An enjoyable mix, with some tougher clues and tricky parsing. Favourites were 29ac, 4dn, and 25dn. Thanks to Anto for the puzzle
Everyman 3,925
A good crossword from Everyman this week. No major criticisms and few minor.
Definitions underlined, in crimson. Indicators (anagrams, homophones, hidden, etc) in italics. Anagrams indicated *(like this) or (this)*. I’d like to indicate the link-words in some way, but my fear is that I’ll make it all so complicated that it will be pointless; however, I’ll make them green (actually there aren’t many — the sign of good tight setting). Let me know if this helps.
Azed No. 2,586 Plain – Competition Puzzle
A typical Azed experience for me.
Independent on Sunday 1,663 by Wire
A middle difficulty puzzle, all is gettable but not given away. Thank you Wire.
Independent 10,995 by Knut
The puzzle is available here. Hi all. Knut lets us have our cake and eat it today, serving up a puzzle which I found not too hard but delectable. He also generously … Read more >>
Guardian Saturday Prize Crossword 28,643 by Brendan (1 January 2022)
I foolishly started trying to solve this puzzle when I went to bed, pleasantly sozzled, at about 2am on New Year’s Day. I didn’t make too much progress before nodding off, and needed a clearer head in the late morning to get it finished…
Guardian Cryptic 28,648 by Picaroon
A very enjoyable solve…
Independent 10994 / Phi
Phi gives us a puzzle with a clearly stated theme today The theme is defined by the entry at 3 down, PARLIAMENT,. A number of clues have a simple definition … Read more >>
Financial Times 16,986 by ALBERICH
A typical ALBERICH offering, challenging and enjoyable in equal parts.
Independent 10,993 by Rodriguez
An unusual grid for today’s puzzle . . .
Guardian 28,647 – Vlad
The impaler is in a fairly gentle mood today: a couple of entries may be unfamiliar, but are helpfully clued. Thanks to Vlad. Across 1 DEAN OF FACULTY Restructure due — can’t lay … Read more >>
Financial Times 16,985 by GOLIATH
Goliath is this morning's FT setter.
Enigmatic Variations No. 1519: Satisfaction 2 by proXimal
I’ve certainly had plenty of SATISFACTION from 2021’s EV puzzles. Maybe our esteemed EV editor, proXimal, is asking whether you have had SATISFACTION 2?…
FT Christmas Crossword 2021 by Gozo
Non-prize crossword published in the FT of December 23, 2021 Gozo appears as usual to give us a goody for our Christmas, a semi-alphabetical. I am treating it like a Weekend FT crossword … Read more >>
Financial Times 16,984 by MUDD
I have not blogged a Mudd puzzle for ages. I had forgotten how entertaining they are. Thank you Mudd.