Guardian 24, 164/Brendan – Questionable?
This was quite tough, and I had to give up after I’d done about 75% of it. When I got home from work, I attaked the NW corner, and eventually finished after more … Read more >>
Independent 6507 / Phi Relaxing fare
Solving Time: 23 minutes The usual demonstration from Phi that simple clear clue writing can be elegant and humorous – and a delight to solve. ACROSS (*) = ANAGRAM (CD) = CRYPTIC DEF … Read more >>
Inquisitor 33 – Holiday by Schadenfreude
Solving time: c. 45 mins, no books, but one mistake found on checking answers After a tough battle with Kruger a couple of weeks ago, this was a straightforward “treated answers” puzzle. All the … Read more >>
Beelzebub 913/Phi (12-08-07)
Another very entertaining puzzle in a series that I’m already mightily impressed with, even though this is only the third one I’ve solved. Couple of queries: 5D and 22D, which I’m sure are … Read more >>
Independent 6502/Virgilius (18-08-07) – Across the board
This was a very quick solve for me (8:47, since you asked) so I didn’t spot the (subtly done) theme until I had 2 or 3 answers to go in. I’ve mentioned all … Read more >>
Guardian 24163/Rover
Solving time 5:44 That was probably the easiest crossword I’ve ever done in the Guardian. Probably the only tricky word was 19ac, but it was an expression I knew from somewhere, so no … Read more >>
Independent 6506/Monk — Nina!
The football theme stands out from the clues if not the grid entries, only 9a is a footballing term. I thought that was it then I noticed the letters in the first and … Read more >>
Independent on Sunday 914 by Quixote
As indicated eslewhere, the first of a shorter blog on Quixote puzzles. Will try to concentrate on a small number of clues focussing on the trickier ones and those I liked the most. … Read more >>
Financial Times 12544/Jason
A nice enough puzzle but a few too many cryptic definitions for my liking. Lots for new solvers to get their 5As stuck into though. Across 1 WIND-BAG – a cryptic definition with … Read more >>
Guardian 24162/Brummie – from a Stan(d in)
I’m indebted to one of our regular commenters – stan – for this blog as we had a bit of a mix up this week and I assigned a puzzle to a blogger … Read more >>
Financial Times 12,534 by Cincinnus
Tougher than usual Cincinnus perhaps with some challenging clues (for me 1A, 1D, 17D and 25D) and a couple of beauties (28A, 15D). Across 1. LOBELIAS – ELIA (essayist) in LOBS (throws). It … Read more >>
Independent 6505/Dac
This seemed like a harder crossword than a standard Dac. Looking back I can’t quite see why though although three words being new to me slowed me down (1ac, 27ac, 20d) Across 1 … Read more >>
Guardian 24161/Araucaria – the full monty
My Sheffield education was provided to me by the movie “The Full Monty” and the occasional Eurosport broadcast of an endless snooker match at The Crucible. Oh yes there are a couple of … Read more >>
FT 12,542 by Aardvark
I solved this one in fits and starts, although each quadrant of the grid fell into place pretty readily once I’d cracked the four “long” clues. I use quote marks because no answer … Read more >>
Independent 6504/Virgilius
Thematically, there seems to be quite a bit going on in this puzzle. We have horses/ponies (1A, 10A, part of 14A, 17A, 21A and part of 26A, along with a reference to a … Read more >>