Guardian 24,140 – Auster/Mixed bag
This is the first time I have blogged an Auster puzzle. This one has a real mix of very clever and very easy clues, as well as one or two that don’t pass … Read more >>
Guardian Prize Crossword 24135 / Pasquale – Phew!!
Solving Time: 68 minutes Probably the toughest Guardian crossword I have encountered in a very long time. I made a good start with the big anagram but it just went backwards with unfamiliar … Read more >>
Independent on Sunday 910 by Quixote – straightforward
Solving time: 14 mins * = anagram ACROSS 1 DOGS BODY 5 AV Authorised Version (of the Bible) EST (“is” in French) A. Texts from Zoroastrianism (or had you moved on to the … Read more >>
FT12520 / Bradman The link between Bradman and Ena Sharples
Solving Time: 26 minutes The answer to my question is contained in today’s 1 across. Another nice puzzle and, I’m pleased to say, a great deal easier than his appearance as Pasquale in … Read more >>
Guardian 24139/Gordius – no letup for George…
The last time I blogged a Gordius puzzle was just a couple of weeks ago (10th July anyway), and it was memorable for a few things. I had to rush my cat to … Read more >>
Independent 6478/Math – (affects Monty Burns-style voice) Excellent!
An excellent and thoroughly enjoyable puzzle from Math. There’s a theme too, but you don’t need to know anything about The Simpsons in order to complete the grid as all of the thematic … Read more >>
Financial Times 12,510 by Cincinnus
Another elegant puzzle from Cincinnus that I found a bit more difficult than most of his. Across 1. TERMINALLY – TALLY about ERMIN[e] 7. SURE – S[nake] + URE, the Ure being a … Read more >>
Guardian 24,138, Paul: Ich bin ein Berliner
Yes, as JFK said, I truly am a doughnut – I’ve been waiting for someone else to post, when all along it was me – d’oh! A nice Pauline puzzle anyway, mit einem Deutschen Thema … Read more >>
FT 12,519/ Cinephile
Some good-humoured stuff from Cinephile. A little lighter on thematic content than I’ve come to expect from him, although he did exploit the idiosyncrasies of this FT-specific grid (effectively four separate quadrants) to fill … Read more >>
Independent 6481 / Dac Solid stuff
Apologies for the lateness. Trip to Manchester that turned into a nightmare and nearly resulted in an overnight hospital stay. Solving time: 23 minutes Like Phi, Dac always produces solid dependable puzzles that always … Read more >>
Guardian 24137 Araucaria Posted by Simply_Simon July 24th 2007
Across 1 COQUET 4ALNMOUTH This was my start point. It looked like an anagram, and that gave me 21 across. 10 AND OR RAN 11 IN DISC R IM IN ATE 12 PRE … Read more >>
Independent 6480 by Virgilius – Reversals and much more
Even by Virgilius’ exalted standards, I thought this was really special – famous names reversed being a big part of it. The theme revealed itself gradually as the grid filled up. Solving … Read more >>
FT 12518 / Flimsy – Straightforward(ish)
Solving Time: 14 minutes Fairly straightforward fare with a couple of nice off-the-wall clues. Bit baffled by 24 down. ACROSS * = Anagram (r) = Reversal (CD) = Cryptic definition 1 MEMBER (RE)MEMBER 5 … Read more >>
Independent 6479 by Tees
Across 1 LOTHARIO – T + HARI in LOO 10 COMIC – COSMIC minus S (close to tears) 11 SEA URCHIN – SEA(U)RCH + IN 16 DONKEY – DON + KEY 26 ENNUI … Read more >>
Guardian 24136/Rufus – oops
Quite a few cryptic definitions again this week – some are good, some less so. But that judgment all depends on your mood I suppose. When I don’t like a CD, I suspect … Read more >>