Independent 6590 by Merlin
An excellent puzzle, as usual, from this top setter. Solving time: 19 mins * = anagram < = reverse ACROSS 4 H AND M (Clothes shop) AID 11 A LEX (Luthor – Superman’s … Read more >>
Independent on Sunday 928 by Quixote
A St Andrew’s Day theme in the appropriate week. One or two tricky clues, but I found it fairly easy overall. Solving time: 16 mins. Notes on some clues below – happy to … Read more >>
Financial Times 12,618 by Cincinnus
Another lovely puzzle from Cincinnus. I particularly like 13A, 19A, 25A and 5D. I found 26A and 20D hard. Across 1, 28. MAKING TRACKS – double definition 4. THE CHAMP – THE (article) … Read more >>
Independent 6589/Dac
Across 4 SCHNAPPS – cleverly done. A drunkard might pronounce “snaps” (pictures = shots) as SCHNAPPS. The literal reading works too. 10 D in LANG,RAVE – this was new to me but fairly … Read more >>
Guardian 24246/Orlando – A rum clue
A good puzzle to learn a few new words via clear wordplay (e.g. SATINY, ASGARD, COLUMBA). One unusual river (AMUR) and an unfamiliar actress (ANNA NEAGLE) and a couple of other more familiar … Read more >>
FT 12,626/Quark
Just when you thought that the FT blogs had become extinct…. Apologies for going AWOL last week, when short-notice travel plans scuppered my schedule again. Incidentally, the FT puzzles seem to have become … Read more >>
Guardian 24,245 – Gordius : “This island race, this happy breed”
Apologies if you checked in earlier – a work crisis of Biblical proportions had wiped out my leisure time and my solution was sparse. Across 12 KENTISH = (THESKIN)* 16 A-TT-OR-NEY GENERAL – … Read more >>
Independent 6587/Virgilius – Tuesday 26.11.07 – Recurring Melodies
The usual brilliant crossword from Virgilius. His clues are consistently excellent, but there is nearly always a very clever theme, which is usually signposted by the fact that the grid is a bit … Read more >>
Independent No 6587 by Tees – Paradise Made Difficult
I found this very tough, although the Milton theme helped a lot if you were at all familiar with his work. My favourite clue was 25 – a superbly hidden anagram. Across 8 … Read more >>
Guardian 24,244, Rufus: high tea?
A gentle start to the week as ever. Most of the clues are pretty straightforward, so I’ve only given a few explanations – more can be supplied on request. Across: 1. GRAFTS. Double … Read more >>
Azed 1851 – in the soop
Solving time 38:18 (with Chambers and Bradford’s) I made one mistake (9ac, SOOM for SOOP) but realised when I came to do the blog, as I’d never been happy with my original answer … Read more >>
Guardian 24,237 (Sat 17 Nov)/Pasquale – Disorientated
Solving time: 17:58 About the last 10 minutes were spent on two pairs: 16ac/18dn and 19ac/20dn. The first I sorted out once I accepted that 16ac was an &lit (and realised that 24ac … Read more >>
Guardian 24,242, Quantum: Better latte than never
ACROSS: 4. JAM PAN. A guess now confirmed – it’s a kind of sedan chair. 9. BRIE(f). More familiar as a cheese than a place. 11. STATIN (patients* – pe). Complicated wordplay here, … Read more >>
Independent 6585/Math
In his blog yesterday, nmsindy was wondering why Phi had been moved from his usual Friday slot; this puzzle might provide an explanation… Across 8 A,(LIFE)* – I was all set to deride … Read more >>
Inquisitor 46, Royalty by Lato
By the time you read this I should be at the top of Manau Kea in Hawaii. Unless I turn out to get altitude sickness in which case I’ll be in a bar … Read more >>