. The puzzle can be found here.
Guardian Saturday Prize Crossword 29,506 by Boatman (5 October 2024)
My first ever Boatman blog, and a rare Saturday Prize slot outing for the jolly sailor…and we have a special instruction: ‘A dozen of a kind are missing from their clues’ wordplay.‘
Financial Times 17,860 by Buccaneer
Puzzle from the Weekend FT of October 5, 2024
Guardian 29,511 / Qaos
It’s a while since I blogged a Qaos puzzle and so I was pleased to find him rounding off the week. There’s always the added challenge of finding the theme in a Qaos … Read more >>
Independent 11858 / Hoskins
It’s unusual to see a Hoskins’ crossword on a Friday in the Independent series of puzzles. It’s even more unusual to see Hoskins highlighting a serious subject in the grid … Read more >>
Financial Times 17,865 by SOLOMON
A not too troublesome challenge from SOLOMON this Friday.
Independent 11,857 by Filbert
Filbert provides our regular mental exercise this morning.
Guardian Cryptic 29,510 by Picaroon
Very enjoyable with some tricky clues and nice surfaces. Particularly liked 12ac, 19ac, 21ac, 2dn, and 7dn. Thanks to Picaroon
Financial Times 17,864 by MUDD
Mudd has set this morning’s FT puzzle.
Enigmatic Variations No.1662 – Invaders by Vismut
“In ten of the across clues, an incorrect letter has pushed out the correct one; in 17 of the down clues a letter has walked away from the clue. In clue order, these incorrect and missing letters spell out some thematic names. The proliferation, unexpected appearance and (in one case) mutation of INVADERS must be dealt with so that four titular motifs and an associated thematic name can be seen (making new real-word crossing entries, including a city name). Unchecked letters in the perimeter, before any adjustments, might make CHAFF OR IDIOM. Chambers Dictionary (2016) is recommended.”
Financial Times 17,863 – error
The FT has published two different puzzles this morning. There is a Monk puzzle on the mobile app, but a Basilisk for the printed and online puzzles. Both are numbered 17,863. We have … Read more >>
Independent 11,856 by Eccles
Eccles returns to the midweek slot this week.
Financial Times 17,863 by BASILISK
An enjoyable challenge to kick off the day.
Guardian 29,509 – Anto
This was rather easier than Sunday’s Quiptic from the same setter, I thought, though with one or two quibbles that I won’t bang on about. Thanks to Anto. Across 1 STAND BY … Read more >>