A possibly error-free Azed! The usual mix of obscure words in both the grid and word play, some unusual devices and some great surfaces added up to a typically enjoyable Azed plain puzzle. Read the rest of this entry »

Solving time: 15:23

Not for the first time, a puzzle based on the works of Lewis Carroll, specifically Through the Looking-Glass (TTLG) and its chess ‘match’ between the White and Red pieces. About average difficulty overall, provided you knew a little about the book.

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The theme required solutions to be adapted before entry but said nothing of the clues. Noticing that the answer lengths were one or two less than the grid lengths this suggested some addition to each answer as it was entered into the grid. Treating the clues as normal I solved a few intersecting clues cold. After three of four from the top corner it stood out that each answer so far contained a double-you and that the only way to get the words to fit the grid was to do something with these double-yous. Unfortunately 1a and 1d both went in, and remained real words, if the W became a QU. This didn’t work for the next couple of answers!

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The only real stumbling block today for me was 18A, which took me several minutes of plodding through the alphabet until I could find an answer that justified the clue.  10A doesn’t work, in my opinion, but I’ll gladly stand corrected.

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I found this very easy – no Chambers or Bradford needed. There were some difficult words in the puzzle (31A,19D) but I was helped on these by checking letters and the straightforward clueing.

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I know with Bannsider that it will be tough and it was.    Got there in the end – one or two that I cannot fully see the wordplay.    Some very good clues as always.

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A something-for-everyone puzzle from Monk. A few easy clues to get you going, some hard ones to stretch you, a bit of innovation here and there and some good old-fashioned smut. Not forgetting the ubiquious Nina of course, which is explained below at 5D. Bravo. Read the rest of this entry »

For once I tackled the Inquisitor on the day of publication, and, by lunchtime, it was finished. 

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Solving time 20:19

Araucaria’s certainly on form today. A great 28-letter anagram at 1A,8D and a lot of other very clever clues made this a real pleasure to solve. I don’t think there was anything to really grate with my Ximenean sympathies either, apart from “some x” meaning “the first (unspecified number of) letters of x”, used a couple of times in 9 and 22. There seems to be a lot of General Knowledge required to solve this one, hence the large number of Wikipedia links.

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There’s always lots of fun to be had with a puzzle by Punk (or Paul) and this was no exception. Read the rest of this entry »

Quite a tricky puzzle with some novel features.    More verifying needed than usual.     Will concentrate on what I found the trickier or more unusual clues, but happy to explain any other if asked.

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Following two Weekend FT puzzles that I fairly sailed through, Mudd gave me a bit of a challenge with this one. As usual, it was a satisfying challenge. I did however fail to understand one clue (14D) although I fancy I got the right answer for it.

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(Hope PaulB isn’t reading this since I’m late again). Another fine Paul opus – some surprising and refreshing wordplay (e.g. 7D, 1A) and sly definitions (e.g. 25A). I did this early morning but have only found time now to write it up. I will write an apologue at some point justifying myself. Read the rest of this entry »

Solving time :32 mins 59 secs. Thank goodness this wasn’t one of Cinephile’s really difficult ones. As always with Cinephile, one or two clues that stretch a pedantic Ximenean, but nevertheless lots of good ones. Read the rest of this entry »

Some of the surface readings in this puzzle were truly superb, 1 down shone out. I was beaten by 8 down and Dac has been beaten by 25 down which has two possible answers. Read the rest of this entry »

I enjoyed this puzzle very much, with a good mix of clues, and a couple of answers that used words that were new to me. I thought that I had posted this at lunchtime. Neil has just alerted me that something had gone wrong – so apologies ….

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Another wonderful themed puzzle from Virgilius. All the across answers from French and quite a few references in the down clues too. As it happens, this blogger is very familiar with French so it was an unusually fast solve. The extra time gave me the opportunity to admire the excellent surface readings from the master.

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Now I know how one of regular commenters felt when we had a puzzle themed around Elvis. According to his Wikipedia entry, Terry 13A was the best-selling UK author in the 1990s and has sold something like 50 million books so I’m probably in a minority in never having read one of them. Read the rest of this entry »

It’s been a busy time for Maggie lately, dropping in on her old abode to see what colour Gordon’s painted the walls, meeting Rudolph Giuliani, and of course appearing in the Eye Crossword (though without her handbag). Read the rest of this entry »

Solving time – about 45 mins, with Chambers and Bradfords

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Solving time: 13:42

It felt as though I made fairly heavy weather of this; the long answers took longer than they should have, especially 11dn, and answers like MARSH GAS for ‘methane’ should have been instant.

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I believe this is the first Bradman puzzle I have attempted. It took me a while — longer than I would generally want to spend on a daily puzzle — perhaps because I am unused to the style, but I found it satisfying and challenging in parts. I was unable to get one answer (20D), am unsure about a second (27A) and cannot fully explain a third (12A). My favourite clues are 1A, 5A, 1D, 7D and 9D.

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I thought this was pretty tricky but I struggled with all but one of the long answers that form the perimeter of the grid, so that will have prevented me from really getting going. Most unlikely word of the puzzle: 9D, by a country mile. Read the rest of this entry »

A decent Friday puzzle with some tough nuts to crack. One name I’d never come across before, and required Google’s help, some humorous touches, and a little linked mini-theme including two phrases, one of which I’m not utterly convinced by.

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Solving time:  29 mins      I spotted a theme, I think, mentioned under the relevant clues.

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