Puzzles 1419 – 1471
Independent 9115 / Phi
A fairly straightforward topical themed puzzle from Phi to start the year off in the manner we have come to expect. All good fun, with only one unusual word (14D), no doubt resulting … Read more >>
Guardian Christmas Prize Puzzle No 26,759 by Maskarade
This year’s Christmas puzzle was a double alphabetical jigsaw with a twist: half the clues lacked a definition.
Independent 9,114 / Eimrod
Here I am with my blog of the last Indy puzzle of 2015, which I imagine is a joint effort on the part of Eimi and Nimrod. New Year’s Eve seems to be … Read more >>
Financial Times 15126 by IO
In memoriam – of my solving skills?
A puzzle by Io that pays tribute to some of the prominent people who passed away in 2015, although I think my solving skills may also be on their last legs, given how bad an effort I have made at this puzzle, which was very difficult, even after I had worked out what the theme was.
Guardian Cryptic 26768 Enigmatist
(Please click here for this same blog but with a picture quiz added. Please do NOT post hereinbelow any comment relating to the picture quiz. Thank you.) Quite a tricky end to the … Read more >>
Guardian Cryptic 26768 with Picture Quiz
(Please post comments on ONLY the picture quiz hereinbelow. To post comments on the crossword puzzle, please click here.) Quite a tricky end to the year. Spent just as long figuring out the … Read more >>
Inquisitor Review 2014-15 by Nimrod
Seasons greetings to all from a very blustery and wet Yorkshire, and many thanks for all the messages of concern as to our well-being! On the south side of York Jane and I … Read more >>
Financial Times 15,119 – Dante (Carte Rosee)
Monday Prize Crossword / Dec 21, 2015
It’s the festive season and so it’s time for the annual Carte Rosee , Dante’s Christmas treat.
It’s a crossword with a completely blank grid and clues without clue number and enumeration. Opinions are possibly divided but it wasn’t as bad as it looked.
Financial Times 15125 by MONK
Another top-notch puzzle form Monk, and easy on the grey matter for the post-Christmas period. Thank you Monk.
Independent 9113 / Dac
This is the final Dac puzzle of 2015. The entries were fairly well known words or phrases. For me, the least well known was SLOTH BEAR at 17 down. … Read more >>
Guardian Cryptic 26767 by Picaroon
The puzzle may be found at http://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/cryptic/26767.
Inquisitor 1417: Eve’s Arrival by Schadenfreude
Schadenfreude provided a good challenge for Christmas The preamble was not too long and fairly understandable even on the first read through. It told us that "The perimeter clues and … Read more >>
Independent 9112 by Hob
This crossword from Hob was in the Nimrod league so far as difficulty is concerned. It took me absolutely ages, and even now I’m not sure about the parsing of one or two of the answers. Who knows just why, since when I can understand the answer it seems straightforward enough; perhaps it’s because the definition is often cunningly disguised and when you do have an idea what it is the number of options is so great that you aren’t exactly led by the hand towards the right one.
Definitions underlined.
Guardian 26,766 / Arachne
A lovely late Christmas present – a puzzle from Arachne to blog, enjoyable as ever. As usual, I’ll leave you to name your own favourites. Many thanks to Arachne. My last blog of … Read more >>