Independent 6601 by Dac
A pleasing puzzle by Dac. Solving time: 18 mins * = (anagram)* < = reversed ACROSS 1 DEF (l = L) ECT Excellent misleading surface 11 RO (A) ST (i) … Read more >>
Guardian 24,258, Araucaria: Blues and Royals
A pretty tough one this, took a good half hour and left me in doubt about the wordplay of two clues, including the main theme-word. But I think I’m there now. I thought … Read more >>
Independent 6600/Virgilius — The Man Killers
Another highly thematic puzzle from Virgilius. In this case all the down answers can be seen as dangerous women. Corrections and clarifications are in italics. Across 9 AZORES — “as oars” 14 ENAMEL … Read more >>
Guardian 24257 / Chifonie Labour of Love
Solving time: 12 minutes. Solving a Chifonie puzzle often seems to me like a labour of love. Nice when you finish, but you don’t get the feeling of accomplishment that you do with … Read more >>
Language and libertarianism
I think we need a new term for a particular kind of clue – the ones which rely on a word in the clue being split into its component parts, in the way that all crosswords … Read more >>
Guardian 24256/Rufus
Solving time 10:07 Sorry for the lateness of the post, but I’ve been away from the computer all day and only just got round to solving it. Typical Rufus with lots of cryptic … Read more >>
Independent 6599 by Punk – Nation States
One of those themed crosswords where a large number of the clues draw their definition from one of the other clues (in this case 11 across). With this type of puzzle, you either … Read more >>
Guardian Genius Puzzle 53 / Locum One man’s homophone….
Solving time: 24 minutes. One I tackled while in hospital. Although it wasn’t the most satisfying of puzzles, it held me while I worked out whether each of the homophone double answers could … Read more >>
Azed 1853: Liberté, Egalité, Sororité
A mixed bag of clues from Azed this week — some that were pretty easy, and a few that held me up for a while. I had to think hard about 31a, and … Read more >>
FT 12,635/Sleuth
A well-balanced, but not too daunting puzzle. Just what the Doctor ordered for the morning-after-the-office-party, in my case. Across 1 UN,OBTR(U)SI,VE(-t) – Phew, glad we got that three-line, thirteen word clue out of … Read more >>
Guardian 24254/Taupi
I’m a bit short of time today so this will be a less detailed than usual entry. Apologies in advance etc… Across 1 LITTLE TOE – I put in LITTLE PIG at first, … Read more >>
Independent 6592/Phi
I’d read four or five clues before I realised that something odd was going on and at first I thought the wrong grid had been printed. Then I spotted that there was no … Read more >>
Independent 6597 – Phi – O God …
Solving time: 10 minutes when I gave up … … trying to work out 6D. I don’t know quite enough gods and ?A?A?A?A doesn’t help much. I guess the story is a SAGA, … Read more >>
Beelzebub 928/Phi (25-11-07)
Across 11 PROO[-f] – PROOfing something is a form of protection and PROO (or “pruh”) is a Scottish word used to direct or summon cattle. 13 E,MEN in EAST 14 (POTTER A GENIE)* … Read more >>
Inquisitor 48 – But how is it done? by Phi
Solving time: about 90 mins, mostly without books. A fairly easy puzzle this, without anything too fiendish as a last step. My biggest problem was leaving my copy on a train after writing … Read more >>