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 >>
Independent on Sunday 876 by Quixote – Longer at the last two clues than all the others
All but two solved in 11 mins, 14 mins for those two making 25 mins in all. 7 across and 2 down which intersected – covered in notes below. As always with Quixote, all … Read more >>
Independent 6280 by Phi Easy, but top quality as always
This has all I’ve learnt to expect from a Phi puzzle. Perfectly worded clues, credible surface readings, variety, and a satisfied solver at the end. I solved it in 15 mins. * = … Read more >>
Guardian 23,938/Arachne – Caught in a web
A mixed bag. I found half the clues came very quickly, but there was a stubborn hard core, one of which eluded me to the end (but see comments for solution). Eight proper … Read more >>
Independent 6279/Nestor – what a challenge!
This was hard by Indy daily standards – and there’s one I don’t understand and fear I missed – any guidance welcomed! Solving time (if I’ve got it!) 60 mins (way longer than … Read more >>
Today’s Independent puzzle by Nestor
Apologies for the delay – a review of today’s debut by Nestor will appear shortly.
Guardian 23937/Pasquale – pretty tough for a weekday puzzle
Solving time – 45 minutes. I feel sorry for anyone trying to do this on the train – after struggling in vain for 20 minutes to get half of it I resorted to … Read more >>
Guardian 23936/Gordius – Whose teeth are gnashing?
[This is actually courtesy of loonapick who due to technical difficulties asked me to post… so please direct all compliments to him and complaints to me about the formatting] Gordius is a regular … Read more >>
Independent 6278/Dac – and so to Beds.
Some of you may have seen this post appear, disappear and reappear. That’s because I posted on the wrong day after looking at last week’s schedule and then removed it while I found … Read more >>
Independent 6277/Virgilius – That’s logic
Solving time: 13:16 (one mistake) Another excellent puzzle from Virgilius with a theme (7, arguably 10 answers) based on a work by one of my favourite authors. Anyone unfamiliar with the excerpt in … Read more >>
Guardian 23935/Araucaria – no good deed…
No good deed goes unpunished. I volunteered to do Tuesday’s cryptic thinking that I’ll probably get someone tractable like Shed, Quantum, etc. – but no… and we’re left with four wordplays I can’t … Read more >>
Independent 6276 by Obtrox – Nervous start
Solvers of advanced cryptics will recognise the name Obtrox as he/she has compiled a number of crosswords for the Listener, Enigmatic Variations and the Independent’s own Weekend Magazine over the past few years. … Read more >>
Guardian 23934/Rufus – I’m DOWN
Typical fair Rufus fare. A couple of nice turns of phrase (e.g. 24D), one Shakespearean reference that had me checking Hamlet (22D) and a wordplay whose decoding had me going for a bit … Read more >>
Azed 1799
Azed – A brief introduction If you regularly finish the puzzles in the “dailies” and fancy a new challenge then a barred crossword like Azed (or Beelzebub in the Independent and Mephisto in … Read more >>
Observer 3138/Everyman – The Cs have it
Seems like the theme might have been words starting with C given the high proportion (CHERISHED, CARPETBAGGERS, CROWN, CHILE PINE, CHESS, CHRISTABEL, CONFIDENT). Quite an accessible puzzle with generally sensible surfaces (except for … Read more >>