Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of February 9, 2019
Financial Times 16,096 by GOZO
As always a themed puzzle from Gozo. I didn’t know them all but each themed answer is gettable from the wordplay alone. Thank you Gozo.
Guardian Cryptic 27,749 by Nutmeg
Nutmeg provides this morning’s Guardian challenge.
Independent 10095 / Eccles
An Eccles puzzle for our entertainment today. I enjoyed this puzzle which contained some very good clue surfaces. The one that defeated me longest was my last one in, 4 … Read more >>
Inquisitor 1581: Almost Surely by Hedge-sparrow
Hedge-sparrow makes a debut in the Inquisitor series with this puzzle. I have solved a few Hedge-sparrow puzzles before in the Listener series. The preamble read: "In the completed grid, … Read more >>
Financial Times 16,095 by HAMILTON
A dogged fight versus Hamilton this morning and one which I seem to have lost…
Independent 10094 by Radian
(Why have they stopped giving the number and author of the crossword, so that one has to put it in by hand?)
As always with Radian, an utterly satisfactory experience. Many can be explained very simply, although that doesn’t mean they were trivially easy. There is one (22ac) which I can’t understand, but usually in these cases the parsing is perfectly obvious once it’s explained. (There was one … but it became clear when I was looking over what I wrote. Yes quite obvious.)
Definitions in maroon, underlined. Anagram indicators in italics.
Guardian Cryptic 27,748 by Arachne
The puzzle may be found at https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/cryptic/27748.
Guardian 27,747 / Vulcan
It’s Vulcan back in the Monday slot. We have the familiar medley of charades, anagrams and double / cryptic definitions, some of which I found rather weak, to ease us into … Read more >>
Independent 10093 by Tees
I wasn’t 100% sure who set this, since I solved it on the Crossword blogging site and that did not give a name. It does have the feel of a Tees but slightly more toned down than usual – not as many pop culture references and slightly obscure words.
Financial Times 16,094 by CRUX
An interesting CRUX kicks off the week…
Quiptic 1,005 by Hectence
Hectence’s turn in the Quiptic slot this week.
Cyclops 644 – Bereft Proposal
I couldn’t scientifically or statistically tell you if this was a below/above average or completely typical Cyclops…but I know a man who could…(see below) In fact I have to admit I solved and … Read more >>
Sloggers and Betters – Leicester, May 4th
Just to let you know in good time to put the date in your diary that this year’s ‘Derby Day’, arranged by the East Midlands Consortium [Chris and Lynette {aka Bert and Joyce}, … Read more >>
Everyman 3,774
It’s an Everyman, Jim, but not as we know it. If you haven’t been following proceedings, Colin Gumbrell, who produced the Everyman puzzle every week for a number of … Read more >>