Independent 6286/Nimrod – Hat trick
Solving time: 14:20, of which 5 mins on 8ac and 1dn. Nimrod continues his recent theme of epic constructions today: just 22 clues in this puzzle, which includes six crossing 15-letter words and … Read more >>
Guardian 23,944: Thank Puck it’s Friday
Is it just me, or have the crosswords been getting harder since we started reviewing them? This one took a good half-hour, with half a dozen or so clues coming quickly, then a … Read more >>
Independent on Sunday 877 by Quixote – Some clever misdirection and puns
Some very clever misdirection and puns in this puzzle. Solving time, 23 mins * = anagram ACROSS 10 C(h)OPPER Busy = slang for policeman 12 f(ACTOR)y Workplace “not taking sides” 14 PHILATELISTS late … Read more >>
Independent 6285 / Monk What you see might not be what you get!
Solving time: 34 minutes Life is full of worries and paradoxes. Mrs Dale (for those of us of an age) always worried about Jim. Me? I worry about Simon McStraphanger. Who he, I … Read more >>
Guardian 23943/Paul – Duffer
Solving time: 13:59, with one careless mistake (22dn) plus another I’m not sure of (1d). Some very clever clues today with largely convincing surfaces, and just a couple of Guardianisms (25ac, 7d), by … Read more >>
Independent 6284/Dac
Solving time : 20 minutes A good quality puzzle, as usual, from Dac. The puzzle had what felt like a preponderance of proper names in the answers, the wordplay and a few clues: … Read more >>
Guardian 23942/Araucaria – Celery! Apples! Walnuts! Grapes!
Solving time: 20 mins (1 missing) I found the bottom left half harder than the top right, but had almost finished after 10 mins. I then spent another 10 trying unsuccessfully to make … Read more >>
Guardian 23941/Brummie
Around 20 minutes. A fairly straightforward puzzle for me with a few long anagrams providing a good start and very fair clues. Across 1 SINGLE FIGURES — This got me for a while … Read more >>
Independent 6283 by Virgilius – Easy theme, some gems
I pencilled BURDEN in over-confidently for 8 Across. This delayed me. Solved in just under 20 mins, a bit slower than usual for Virgilius, where a theme usually becomes clear to help the … Read more >>
Independent 6282/Phi – It only feels like yesterday…
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a compiler appear so soon after their previous appearance (we saw Phi just last Friday). Not that I’m complaining. I’ll add my name to list of Phi’s … Read more >>
Guardian 23940/Rufus – it ALL came together
Solving time: 20’ I stared at this puzzle for a few minutes, scanning clues, until one of the long ones clicked: ALL OVER THE PLACE. From that point on things went rather more … Read more >>
Azed 1800 “Sly Oaf” – excellent thematic crossword
Solving time 1:03:33. A rare thematic puzzle from Azed this week to mark puzzle no. 1800. There’s an extra letter in every clue which has to be removed before solving. These letters in … Read more >>
Everyman 3139 – wasn’t paying attention
I wasn’t paying attention and that’s what I filled in at 11A instead of ATTENTIVE which made the NE corner a spot of bother. Nice puzzle with good balance of clue types. If … Read more >>
Guardian 23933/Araucaria
Typically Araucarian puzzle with a theme of coloured butterflys. There was a nice bit of deception in the note above the puzzle which said that the four undefined clues “were connected with a … Read more >>
Independent 6275/Monk – Lacking headgear
This puzzle was deliberately scheduled to appear on the 25th and it became apparent why as the grid was filled in. Unchecked letters at the top and bottom and left and right read … Read more >>