Guardian 24392 – Rufus
My usual convention * = anagram “” = homophone cd = cryptic definition dd = double definition ha = hidden answer rha = reversed hidden answer Contrary to expectation, Rufus managed to stump … Read more >>
Azed 1876/Plain sailing
When I’ve finished writing this blog up, I’m going to count how many Scots terms there were in clues and answers — seemed like a lot but in any event this is going … Read more >>
FINANCIAL TIMES no. 12,769 Set by AARDVARK
FINANCIAL TIMES No: 12,769 set by AARDVARK May 16, 2008 Most of this puzzle was quite straightforward, but I came unstuck on 16A and 14D.. I have made an attempt at them but … Read more >>
Guardian 24,385 (Sat 10 May)/Enigmatist – Balfour article
Solving time: 6:55 Easier than usual for this setter, I thought, but perhaps harder if you hadn’t heard of the book referenced at 1dn, which connected most of the other long phrases. * … Read more >>
Independent 6729/Nimrod
Across 11 TESTAMENTS – the definition is “more than one will” and I think the wordplay is suggesting moving the TE from STATEMENTS to the front. 12 TARS,US 14 GIN< in THE,NO (also … Read more >>
Independent 6734 by Phi
A fairly straightforward puzzle by Phi, I found – solving time, 16 mins * = anagram < = reversed 1 SHOPPING LIST A second meaning for each of the words. 9 O SA … Read more >>
Guardian 24390 Paul : “Cheer Up, Paul”
I did this in Oxford Services at 7 a.m after driving 2 hours from Manchester on my way to London and am blogging when I really should be working – so this … Read more >>
From the HR Department
We’ve had quite a few bloggers join us over the last few months so I thought I’d take the opportunity to introduce them all. On the Guardian side, Diagacht and Manehi share a … Read more >>
Inquisitor 71 – At Random by Charybdis
Solving time: about 2 hours This was a nice example of a fairly gentle thematic puzzle. Extra words in clues are a fairly simple way of providing thematic messages, but the idea of … Read more >>
Independent 6732 / Tees Contemporary fun
Solving time: 28 mins A jolly little puzzle from Tees with lots of contemporary references. I suppose I still think in old-fashioned crosswordese, but the Indy has certainly brought puzzles into the 21st … Read more >>
Independent on Sunday 952 by Quixote (11 May 2008)
I found this much tougher than usual from Quixote. Solving time, 43 mins. * = anagram < = reversed ACROSS 1 ME A LIE Very inventive. 5 CRACK UP Double definition 9 STEW … Read more >>
Financial Times 12,768 – Flimsy
This is my maiden post and I will adopt the conventional symbols * = anagram “” = homophone cd = cryptic definition dd = double definition ha = hidden answer rha = reversed … Read more >>
Financial Times 12,758 by Cinephile — Ice malt? (7, 5)
I found this puzzle rather difficult even after catching on to the theme, climate change. I got 18A wrong and did not find the solution to 17D. A few clues that struck me … Read more >>
Guardian 24389/Gordius – competing with Rufus?
NEW AGE TRAVELLER required some wiki-trawling — other than that, I find this puzzle to be a reasonable thing to do while listening to a talk about bid optimizations in internet advertising (which … Read more >>
FT 12,767/Gozo – Food, Various Food
No real major sticking points on this one, although perhaps a couple of bones of contention on one or two clue structures. Was a little disconcerted by how readily familiar I seem to be … Read more >>