Lots to like in this, with the longer clues providing a gentle way in. Favourites 16ac, 5dn and 17dn. Thanks Shed.
Independent 8998 by Hieroglyph
Abbreviations () = abbreviated word e.g. A(mpere) [] = letters removed hom = homophone There were some nice clues here, 5D and 28 being particularly worthy of mention. Having failed to notice last … Read more >>
Guardian 26,652 – Rufus
A typicla Rufus, with lots of double and cryptic definitions – some of the latter rather weak or vague for my taste. Also a few examples of words or devies being used more … Read more >>
Guardian Quiptic 822/Anto
This is Anto’s third Quiptic, and it’s fair to say that his/her first two – on Fifteensquared at least – did not receive universal acclaim. There were several very good clues in here, … Read more >>
Private Eye / Cyclops 553 – Daft Squib
Cyclops includes a couple of topical references to the current Labour Party leadership contest (9/4) and has put Andy Burnham squarely in the centre ground at 15. I had a curious conversation with … Read more >>
Beelzebub 1327
I’m not sure what to say about this one. There were a number of clues that appeared baffling when first read but later seemed obvious once the entry was in, but then this … Read more >>
Everyman 3,592
Straightforward everyman, with some nice clues (but one niggle).
Independent on Sunday 1329 Hypnos
(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.) A nice easy Sunday puzzle. Thanks … Read more >>
Azed 2253
A plain Azed this week, but one that I enjoyed. It felt a bit like a home town crossword with the reference to Jedburgh. I have lived in Jedburgh for … Read more >>
Independent on Sunday 1329 with Picture Quiz
(Please post comments on ONLY the picture quiz hereinbelow. To post comments on the crossword puzzle, please click here.) A nice easy Sunday puzzle. Thanks to Hypnos. Definitions are underlined in the clues. … Read more >>
Independent 8,991 by Hob (Saturday Prize Puzzle, 08/08/15)
Goodness me, an absolute scorcher of a puzzle from Hob this week. I’ve struggled a bit with this setter’s work in the past, but that wasn’t exactly the case here. There was a … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No 1185: One Short by Ranunculus
This is Ranunculus’s second EV, and I blogged the first whch was published in December last year. It was No. 1153 and had corner new corner squares to change obscure words into more … Read more >>
Guardian 26,645 / Imogen
An entertaining puzzle with an excellent theme from Imogen; this didn’t cause us too many problems… The rubric for this crossword read: Fifteen solutions are of a kind, not further defined. These turned … Read more >>
Financial Times 15,009 / Bradman
Turbolegs is on holiday at the moment and when he emailed to say that he hadn’t been able to complete the puzzle and his blog before embarking on a long car journey I was … Read more >>
Guardian 26,650 – Crucible
An enjoyable puzzle from Crucible, with lots of links to the key answer at 3,23,25, which luckily I got early on (working back from 24a). Just one homophonic quibble, but otherwise very soundly … Read more >>