Independent 6326 by Scorpion – Very, very tough
Scorpion is, I find, the hardest of the Indy setters and this puzzle was no exception. There were some novel approaches and some areas I am not entirely sure of all the reasoning. These … Read more >>
Independent npower juice Environmental Crossword/Eimi
Solving time : 10 minutes or so. The obvious theme of this puzzle made a few of the answers very easy to fill in. This sponsored puzzle is printed on a green background … Read more >>
Guardian 23983/Araucaria – Notes from the Underground
A puzzle about the tube from Araucaria that probably could be done on the tube. Not all the lines showed up but at least my favorite did (the District, which is what I … Read more >>
Independent 6325 by Dac – Tough and top quality
This had all I’ve come to expect from Dac. Excellent flowing surface readings, clever misdirection, a very satisfying solve, with all understood in the end. A bit tougher than usual, maybe partly because … Read more >>
Guardian 23,982, Auster: What’s up Doc?
A puzzle with an overt theme, rather than one to be deduced, which gives a good illustration of the many different uses of ‘doctor’ in a puzzle. All the across clues and a … Read more >>
Guardian 23981/Gordius
After two weeks away from the UK with no daily crosswords I found this one a real struggle after the halfway mark. A few obscure words and some weak devices left me having … Read more >>
Independent 6324 / Virgilius – Hello Sailor!
Solving time: 26 minutes A nautical theme for today’s puzzle with lots of linked answers and clues. This was very much a puzzle of 10 minutes of staring blankly, followed by 16 of furious … Read more >>
Sloggers and Betters – The Pictures
Andy Wallace (linxit): Nestor (Roger Phillips) and Eimi (Mike Hutchinson): Niall MacSweeney (nmsindy) and Paul Bringloe (Tees): Eimi and Mick Hodgkin (michod): Nimrod (John Henderson), Mr Magoo (Mark Goodliffe), Tony Sever and rightback … Read more >>
Azed 1807 – Hel’s Bels
Solving time: About 45 mins without Chambers plus about 10 minutes with to check/finish off. One mistake (22ac), two I can’t explain (31ac and 2dn) – offers welcome. A quick scan suggests that … Read more >>
Guardian 23980/Rufus – cryptic definition overload
Solving time – about 7 mins I counted 11 cryptic definitions and 5 double definitions in this puzzle, which seems a bit excessive – and makes it very easy if your brain’s working … Read more >>
Independent 6323/Tees
I found this quite tricky after 4 or 5 clues and couldn’t make any impact at all. Maybe that’s what happens when you try to solve a puzzle at 6.20am. Anyway, once I’d … Read more >>
Independent 6316 / Nimrod – on the box again
Solving time 25:25 A while after his Countdown puzzle, Nimrod gives us another TV puzzle. 9D’s catchphrase, “I don’t believe it” appears in the unchecked letters on the left and right edges of … Read more >>
Everyman 3146/Jan 14 – do you know the way to San Jose?
Two American cities. Perhaps that qualifies as a theme? Across 1 MINNEAPOLIS – (pile, mansion)*. “Gothic” is somehow the anagrind. 7 S,CREW,UP – Really an Americanism – at least I only learnt it … Read more >>
Guardian 23,973/Taupi – 4Ds Up!
A top-notch puzzle from a setter that, in my opinion, does not appear often enough in the Guardian. Across 1 CREW,TUC(k)< – nicely misleading clue to start things off. 5 BUCOLIC – “bee … Read more >>
Independent on Sunday 883 by Quixote – quite tough
I found this quite tough – only one clue solved on first run through. Solving time: 30 mins * = anagram ACROSS 1 C (HOO-CH)OO 9 V ENER(v)ATE Curious to add a v … Read more >>