Independent 6759/Phi (14-06-08)
I’ve always had something of a fascination with the 7 for 28 (maybe because I did my degree in English Lit) so this was fairly easy for me as I’d heard of all … Read more >>
Financial Times 12,799 – Flimsy
Common abbreviations used dd = double definition cd = cryptic definition rev = reversed or reversal ins = insertion cha = charade * = anagram An extremely easy puzzle which shouldn’t take much … Read more >>
Independent 6,763/Mordred
I found this tough going for a mid-week puzzle. I’ve never come across a few of the answers before and some clues are still a bit baffling. Across 8 ZULU – As in … Read more >>
Independent on Sunday 957 by Quixote (15 June 2008)
Fairly straightforward, solving time 17 mins. * = anagram < = reversed ACROSS 1 T (RUM PETER) S st< 9 PRO (S) PER 10 CO (M PAN) y nap< 11 KAPPA hidden 12 … Read more >>
Guardian 24419/Araucaria – Oh, Jerusalem!
This was a mix of accessible and impossible without wikipedia: unless you’re a Blake scholar, I had to reread “Jerusalem” to make head or tail. I’m also stymied by 13A which is unrelated … Read more >>
Financial Times 12,798 – Sleuth
Common abbreviations used dd = double definition cd = cryptic definition rev = reversed or reversal ins = insertion cha = charade * = anagram Quite a challenging puzzle with many varied devices. … Read more >>
Financial Times 12,788 by Mudd
An easy Mudd this time around. 19D was the only clue that stumped me for a while. Across 1. HOPPER – [c]HOPPER 4. SCHOONER – CH (companion) in SOONER (rather) 9. READER – … Read more >>
FT 12,797 Monk
Always gratifying to lock horns with Monk on his all too infrequent FT appearances. Fortuitously, I seemed to be on a similar wavelength to him today, which isn’t always the case. Also, solving 19A … Read more >>
Independent 6762/Dac
The usual impressive offering from Dac, full of simply-constructed but very satisfactory clues. One or two I can’t quite explain, and one or two words that were new to me. Across 1 S … Read more >>
Guardian 24,418 – Taupi
Struggled with this for a while, but got there in the end. Several nice clues in here, and nothing too difficult, although I had to guess 13dn and at some of the wordplay. … Read more >>
Inquisitor 75 CLASSIFIED by Hypnos
Excellent puzzle based on James Bond villains on the centenary of the birth of Ian Fleming, with some inventive and amusing clues. Once I’d twigged that we were looking at SCARAMANGA (which led … Read more >>
Financial Times 12796 / Quark
The puzzle was uploaded later than usual and just about that time there was power failure in my flat. Hence the delay in posting the blog. 29dn gave a quick foothold onto the grid. … Read more >>
Independent 6761 by Morph
A pleasing, innovative, puzzle which I found on the easy side. Solving time, 18 mins. * = anagram < = reversed ACROSS 1 GUARDIAN (A = American in a drug)* 5 P (EOPL) … Read more >>
Guardian 24,417, Rover: Life’s ups and downs
As an occasional sub now, I’ll try to remember the rules – bear with me. In keeping with my philosophy that daily puzzles should be doable without recourse to reference works, there are a … Read more >>
Financial Times 12,789 – Dante
From FT Monday 9 June 2008 Common abbreviations used dd = double definition cd = cryptic definition rev = reversed or reversal ins = insertion cha = charade * = anagram What a … Read more >>