Another new setter today – welcome to the Independent and 225, Mev.
Financial Times 16,766 by LEONIDAS
My second Leonidas, and it was a pleasure.
Enigmatic Variations No.1482 – Map by Gaston
“Eight suitably positioned and thematically connected elements are hidden in the completed grid. Five of these are of a kind and should be coloured appropriately (35 cells). Three others (the first and last two on the MAP) should each be highlighted by drawing rectangles round the relevant elements (13 cells in total). Solvers should add to the MAP by finding a ninth element, forever associated with the theme, whose six cells should be coloured brown, including one cell that had been shaded earlier. Apart from one that is L-shaped, all elements are in straight lines. Two answers are abbreviations. ”
Financial Times 16,756 by Mudd
Non-prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of April 10, 2021
Independent 10,771 / Eccles
Eccles has provided our dose of cruciverbal entertainment this Wednesday. I found this to be a medium-difficulty puzzle, just right for the mid-week slot. I noticed that there was something going on around … Read more >>
Financial Times 16,765 by GOZO
A super puzzle today with some intriguing instructions. Thank you Gozo.
Guardian Cryptic 28,425 by Philistine
A mix of difficulties, with some clues going in very quickly at the beginning, and others with trickier bits of parsing that took a while to sort out. Favourites were 1ac, 19ac, 20ac, and 17/22. Thanks to Philistine
Inquisitor 1694: Link by Augeas
It’s a year since Augeas last set an Inquisitor puzzle – the one about Aunt Ada Doom and Cold Comfort Farm. It had a very simple preamble. This one was more complex. It … Read more >>
Financial Times 16,764 by ARTEXLEN
A thorough Tuesday workout.
Independent 10770 / Radian
Radian is a setter who appears frequently in the Independent series ands his puzzles are always entertaining There is a clear theme today with many entries referring to food, methods … Read more >>
Guardian 28,424 – Nutmeg
I blogged Nutmeg’s previous puzzle, and said then that was “a nice mixture of easy clues to get me started and some chewier ones that took a bit of teasing out”, and this … Read more >>
Financial Times 16,763 by GURNEY
Thanks to Gurney for the very enjoyable challenge this morning.
Independent 10,769/Gila
A challenging in places puzzle from Gila to start the week. Abbreviations cd cryptic definition dd double definition cad clue as definition (xxxx)* anagram anagrind = anagram indicator [x] letter(s) removed definitions … Read more >>
Guardian Cryptic 28,423 by Vulcan
A straightforward, but enjoyable, start to the solving week.
Guardian Quiptic 1,118/Hectence
A sound Quiptic from Hectence, with one or two trickier clues that less experienced solvers might have needed some crossers for. But isn’t that how most crosswords work – get a foothold and … Read more >>