Never knowingly undersolved
I found this a real toughie from Filbert this morning, and there is one I can’t parse. Abbreviations cd cryptic definition dd double definition cad clue as definition (xxxx)* anagram anagrind = anagram … Read more >>
A new setter it seems today, it’s a Death Watch beetle, lovely.
A nice crossword from Everyman. The surfaces are better than they used to be. There seemed to be quite a lot of link-words, something that for some reason doesn’t happen much with the very best setters. The grid below shows the answers where there were initial letters or self-reference. I wasn’t sure whether to highlight 12ac and 20ac, since they are a bit similar.
Definitions in crimson, underlined. Indicators (anagram, juxtaposition, homophone, reversal, etc.) in italics. Link-words in green. Anagrams indicated like this *(anagram) or this (anagram)*.
Qaos gave us an interesting puzzle this month using a clue device that I have never seen before. The preamble was short and to the point when it stated that … Read more >>
I know what day it is now. It’s April Fool’s Day. It is also the day I fail to fully solve a puzzle I’m scheduled to blog. This has not happened for a … Read more >>
This is my first blog of a Qaos Grauniad cryptic puzzle, although I have covered three of his Genius puzzles – including Genius 130, as far back as 2014…
Weekend puzzle from the FT of March 25, 2023
A fun and witty challenge from LEONIDAS today.
After a sequence of fine puzzles, Brendan rounds off the week with another of his impressive gridfills. The key to the puzzle is in the middle row: in both clues and solutions we … Read more >>
Phi is in his usual place in the Independent roster – Friday. I seem to have used more colours than usual in this blog which indicates that this is a … Read more >>
An enjoyable challenge from Filbert.
Today's FT puzzle was set by Artexlen.
A very tough solve overall – glad there were some easier clues to get started. Enjoyed a lot of the surfaces and the challenge to get it all parsed. Favourites 9ac, 12ac, 15ac, 25ac, 7dn, 8dn, and 17dn. Thanks to Tramp
“Some cells accommodate more than one letter, clashing with crossing entries to form thematic material (only the first and last letters of these should be entered). Other UNDEFINED PARAMETERS provide an instruction. Chambers Dictionary (2016) is recommended.”
Wonderful to see Monk this morning.