Independent 10526 / Eccles
I always enjoy blogging an Eccles puzzle. This was good fun with lots of smooth clues as always. My favourite was the one for ENTERITIS at 3 down where the … Read more >>
Inquisitor 1653: Lemon Time by Triton
Triton returns to a previous character when his friend, the setter Andy Lemon, is kidnapped again. Andy first appeared in Inquisitor 1579 in February last year. In that blog, Ken Mackenzie noted that … Read more >>
Financial Times 16,522 by FLIMSY
Worth a look, if you haven’t tried it. Mostly straightforward but with some teasers in the bottom left which gave me pause. Enjoyed it. Thanks to Flimsy. ACROSS 1 INDUSTRY Attempt to follow … Read more >>
Guardian Cryptic 28,179 by Imogen
A tricky set of clues after what felt like a very quick start. I particularly liked the four outer clues, as well as 5dn, 17dn, and 19dn. Thanks to Imogen. Getting ELBOW ROOM, … Read more >>
Independent 10,525 by Kairos
Very hard work today. Kairos has produced a sound enough crossword so far as I can see, but I have to admit that I didn’t really enjoy it much, probably my fault because … Read more >>
Quiptic 1,077 by Beale
I don’t think I’ve met Beale before – he/she seems to have returned to the Quiptic slot recently after a break. Nice to meet you! This was perhaps not the easiest of Quiptics … Read more >>
Independent 10,524 by Vigo
A gentle Monday cryptic. I had a couple of quibbles, which I've detailed in the blog. There were a few old chestnuts like orchestra but also some good surface readings. 9 has to … Read more >>
Financial Times 16,521 by ZAMORCA
A ZAMORCA to start off Monday… Not much to say really… nothing too taxing here, though the precise parsing of some of them was a little awkward. I suppose 7d might be a … Read more >>
Guardian 28,178 – Carpathian
I initially thought this was Carpathian’s debut in the Cryptic slot, but a little research showed me that I had in fact blogged her first such effort a few weeks ago. I can … Read more >>
Azed 2507
A quick start on this: after my first pass through the clues I found I’d solved 18. This would normally have been exactly half, but unusually this grid has 18 acrosses and 20 … Read more >>
Everyman 3,846/28 June
Another pleasing and entertaining puzzle from Everyman. I particularly liked the range of subject matter that came up today. The bird, natch; but it also got me looking into a few people/places/books that … Read more >>
Independent 1584 Tees
Another Sunday Teeser. Thanks to Tees. Definitions are underlined in the clues. Across 1 Bloomer from servant in base with Poles touring States (5-4,5) BLACK-EYED SUSAN : LACKEY(a servant) contained in(in) BED(base/bottom, such … Read more >>
Guardian Genius 204 by Soup
Soup provides this month’s challenge for the old grey matter The preamble reads: Definitions in all clues are normal, but you must count on a knowledge of French and German (as well as … Read more >>
Independent 10,523 by Tyrus
We solved the last Tyrus at the end of May which we said was ‘a pleasant solve’. We wish that we could have said the same again today. Our least favourite was 18ac … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No. 1440: Unusual Grounds by Kruger
Hi everyone, I hope you are well. I’m very happy indeed that this series has escaped the axe (for now) and would like to thank all those who stepped up in support – … Read more >>