Independent 6632 by Phi
A quick post – harder than usual from Phi with a theme – referred to after the clue explanations. Solving time, 29 mins. < = reversed ACROSS 10 SHOO(t) Definition = off! … Read more >>
Independent 6627/Punk (12-01-08)
Across 1 (MARIA FOLLOWING)*,E – WILLIAM OF ORANGE. “After the Reformation” is the anagram indicator so the capitalized R is more than a bit cheeky. 9 DUMB,FOUND – great definition (“stump”) but does … Read more >>
Guardian 24288/Brendan
The grid pattern and setter meant a theme was there somewhere. It took a while for it to work out but in the end it’s spelled out across the middle of the grid. … Read more >>
Inquisitor 54 – Seasonal Show by Loda
The clues for this Seasonal Show were presented in three blocks: Firstly, an unnumbered set of clues to the whole of each of Rows 1, 3, 5, 8, 10 and 12 with the … Read more >>
Guardian 24287/Orlando
Sorry this is so late – I wrote it up at lunchtime but the site’s been down for most of the afternoon with an “Unable to connect to database” error. I seem to … Read more >>
Independent 6631 by Monk
Looking at the grid before I started saw checking was low in some cases eg 2 in 5-letter words, 3 in 7-letters words so I suspected a theme. Having solved it however, I … Read more >>
Independent on Sunday 935 by Quixote (13/01/2008)
I found this one very straightforward. Solving time, 12 mins Some notes on clues below – happy to explain others if asked. < = reversed ACROSS 9 S (LIP) ON Don = put … Read more >>
Financial Times 12,657 by Mudd
I had some trouble finishing this one. One reason was that I was unfamiliar with the expression “to wet the baby’s head”. It stems, I understand, from baptism but has come to mean … Read more >>
FT 12,666/Cinephile – Number of the Beast
Quite an esoteric theme for this one, although it is readily flagged and accessible thanks to the preamble, “The beasts are 8” (i.e. 8D). I thought it strange that the creatures in question … Read more >>
Independent 6630/Dac
A bit harder than the usual Dac, I found. Some of the bottom-half clues were peculiarly impenetrable, although in the end there was the usual satisfaction with Dac’s skills. Across 1 HIT THE … Read more >>
Guardian 24,286 – Paul : Fizzy Pop
A man notices a blonde sucking on the bottom of a Coke can. Curious, he asks her what she’s doing. “Duh! It says for best taste drink by date on the bottom.” ACROSS … Read more >>
Guardian 24,285, Chifonie: He-rewarding in the end
This was tough stuff indeed, but ultimately satisfying, with some fine clues. It took a good half hour all told, i.e. half of my tube journey (the needs of work oblige me to … Read more >>
Independent 6629/Virgilius – Marginally wrong
Some Virgilius themes leap out at you, others reveal themselves slowly. This puzzle was definitely in the latter category for me, although I expect it would have been quicker had I got 7/32 … Read more >>
Guardian 24283/Rufus
Sorry this is late — I completely forgot. A pretty nice puzzle with a couple of clues that I wouldn’t have been surprised to have enountered in an Araucaria: e.g. 22D and 23D … Read more >>
Everyman 3197
The last Everyman blog was back in August. As with some of the other weekend competition puzzles the feedback was low and bloggers wanted to concentrate their efforts on the daily puzzles or … Read more >>