Independent 6609/Phi
As usual with Phi, everything very enjoyable. There doesn’t seem to be a Nina, but there probably is. Across 1 RAM with ASH first. The letter combination ASH often appears and “remains” is … Read more >>
Independent 6604/Nestor
Across 1 (SINFUL EFFECTS I)* – SELF-SUFFCIENT. SELF was obvious but the rest took a little time to make itself apparent. 9 RUSE,D,SKI 10 YUP,PIE – if I had to pick a word … Read more >>
Guardian 24266 Pasquale – “We need a common enemy to unite us.”
Condoleeza Rice (15d.) once made the quote in the title. Not her finest hour. Struck me that Pasquale’s puzzle is uniting quite a few people this morning – hope you’re all finding it … Read more >>
Inquisitor 50 – Who’s Who by Dimitry
There were three important parts to the preamble: 1. Every across clue lacked a definition and the wordplay generated a word which could be associated with the entry at that number – i.e … Read more >>
Happy Christmas…
…to all of our readers. Thanks for all your help, support and encouragement in 2007 – we couldn’t have done it without you. We’ll aim to blog every day next week except the … Read more >>
Independent 6608 by Monk
Monk is a setter whose puzzles I seek out, so Christmas came early to see that pseudonym in the Indy today. Almost every clue has something special. Solving time: 43 mins. There is … Read more >>
Guardian 24,265, Paul: Why do anarchists drink Earl Grey?
A good number of long phrases, with quite a few cryptic definitions and some subtle wordplay. Explanations of 20 ac welcomed. ACROSS: 1. HARD TO GRASP. CD. 9. OB(VIA T)E. Complex wordplay here … Read more >>
Independent on Sunday 931 by Quixote
I found this very easy. Solving time: 14 mins Notes on some clues below: happy to explain others if asked. * = anagram ACROSS 1 S (AMOS) A SA = Salvation Army 11 … Read more >>
FT 12,644/Neo
A far later posting than anticipated. Just realised that I should probably have followed blogging best practice and posted a placeholder here earlier in the day, especially as I actually solved the thing … Read more >>
Guardian 24264/Araucaria
Solving time – 26:40 I struggled to get going on this, and after 10 minutes only had half a dozen answers in, but gradually managed to work up from the bottom right-hand corner … Read more >>
Independent 6607/Dac
Across 1 PACK, L in CAB (all reversed) – the BLACKCAP is a small songbird. 9 INDI[-a]’S,POSITION – I found this very tough and only got the answer by finding a word that … Read more >>
Financial Times 12,636 by Mudd
Last week we had an unusually difficult puzzle by Cincinnus. This week we have an unusually easy one by Mudd. Across 7. OBITUARY – anagram of TO BURY I A 8. DECAMP – … Read more >>
Guardian 24263 / Gordius An odd puzzle
Solving time: 28 minutes (with help from Chambers and TEA) Over the past few months I have really come to appreciate Gordius puzzles, plenty of wit, some topical stuff and a dash of … Read more >>
Independent 6606/Virgilius
Excellent puzzle as per. Any theme is lost on me although the grid suggests one. Across 9 IMMORAL — MM in I+ORAL — good surface though exam is often a giveaway. 11 CAPRICE … Read more >>
Guardian 24262/Rufus – and more cryptic defs…
A surfeit of cryptic definitions today which isn’t of course out of character for Rufus. It’s tempered by several well crafted clues though so a smile or two were produced. Across 9 TALL … Read more >>