Independent on Sunday 940 by Quixote (17 Feb 2008)
I found this a little harder than usual from Quixote. Solving time: 27 mins. Notes on some clues below – happy to explain others if asked. < = reversed * = anagram ACROSS … Read more >>
Financial Times 12,687 by Cincinnus
Another beauty from Cincinnus. Don’t you love 27A? Also great are 12A and 26D. Across 1. ABOVE SUSPICION – anagram of OBVIOUS IN SPACE 10. ALGOL – hidden word 11. NARRATION – ARR … Read more >>
Independent 18.02.08 by Dac
Apologies for the lateness of posting, but some intravenous drugs managed to lay me low for a little while longer than expected today. Solving time: 19 minutes. Always a joy to solve Dac’s … Read more >>
Guardian 24,316 Taupi – Lanstriterate
Quite straightforward, with a pleasing lack of green dolphins (see yesterday’s puzzle) ACROSS 1 PERI-PAT(h)ETIC : “peri” is a new one on me, but wiki has a good entry http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peri 9 E-ROSIV-E : … Read more >>
Guardian 24315/Orlando – about midnight
Well, according to my local clock it’s still today Tuesday. So by the letter of the law, this isn’t late. I like Orlando’s clean Ximenean sensibility which means precise, albeit sometimes surprising clues. … Read more >>
Independent 6659/Virgilius
Make the most of this puzzle, we might not see a Virgilius next week, unless he has a few puzzles in the pipeline. Not sure if this constitutes a theme but lots of … Read more >>
Independent 6658 by Tees
* = anag, < = reversed Another very tough Monday puzzle by Tees with a slight theme of political party leaders (although Nick Clegg was either overlooked or just couldn’t be fitted into … Read more >>
Guardian 24314/Rufus
One of Rufus’s easier offerings for the most part, with some real beginners’ clues. Look at the first 4 across clues – you have easy examples of the 4 basic clue types: anagram, … Read more >>
Private Eye/Cyclops 358 – Hello Sailor!
A lot of comedic sailors in the puzzle answers this time, what with PRATFALL crossing with SLAPSTICK and a raft of TARS, SALTS, SAILORS, RATINGS and SEAMEN. Strangely, I hadn’t noticed this mini-theme … Read more >>
AZED 1863
Solving time: not recorded, but I did finish this without looking anything up. 8/11 were the last two to go in. A couple of quibbles at 12 and 35, and some of the … Read more >>
Guardian 24,307 (Sat 9 Feb)/Araucaria – Water torture
Solving time: About 30 mins; two missing, one wrong. I made an absolute pig’s ear of this puzzle. After a slow start I unravelled most of it, but with some very dull moments … Read more >>
Independent puzzles online – an update
Good news for those of you wanting to try the Independent cryptic – puzzles are now available online on the same day as they appear in the newspaper (Saturday puzzles are still a … Read more >>
Independent 6656 / Phi – Fairly straightforward
Solving time: 12 minutes After yesterday’s tough Nimrod, and a generally tricky week all round in most papers, this made a nice change with a straightforward Phi challenge. 4ac was a bit of a tease … Read more >>
Guardian 24312/Brummie
Solving time – 17:05 This started out fairly straightforward and I made good progress, thinking I was going to finish inside 10 minutes for a while. Then I got stuck in two places, … Read more >>
Independent 6651/Nestor
I found this very tough but a thoroughly enjoyable solve. Lots of great clues (my personal favourite is 12a), and a very clever touch at 19 and 20d. I’m still unsure about 17a, … Read more >>