Fifteensquared – Page 1618 – Never knowingly undersolved

Financial Times 12,801 – Dante

Fri July 4, 2008 at 4:44 pm by Uncle Yap

From FT 23rd June 2008 Common abbreviations used dd = double definition cd = cryptic definition rev = reversed or reversal ins = insertion cha = charade * = anagram Definitely an easy … Read more >>

Independent 6776/Phi

Fri July 4, 2008 at 12:55 pm by John

An unusually easy Phi today, it seemed, apart from one or two that I can’t explain properly. Rather more full anagrams than one might expect. Across 7 FORE N SIC – ‘for courts’ … Read more >>

Independent 6771/Nestor (28-06-08)

Fri July 4, 2008 at 11:30 am by neildubya

I found this very easy but very enjoyable, as always from Nestor. Across 1 (BANAL MINUTIAE N)* – UNMAINTAINABLE. Had to UNsomethingABLE really. 11 RE,CU in SQUAT 12 A RANT in TELL,A 17 … Read more >>

Guardian 24432 – Placeholder

Fri July 4, 2008 at 9:31 am by manehi

Computer failure – will try to post by tonight but if anyone wants to step in with a blog of their own please do.

Inquisitor 78 – Closely Packed by Kea

Fri July 4, 2008 at 7:00 am by duncanshiell

We were told that the answers to five across clues had to be jumbled before entry. To complicate matters further, we were also told that the letters in these five answers would share … Read more >>

A rare visit to the FT from the intriguingly-named Phssthpok. A well-balanced offering with some nice touches and a gentle smattering of intra-grid cross references. Feels like just the kind of puzzle that … Read more >>

Independent 6775/Nimrod

Thu July 3, 2008 at 11:38 am by neildubya

A bit of a mixed bag this: very tough in places, very easy elsewhere. Still don’t understand 10, 11 and 19 though. Across 1 ERA,SPOT< in TRICES – TRICERATOPSES. I found this very … Read more >>

Independent on Sunday 959 by Quixote (29 June 2008)

Thu July 3, 2008 at 10:00 am by nmsindy

I found this quite easy, solving time 14 mins. * = anagram < = reversed ACROSS 8 AT HEIST 9 EP I ZO (Oz<) A Oz = country down under (Australia) 10 OILC … Read more >>

Guardian 24,431/Chifonie

Thu July 3, 2008 at 9:22 am by Andrew

Today it was the bottom right-hand corner that gave me the most trouble, but apart from that I found this one mostly quite easy. A couple of explanations I’m not totally happy with … Read more >>

Financial Times 12,800 by Mudd

Thu July 3, 2008 at 5:03 am by Pete Maclean

The top right corner of this puzzle was hard going for me. I particularly found 11A, 13A and 5D challenging and I do not understand how 8D works. Then I was totally stumped … Read more >>

FT No. 12,809 set by AARDVARK

Wed July 16, 2008 at 12:18 pmWed July 2, 2008 at 12:03 pm by Octofem

I found this puzzle quite tricky, and a complete contrast from yesterday’s yawn. There were a good number of colloquialisms, but some clever twists and one or two clues which defeated me, q.v … Read more >>

Independent 6774 by Dac

Wed July 2, 2008 at 11:33 am by nmsindy

The usual, excellent, well-crafted, puzzle from Dac with good variety of treatments. Solving time, fast for me, 17 mins. * = anagram < = reversed ACROSS 1 SLIGHT Double definition 5 S (EAR) … Read more >>

Guardian 24,430/Orlando

Wed July 2, 2008 at 6:03 pmWed July 2, 2008 at 9:23 am by Andrew

Mostly fairly straightforward, with a lot of anagrams, but the top left-hand corner had me stumped for a while. I particularly liked 2dn for its brilliant misdirection. … Read more >>

Independent 6,773/Virgilius

Tue July 1, 2008 at 2:43 pm by Ali

A nice games-themed puzzle today. A number of references in clues and I spotted at least ten in answers scattered throughout the grid. Across 1 BOWLS – B,OWLS 4 TIC TAC TOE – … Read more >>

Guardian 24,429, Paul: On Clitheroe Moorage baht (brass) hat

Tue July 1, 2008 at 10:59 am by michod

I guess when you’ve been setting for a while, you can either spice things up for self and solvers with esoteric themes, or you can cast ever wider into the available word-pool. Paul’s … Read more >>