Never knowingly undersolved
Solving time: Bits and pieces in about 1h For the first time in my (limited) Araucarian experience, nary a cross-referenced clue. Not much need for a dictionary either: though 14D, while making some … Read more >>
Across 1 PAD,U,A – accomodation=”pad” 4 CHE in BUT, RED – Nice clue for beginners: Che (Guevara) is the crossword solver’s favourite revolutionary and a communist is almost always “red”. 9 CH, APTER … Read more >>
Message from Dave Tilley: I am delighted to announce that the proposed collection of Bunthorne puzzles will be available within two or three weeks. Thanks to the very kind support of the Guardian … Read more >>
Solving time : about 20 minutes. I noticed before writing this that Virgilius appears in the Independent today and that there is, as usual, a theme. Well, this puzzle from Virgilius’s alter ego … Read more >>
Solving time : yonks, bits of two 40 minute bus journeys with interruptions This is a delayed post due to problems uploading the review last night, Neil stepping in when I didn’t appear. … Read more >>
Solving time: 11:30 First step: have a look at the grid. Notice that starting at the black cross next to 12, and emerging at the other side in the one next to 22, … Read more >>
Solving time: 16’ Mixture of clichéd crossword idioms and some clever wordplay. As usual, not a shaky surface in sight. Apologies for not posting this yesterday – there’s a complicated story involving Geneva, … Read more >>
A superb offering from Monk, one of my favourite setters. This was fairly easy in parts (I did half of it in about 15 minutes) but the NE corner was fiendishly difficult. Tough … Read more >>
Solving time: probably 35’ total with lots of interruptions Everyman grew up in the post-war Observer as Ximenes’s relatively easy puzzle. His guidelines (as I just learned in his “Art of the Crossword”) … Read more >>
Solving time 15:40 I like to see Scorpion puzzles, and I’m pleased to be writing the first Scorpion posting here on “225” – here’s why. From time to time, would-be setters send me … Read more >>
The last puzzle from one of the very best setters. Across 1 ACHILLES TENDON – I saw “heel” and stupidly assumed it was there to lead you away from Achilles. Unless it was … Read more >>
Solving time : about 20 minutes A classic Phi puzzle, very fair Ximenean clues with a few cryptic definitions thrown into the mix. Across 1 PAST+ORAL — ORAL is always a good guess … Read more >>
Quixote is, as most will know, Don Manley of the Chambers Crossword Manual, the 4th edtion of which has recently appeared. Highly recommended, especially for help in explaining all the clue types and … Read more >>
An easier day today after yesterday’s toughie from Paul. Auster is a very occasional setter for the Guardian – one or two puzzles a year I think. Across 5 HOARDED – anag of … Read more >>
Solving time: 6:04 An impressive 11 answers on a 24dn theme, though only 13ac, 14dn and possibly 16ac are likely to have caused any difficulty for anyone with only a passing knowledge. I … Read more >>