The grid is a little unusual having eight words with two adjacent unchecked letters. This made solving the puzzle difficult as even a half-filled grid left long stretches of empty cells.
Guardian 26,582 / Paul
A quick solve for me today with Paul in benign mode. A lot of relatively easy ‘entry’ clues which meant a significant grid fill after the first pass through them. 27ac went in … Read more >>
Independent 8,928 / Quixote
Quixote is occupying this last Wednesday slot of the month, when Dac typically enjoys a well-earned break. I found this puzzle towards the easy end of the Quixote, and indeed Indy, spectrum. There … Read more >>
Inquisitor 1386: This House Believes by Phi
A small grid (only 11×11) and few clues (13 across and 12 down). The preamble was more lengthy: Seven unclued answers (six words and a proper name) have the same two opposing things … Read more >>
Independent 8927 / Raich
I haven’t blogged a Raich puzzle for a while so it was good to see his name against today’s puzzle Raich is a man for a theme and today was … Read more >>
Guardian 26,581 by Chifonie
The puzzle may be found at http://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/cryptic/26581.
Guardian 26,580 / Rufus
A typical Rufus Monday medley of double definitions, cryptic definitions and anagrams, with some nifty misdirections in 9 and 11ac and 1dn. Thanks to Rufus and a happy Bank Holiday to him and … Read more >>
Independent 8926 by Alchemi
A very entertaining and enjoyable puzzle which was accessible but certainly no gimme. There were some excellent clues (10 and 11 were both quite inventive). 27 was really the only clue that required … Read more >>
Guardian Quiptic 810/Pan
Took me a while to get started with this one, but that could just be me in lazy Bank Holiday mood. It all fell out steadily in the end, with some clues I … Read more >>
Private Eye/Cyclops 547 Ashdown Allergy
Sorry, sorry, sorry – late blog – with no excuse at all. I had this blog ready to go apart from the words at the top and simply forgot. I seem to have … Read more >>
Everyman 3,580 (May 17)
The puzzle may be found at http://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/everyman/3580.
Beelzebub 1315
When I finished this puzzle I made a mental note of what I was going to say in this preamble – over very quickly (for a Beelzebub), a lot of easy entry clues, … Read more >>
Independent on Sunday 1317 Hieroglyph
(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.) As commented by Pee Dee last … Read more >>
Azed 2241
A plain Azed this week with its usual precise cluing leading to a mix of common and obscure words. I was held up for a while with the misdirection at … Read more >>