Maize fills the Saturday slot this week.
Guardian Saturday puzzle 28,470 / Vlad
A worthy Saturday challenge from Vlad, which I enjoyed from beginning to end. I got off to a flying start with the witty anagram at 1ac, which made me smile and gave half … Read more >>
Financial Times 16,815 by WANDERER
A fun challenge from WANDERER this Friday.
Guardian 28,475 / Tramp
Tramp is one of my favourite setters and so, as stand-in blogger today, I feel lucky that this puzzle fell to me to blog. There is a pervasive theme, inspired by the recent … Read more >>
Independent 10,821 by Phi
Phi’s regular Friday challenge. He’s given us quite a few of these over the years, hasn’t he?
Guardian Cryptic 28474 Pasquale
Thank you to Pasquale. Definitions are underlined in the clues. Across 1. East Anglian town that’s ‘stumped’ (stumped in time of prosperity) (6) BOSTON : ST(abbrev. for “stumped” by the wicket-keeper, in cricket … Read more >>
Independent 10,820 by Serpent
Another Serpent for us to solve and blog. Our last one was back in April.
Financial Times 16,814 by BUCCANEER
Buccaneer continues to impress.
Financial Times 16,804 by Mudd
Non-prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of June 5, 2021
Enigmatic Variations No.1490 – BORICAHF by Picadilly
The preamble
“Answers to the four asterisked clues are to be encoded using a Playfair code-square before entry in the grid. The three unclued entries have been encoded using the same code-square, as has BORICAHF. Chambers Dictionary (2016) is recommended. ”
Financial Times 16,813 by GOZO
A puzzle that requires some knowledge of the theme to complete. I could confidently write in maybe half the themed answers but the rest involved much guessing and checking.
Independent 10,819 / Gila
Gila latest puzzle provides this Wednesday’s cruciverbal challenge. I found this to be an entertaining, medium-difficulty puzzle, which was pitched at exactly the right level for the middle of the week. I solved … Read more >>
Guardian Cryptic 28,473 by Brummie
The puzzle may be found at https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/cryptic/28473.
Inquisitor 1702: Heavenly Deductions by Dysart
The last time Dysart set a puzzle was in 2019, when Kenmac had the pleasure (?) of deciphering a difficult puzzle concerning Billy the Kid. I found this one pretty tricky and spent … Read more >>
Guardian 28,472 / Qaos
I’m a fan of Qaos’ puzzles and I was pleased to see his name today. The added challenge is to spot the theme, because there always is one, and that makes me nervous … Read more >>