A Brexit themed puzzle from Julius, and I’m not going to comment any further on that subject! Thanks Julius and congratulations/commiserations to you as appropriate.
Inquisitor 1450: Triptych by Phi
In a hurry as I’m away next week when this blog is due to be published. I started to write the blog before completing the grid, but had solved the outstanding issues by the … Read more >>
Guardian 26,964 – Screw
Mostly quite gentle by this setter’s standards, with some very easy clues to get us started, but also some trickier ones,
Financial Times 15,320 by GURNEY
Simplicity with some elegance from Gurney today.
Independent 9310 / Crosophile
Crosophile has given us what I think is a theme and message free crossword today. The first few acrosses went in very quickly but it then took me a while to … Read more >>
Independent 9,309 by S.PARK
Second time out for the setter. I suspected it was a new setter but Gaufrid blogged one back in May.
Guardian Quiptic 874/Nutmeg
A Quiptic from our favourite Spice Girl this morning. And a fine one it was too. Beginners would have enjoyed this, I think. Abbreviations cd cryptic definition dd double definition … Read more >>
Guardian Cryptic 26,963 by Rufus
The puzzle may be found athttps://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/cryptic/26963.
Cyclops 579: Barnstorming performance
Sorry to say, this will be my final regular Cyclops — what with sporadic and unpredictable demands on my time, I’ve decided that I can’t commit to delivering every blog on time, so … Read more >>
Everyman 3,644
Solid puzzle.
AZED 2,305 ‘Wrong Number’
Azed gives us these every five years or so. The last (clue-setting competition one, anyway) was in October 2011. So far as I know it is his own idea and must be absolute hell to set. In case you didn’t see the preamble in the paper here it is: ‘Each clue contains a one-word definition of the word required at the number where it stands, but belongs as a whole to a word of the same length elsewhere….’ and he goes on to give some very helpful advice on how to go about solving such a puzzle.
Independent on Sunday 1382/Raich
Raich and I bump into one another again, which is no burden for me – I enjoy his puzzles. A few unusual words (to me at least) in this one, but all clearly … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No. 1237: Side by Oxymoron
Oxymoron puzzles vary in difficulty from ‘not too tricky’ to ‘fiendish’, and I wondered what degree of difficulty the gods had given me this week. But before I go any further, apologies for … Read more >>
Independent Crossword 9308 by Tyrus
The French alps and Tyrus – what a pleasant combination. Certainly one of my favourite setters and also one of my favourite settings in the valley beneath Mont Blanc. Loved 10ac – a … Read more >>
Guardian 26,956 / Paul
It’s incredible to me how Paul keeps up such an endless stream of excellent, witty crosswords; here’s another one… Across 1. Idiot not entirely without feeling, shame one has quit (6) NUMPTY NUM[b] … Read more >>