Guardian 24,425 (Shed)
Apologies for a rather brief blog today. Across 1 DEVILS ADVOCATE: DEVIATE around anagram of CALVADOS (without an ‘A’) 9 UKRAINIAN: UK RAIN + IAN 10 PROMO: PRO + MO 13 DIASTOLE: AID … Read more >>
Financial Times 12,794 by Falcon
So, I am getting to know Falcon now. This was a little more difficult than the few of his I have done before. Clue 5A in particular took me a while. Across 1. … Read more >>
Azed 1881
I offered to do this blog, then discovered that I had thrown out my copy of the solution, which doesn’t yet appear to be available on the Guardian/Observer website, so I had to … Read more >>
Independent 6,768/Dac
Definitely harder than the average Dac I thought, with some lesser known words here and there. Good clues as ever though. Across 1 SCANDALISE – SCAN,DALIS,E[-xhibition] 7 CAWS – “Cause” – Caws being … Read more >>
Financial Times 12,803 – Cinephile
Common abbreviations used dd = double definition cd = cryptic definition rev = reversed or reversal ins = insertion cha = charade * = anagram I really hope we can get the FT … Read more >>
Guardian 24,424 – Audreus
Common abbreviations used dd = double definition cd = cryptic definition rev = reversed or reversal ins = insertion cha = charade * = anagram Lovely puzzle that has some misleading definitions and … Read more >>
Independent 6767/Virgilius
Great puzzle as usual from Virgilius but if there’s something going on here connected with 1/29 then it’s passed me by completely. Across 1/29 (I REPUBLIC SIMPLETON)* – SUBLIMINAL PERCEPTION. Haven’t the faintest … Read more >>
Guardian 24,423 – Gordius
Common abbreviations used dd = double definition cd = cryptic definition rev = reversed or reversal ins = insertion cha = charade * = anagram A delightful puzzle both entertaining and challenging Across … Read more >>
Financial Times 12,795 – Armonie
From FT Monday 16 June 2008 Common abbreviations used dd = double definition cd = cryptic definition rev = reversed or reversal ins = insertion cha = charade * = anagram Across 1 … Read more >>
Financial Times 12,802 / Courtier
Two surprises. The puzzle was uploaded much earlier than usual. The setter appears to be new, for I have not encountered the person before. The setter’s psudonym does not figure in the list somewhere … Read more >>
Independent 6766 by Punk
*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed An excellent mix of clues from Punk as usual, with some relatively easy and some quite difficult. I had a couple of goes at completing it – got most of … Read more >>
Guardian 24422 Rufus
A typically pleasant Monday puzzle from Rufus with at least two classy clues (15d and 24a). I still don’t understand why we must always get an easy puzzle on Monday. There’s always the simpler crossword in … Read more >>
Private Eye/Cyclops Crossword 367 – Heroes and Villains
Another crossword where the last answer (correctly) written in is the first clue you look at, i.e. 1A or equivalent. This seems to have been happening to me a lot recently. Is it … Read more >>
Inquisitor 76 — Up, Up and Away by Phi
The clue is in the title, “Up, up and away” …in my beautiful balloon. A song probably known to many of my contemporaries as the music from the Nimble advert. Nimble was a … Read more >>
Guardian 24,415/Brendan: element-ary?
I hadn’t planned to blog this puzzle, but if nobody else wants to, here’s my contribution. The theme involves eight elements from the perodic table, and in each case the clue starts with … Read more >>