Independent 6722 – Phi
A fairly gentle end to the week I thought. The grid seemed quite heavy on the black squares, and there are a number of long answers (most notably 7/3/16/11) which fill a fair … Read more >>
Guardian 24378 – Arachne – Ma is a Ms
Found this really tough going at times, and still can’t work out some of the wordplay. Good puzzle overall though, with a few really nice clues. Across 1 IN CAHOOTS – INCA HOOTS … Read more >>
Inquisitor 69 – Progressive Consumption by Schadenfreude
Solvers were told that nine answers represented a song sequence, in clue order, but with a different and much happier ending. The preamble also stated that the first answer, representing the eventual target, … Read more >>
Guardian 24377/Chifonie
* = anagram < = reversal dd = double definition Across 9 RODIN (e)RODIN(g) good to see ‘endlessly’ refer to both ends creating a nice surface. 10 WARMONGER RM+ON … Read more >>
Independent 6721/Nimrod
I found this reasonably easy (for a Nimrod) although I couldn’t get 26 and didn’t fancy guessing it either. I spotted the Nina with the grid half full though so filling in the … Read more >>
Independent on Sunday 950 by Quixote (27 Apr 2008)
I found this very easy, solving time 12 mins * = anagram < = reversed ACROSS 1 POLISH Double definition 4 ACC R EDIT 9 ERR AND S 11 (C) UMBRIAN 12 GO … Read more >>
Financial Times 12,746 by Cincinnus
An easy puzzle from Cincinnus with a few typically brilliant clues (1A, 13A, 18A, 5D). Across 1. BEANS ON TOAST – anagram of NOT A SNOBS TEA. And a wonderfully English &lit to … Read more >>
FT 12,755/ Satori
A rare outing for the full-perimeter (4×15-letter answer) grid. Although that does mean that quickly solving either 1A or 1D offers generous checking and a flying start. Across 1 GENERAL ELECTION – cryptic … Read more >>
Independent 6720/Dac
Although there are one or two I’m not sure about, this was not one of Dac’s most difficult. Which doesn’t prevent it from being well up to his usual standard. Is there some … Read more >>
Guardian 24376 Araucaria -“Inconsiderate Service Order”
So glad the luck of the draw gave me this benign but pleasant Araucaria to blog rather than yesterday’s Gordian nightmare. Still short one answer and my explanation of some of the wordplay is … Read more >>
Guardian 24375/Gordius – ance upon a time
This was hard work – with some answers really belonging in an advanced weekend puzzle — I found myself pulling out Chambers more than zero times, which is too many for a daily. … Read more >>
Independent 6719 by Virgilius
Another excellent themed puzzle from Virgilius, the theme becoming apparent to me only quite late on. The middle row is PARTS OF SPEECH and every row, sometimes in one word, sometimes reading across … Read more >>
Independent 6718 by Scorpion
*=anag, []=dropped, <=rev. Very tough puzzle by Scorpion, I thought. There were three I didn’t fully understand. Across 7 Mincer: cryptic definition. 8 Heighten: he + (the gin)* 9 Leo Minor: Odd letters … Read more >>
Financial Times 12,754 / by Jason
After thirty minutes with the puzzle, I didn’t get 21ac and 24ac and 16dn. Any of my readers may please post the answers. Across 1 DESCRIBE – des, crib, E 5 HECTIC – … Read more >>
The blog, yesterday.
Apologies for the problems you all experienced yesterday in trying to reach the blog – it was out of action for pretty much for the whole day. Unfortunately the problem was at the … Read more >>