A quicker solve than usual for a Qaos puzzle, but with some tricky parsing to complete at the end. Lots of favourites including 24ac, 29ac, 1dn, 5dn, 7dn, 8dn, 15dn, and 23dn.
Inquisitor 1784: Profile by Eclogue
Here is the Eclogue duo for the third time in 2022. Preamble: Clues are presented in normal order. Corrected letters of misprints in the definitions of all clues provide possible creators of … Read more >>
Financial Times 17301 Bobcat
Thank you to Bobcat. Definitions are underlined in the clues. Across 1. Bombshell hasn’t the head for drink (4) HOCK : “shock”(a bombshell/a surprise) minus its 1st letter(hasn’t the head). 3. It’s forbidden … Read more >>
Guardian 28,963 – Brummie
An enjoyable puzzle with not too many holdups, though one clue has got its parts mixed up. Thanks to Brummie. Brummie’s puzzles often have a ghost theme, but if there’s one here I … Read more >>
Independent 11,309 by Serpent
It’s a Serpent today. Great news!
Azed No. 2,637 Plain – Competition Puzzle
Apart from the problem (so far as I can see) with 29dn, this is a good example of the elegant clueing that we have come to associate with Azed. I sometimes grumble about his surfaces (what does 20ac for example actually mean?), but he does produce these things week after week, not to say a whole lot of clue-judging and regular specials, and he generally does try hard to get decent surfaces; there are as always some lovely clues (like 30ac and 27dn).
Definitions underlined in crimson. Anagram indicators in italics.
Inquisitor Review of 2021-22 by Nimrod
Inquisitor Review of 2021-22 by Nimrod As another year draws to a close, thanks from all of the team for a wonderfully distracting and educational collection of puzzles. A Trivial Pursuit – IV … Read more >>
Crossword Masterclasses – a message from Boatman
Crossword Masterclass in Sussex for Aspiring Setters and Advanced Solvers My next in-person masterclass will take place in April. The contents of the class will be the same as usual, split into two … Read more >>
Financial Times 17,300 by PETO
PETO kicks off the week…
Guardian Quiptic 1,208/Anto
As often happens with this setter in Quiptic mode (which he at least appears to be in here), there are a small number of clues which seem a bit clunky, or over-engineered. Your … Read more >>
Independent 11,308/Wire
My first blog of 2023 brings me a Wire puzzle in the Independent. Happy days. Abbreviations cd cryptic definition dd double definition cad clue as definition (xxxx)* anagram anagrind = anagram indicator [x] … Read more >>
Guardian Cryptic 28,962 by Matilda
A gentle start to the week from Matilda.
Independent on Sunday 1,715 by Kairos
Sunday rolls on and Kairos brings some puzzlement for us.
Everyman 3,976
Have you noticed that Everyman crosswords are always of 28 letters? So far as I can see, anyway. Why should the setter slave away for those extra few clues? Not that it matters. The standard is good, as it has been becoming for a while; good surfaces (apart from 15ac, 7dn and 19dn I think) and sound clueing, with the usual constraints of the first letters clue, the self-referential clue, and the alliterative clues. Actually I can’t see any of the last here — it looks as if Everyman has deviated from the norm and has included two long answers of two words, with the same first word.
Definitions in crimson, underlined. Indicators (anagram, homophone, reversal, etc. in italics). Link-words in green.
Independent 11,307 by Quince (Saturday Puzzle 7 January 2023)
After almost exactly 12 years and 128 Saturday Independent blogs, I have decided it is time to ‘pass on the baguette‘, as Matt Lucas recently put it…and this was a pleasant solve to finish on, although I needed some matriarchal assistance…