Guardian 23,921/Araucaria – tough thematic puzzle
Solving time 24:41 This was a nice example of the kind of challenge that has made Araucaria probably the best-loved cryptic setter we have. The theme turns out to be a subset of … Read more >>
Independent 6263/Nimrod – W O N T O N C U D
I got confused about who was writing what and wrote stuff on both of last Saturday’s puzzles. So this one is a duplicate… another excuse for putting it up is that I referred to links … Read more >>
Independent Saturday Prize Puzzle 6263 by Nimrod
Solving Time: 23 minutes An enjoyable Saturday romp from Nimrod with a topical theme given the recently announced departure of Des from Countdown. If the puzzle had a weakness, it was that Countdown … Read more >>
Independent 6268/Nimrod – Frankly, my dear, I stalled on 5 down
Solving time: 11:05 Not the easiest, but I think I made a bit of a meal of some of this, although there were a few difficult words. Nimrod continues a recent theme of … Read more >>
Guardian 23,926 by Logodaedalus
Pretty straightforward, took four to five tube stops (10-12 mins). ACROSS 9 ABODE. AB + ode – has anyone had to use the abbreviation for Able Seaman outside crossword-land? Sailor can also give ‘tar’ … Read more >>
Independent on Sunday 874 by Quixote Easy and good
I found this very easy, solved in 13 mins. Typical Quixote style, light in cultural references, homing in on the everyday experience of the solver.Simple constructions with, I think, just three complete anagrams. … Read more >>
Independent 6267 by Phi – Typical high quality puzzle, average in difficulty
Everything perfectly constructed, wording to set you off on the wrong track at first in some cases. Solved in 18 mins – about average for me for a Phi Indy. ACROSS 7 PRINT … Read more >>
Guardian 23925/Orlando
Solving time – 11:17 Would have been about three minutes quicker but I got stuck on 1ac(!) and 2dn – from the checking letters I saw SANG FROID, which I knew didn’t make … Read more >>
Guardian 23924/Araucaria – no cross-references!
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 >>
Independent 6266/Dac
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 >>
Bunthorne book
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 >>
Guardian 23923/Brendan — Spot the theme
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 >>
Independent 6264/Monk — two bad bus journeys’ worth
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 >>
Independent 6265/Virgilius
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 >>
Guardian 23922/Rufus – cliched but clean
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 >>