Guardian No 24,215/Puck – the good, the bad and the ugly?
In my opinion, a mixture of brilliant clues (5, 10, 20) and some of the things I don’t like so much in puzzles (14, 24) and a couple of clues where I’m not … Read more >>
Guardian 24214/Rufus – not iffy
A typical balanced Rufus opus with sensible surfaces and no cryptic definition overdose. And pleasantly not a rugby reference in sight. My last clue was 24A since my only exposure to opera so … Read more >>
Independent 6557/Math
Across 6 EVA< in STS – “Mrs Peron” made this a very easy clue but “bars” was an ambiguous definition in the phrase “street’s bars”. 9 REC,(PIE)* 10 U,N in NEARED 11 IF … Read more >>
Private Eye/Cyclops 350 – Brothers and mothers
This issue brought us the usual fare in the style we come to expect from our optically-challenged friend. Across 7 NEIGHBOURS – (IGNORE BUSH)* I liked “soft” as the anagrind 8 GSOH – … Read more >>
Independent on Sunday 922 by Quixote
Reasonably straightforward puzzle, I found. Solving time: 17 mins Will concentrate on a few of what seemed the trickier clues, happy to explain others if asked. ACROSS 24 THE E MP IRE Refers … Read more >>
Azed 1846
Solving time about 35 mins, with Chambers and Bradford’s. Across 1 DOG’S BREAKFAST – “Men generally” = DOGS, rest = BREAK, dissipatedly = FAST (apparently). 10 ISOBRONT (to robins)* – a contour line … Read more >>
Inquisitor 41 – Alterations by Phi
Solving time: about 2 hours At last, a fairly gentle Inquisitor, which I should really have finished off even faster – and earlier! The thematic answers were to have one letter replaced, and … Read more >>
Guardian 24,207 (Sat 13 Oct)/Enigmatist – Double entendre
Solving time: 15 mins, one missing (3dn) Another puzzle with an epic answer, this time 14 words long (perhaps certain compilers at the Guardian are having a bit of a competition?), and beautifully … Read more >>
Independent 6550/Nimrod
Very Nimrod. I’m fairly sure all the answers are right but I have my doubts about 8A and 4D is still a mystery to me. Across 1 CHIMER – which is a type … Read more >>
Guardian 24212/Brendan – hope you like rugby
I suspect that much of England has rugby on its mind even though it’s being played in France (conveniently beaten by the English last week or so). It appears that Brendan does as … Read more >>
FT 12,593/Bradman
Although Bradman is a prolific stalwart of several national dailies, his FT appearances seem to approximate at only monthly in frequency. So the fact that publication also coincides with our sporadic FT blogging … Read more >>
Independent 6555/Phi
I rattled through this puzzle but fell at the final hurdle, well as 24ac and 17dn. Across 5 PAYSLIP — PAYS + LIP — pays is French for country. 9 DOUBLE-BARRELLED — DOUBLE … Read more >>
Guardian 24211 / Auster – Monster mistake
Solving time: 9 minutes Sometimes when I encounter what I believe to be a less than adequate puzzle, I tell myself that it’s aimed at the easier end of the scale and solvers … Read more >>
Independent 6554/Merlin
Just spotted the Nina in this puzzle – look at the unchecked letters around the perimeter (the left-hand side doesn’t work properly because it needs a three-letters rather than four). Across 5 BORE … Read more >>
Financial Times 12,582 by Cincinnus
This was for me a bit more difficult than the average Cincinnus but just as impressive. There were two clues I did not completely understand (10A and 19D). Across 1. BOOTBLACK – BOOT … Read more >>