Independent 6816/Dac
Across 1 BE in (ANIMAL)* – LIMA BEAN. 10 MIDDLE-AGE SPREAD – I can’t decide if this is a cryptic definition or if there’s some aspect of the wordplay that I’m missing because … Read more >>
FINANCIAL TIMES 12,851 by CINEPHILE
A tricky one from Araucaria in the Guardian yesterday and a similar offering from Cinephile in today’s FT. There was a gentle hint at the beginning that ‘the works are similar’ which helped … Read more >>
Guardian 24,472/Logodaedalus
A fairly enjoyable puzzle. The wording of some of the clues seemed a little odd to me. Across 7 BANDAGES BAND(AGE)S 9 OPORTO O(PORT)O 10 SKIN S+KIN = HIDE 11 ELEMENTARY cryptic def. … Read more >>
Independent 6815/Morph
This took ages — Morph seems to be getting very difficult nowadays. This wasn’t helped by the fact that there were some answers that appear a bit tenuous, although it’s more likely that … Read more >>
Guardian, 24471/Araucaria
This was a difficult puzzle today, I thought, although I tend to find Araucaria’s crosswords harder than the other Guardian setters. As usual, there are some really satisfying clues here and great surface … Read more >>
Financial Times 12850 / Armonie
Neither too easy nor too hard, this puzzle has neat clues. I must admit that I had an unusually slow start but I completed it in much less than 30 minutes. The bottom left … Read more >>
Independent 6814 by Punk
*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed Some very tricky, well disguised clues today. Mostly very good, but I thought 6 down was taking things a bit too far. Across 8 Japanese lantern: very convoluted but I … Read more >>
Guardian 24,470 – Rufus
I found this fairly easy going, even for a Monday. Mainly composed of a few anagrams, double-definitions and more than the usual amount of cryptic definitions, it was a nice distraction but not … Read more >>
Private Eye/Cyclops Crossword 371 – Easy does it
I don’t note solving times but maybe I ought to start as I’m pretty sure I must’ve had a Personal Best for this one. Must’ve been about 15 minutes. There was nothing here … Read more >>
Azed 1889
Solving time 43:08, Chambers used when grid about half full – but one probable wrong answer. A fairly straightforward puzzle I think – took about half as long as Mephisto. In my current … Read more >>
Guardian 24,463 – Araucaria
From Prize Crossword 24,463 – 9 August 2008 dd = double definition cd = cryptic definition rev = reversed or reversal ins = insertion cha = charade ha = hidden answer *(fodder) = … Read more >>
Guardian goes free – part 2
Further to the initial announcement here’s what the crossword editor says about the free service: “[What] the crossword site now offers you (and from September 1 anyone else who logs on to guardian.co.uk/crossword) … Read more >>
Independent 6812/Phi
Only 24 clues here, which I think is about as few as it’s reasonably possible to have in a 15-by-15 crossword where the Ximenean edict of having no answers with more unchecked than … Read more >>
Guardian 24,468 – Brendan
A very entertaining crossword, with two strong interconnected themes and a very neat trick of having three famous people’s names sitting in the grid (17 21 7, 2 23 7 and 17 6), … Read more >>
FINANCIAL TIMES 12,847 by MUDD
A bit of a mixed bag from Mudd today. Some good clues and one or two where I am a little less than happy with the wordplay or definition. Nothing too difficult and … Read more >>