Inquisitor 43 – NAIRO by Loda
Solving time: 1.5 – 2 hours – Chambers used for 25D only There was early mention of this puzzle on Derek Harrison’s message board, which indicated that one of the green squares was … Read more >>
FT 12,604/Aardvark
Was relieved to avoid an overly-taxing puzzle today, as I think recent sleep deprivation is catching up on me. A couple of good though-provoking devices nestled away in here, though. My parsing of … Read more >>
Independent 6566 / Nimrod – Clever Stuff
Solving Time: 20 minutes The usual clever puzzle from Nimrod that was ejoyable to solve with some good laugh-out-loud clues. ACROSS (* = ANAG / (cd) = Cryptic definition / (R) = Reversal) … Read more >>
Guardian 24223/Orlando
Solving time – about half an hour in two sessions. I started off quite quickly and had half of it done within 5 minutes, but then ground to a halt and had to … Read more >>
Independent on Sunday 924 by Quixote
I found this easier than usual. Solving time: 14 mins. Notes on some clues below – happy to explain others if asked. * = anagram ACROSS 11 TOAST Double definition 13 APPLE … Read more >>
Financial Times 12,594 by Cinephile
Cinephile is well on form with this fine themed puzzle. Most of the across clues include “beast” and have answers that start with names of animals. This was an easier theme to work … Read more >>
Inquisitors
The report for No. 42 is now complete. And 43 is solved so will be blogged promptly. But loonapick and I would still love to have one or two other Inquisitor solvers to … Read more >>
Independent 6565/Dac — a river runs through it.
Usual high quality fare from Dac: excellent surfaces, good clear wordplay, and at least one I have failed to get. Across 1 FLIGHT CREW — F+LIGHT+CREW(e) — “Those serving in air” is an … Read more >>
Guardian 24,222 – Araucaria/Is there a theme?
A typically challenging puzzle from the master himself. There are a few mini-themes such as religion (NUNNERY, WHITED SEPULCHRE, LOURDES, EXCOMMUNICATION), the Crusades (GRAIL, BALDWIN), a couple of medical terms (FEMORAL, LUSTRAL) and … Read more >>
Independent 6564/Virgilius
More thematic wizardry from my favourite compiler: spot the colours in 6 across clues. Across 1 BROWN-NOSED – little bit of politics from Virgilius there. 6 PS,ST 10 TOT in LIES – LITOTES … Read more >>
Inquisitor 42 – Twenty years later by Schadenfreude
loonapick had to admit defeat on this puzzle. This was partly because the theme of the puzzle mainly affected England rather than Scotland. It was Michael Fish and his quote about the telephoned hurricane … Read more >>
Guardian 24221/Pasquale — hard not easy
This was hard. Not easy. Some of the clues seem better suited to a weekend puzzle — not to the mention the fact that the online version didn’t indicate enumerations (word divisions) at … Read more >>
Independent 6563 by Tees
I found this very tough indeed. Usually where there is a theme with interlinked answers, it’s slower but I thought this might be different when I found 16 across etc after just 12 … Read more >>
Guardian 24,220, Paul: Follow the grapes
Just a quick post to get the ball rolling as I’m in a training course all day. Not sure why we have the treat of a Paul on a Monday – is Rufus … Read more >>
Guardian 24,213 (Sat 20 Oct)/Araucaria – A lemon tree, Watson
Solving time: 14:15 Not too difficult this week from Araucaria, with no monster phrases or multiple cross-references. The top right corner held me up at the end, as did the long down clue … Read more >>