Posted by John on 30th August 2008
In Azed’s crosswords there is always an enormous amount of Chambers-checking meanings of words. If this blog were to contain all the unusual definitions it would be three times as long. I’ll assume that if you’re bothered enough to do the crossword and read this blog, then you’ll have Chambers to hand, so will confine myself to Azed’s wordplay. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Azed | 3 Comments »
Posted by rightback on 30th August 2008
Solving time: 75 mins, four wrong before using a dictionary (43ac, Q, X and Y).
Posted in Guardian | 16 Comments »
Posted by nmsindy on 29th August 2008
Typical Phi crossword in which everything stacks up. Solving time, 16 mins.
Posted in Independent | 6 Comments »
Posted by Uncle Yap on 29th August 2008
dd = double definition
cd = cryptic definition
rev = reversed or reversal
ins = insertion
cha = charade
ha = hidden answer
*(fodder) = anagram
Posted in Guardian | 15 Comments »
Posted by Octofem on 29th August 2008
At first glance rather daunting with so many literary allusions. However, the word play was very simple in most cases, and kind Google came to my aid with details. Alan seemed to be a favourite name!
Posted in FT | 3 Comments »
Posted by neildubya on 29th August 2008
Another superb puzzle from Bannsider with some very original and rigourous clueing. Very tough too, but always a pleasure to solve. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Independent | 9 Comments »
Posted by duncanshiell on 29th August 2008
I am not at all sure that I have got this puzzle right, as my solution to the final step does not seem to meet all the criteria that I would expect it to meet. However, I can’t find an viable alternative, so I have submitted this answer.
Posted in Inquisitor | 10 Comments »
Posted by Gaufrid on 28th August 2008
A crossword from Monk is always a challenge and this was no exception. One or two clues did appear to be recycled, however this was offset by some fine, and sometimes misleading, cluing elsewhere. It took me a little while to determine the wordplay in places (25a and 20d in particular) but I like to be stretched and Monk invariably provides this mental stimulation.
Posted in FT | 7 Comments »
Posted by neildubya on 28th August 2008
Something of a rarity for me: a Nimrod puzzle where I understand every clue! Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Independent | 12 Comments »
Posted by golgonooza on 28th August 2008
Another great crossword from The Don. I find he pitches them just right for daily cryptics – this wasn’t really tough but did require switching on the rusty old brain cells for some very elegant clueing.
Posted in Guardian | 12 Comments »
Posted by nmsindy on 28th August 2008
Posted in Independent | 2 Comments »
Posted by Uncle Yap on 28th August 2008
From FT Saturday Prize Puzzle on 16 August 2008
dd = double definition
cd = cryptic definition
rev = reversed or reversal
ins = insertion
cha = charade
ha = hidden answer
*(fodder) = anagram
Posted in FT | 1 Comment »
Posted by Uncle Yap on 28th August 2008
From Monday Prize Crossword 18 August 2008
dd = double definition
cd = cryptic definition
rev = reversed or reversal
ins = insertion
cha = charade
ha = hidden answer
*(fodder) = anagram
Posted in FT | No Comments »
Posted by smiffy on 27th August 2008
A liberal smattering of general knowledge items (operas, chess players, Roman poets), of the type that one is either likely to know readily or have never heard of. I started off at a fair clip , but progress slowed to a crawl on the last two or three clues (particularly 17D).
PS: Belated apologies for absence from blogging last Friday. I carelessly forgot to remove myself from the roster before heading off on holiday.
Posted in FT | 3 Comments »
Posted by diagacht on 27th August 2008
| Across | |
|---|---|
| 1 | IGNITION KEY: & Lit |
| 9 | OCTOBER: O + (TO BE in CR) |
| 10 | ERASURE: ERA + anagram of USER |
| 11 | WHIRLWIND: HIRL (sounds like ‘hurl’) in W-WIND |
| 12 | SISAL: anagram of SAILS |
| 13 | BEDS: double definition |
| 14 | WHEEL CLAMP: anagram of CALM HELP WE |
| 16 | DAY TRIPPER: (T in AYR) in DIPPER |
| 21 | PANIC: a double definition of sorts |
| 22 | UNHELPFUL: UN + HELP + anagram of FLU |
| 24 | CLASSIC: CLASS +IC(e) |
| 26 | EXPEDIENTLY: anagram of EXTEND I YELP |
| Down | |
| 1 | IN THIS DAY AND AGE: & Lit |
| 2 | NOBEL: N + O + BE + L |
| 3 | TURKISH: double definition |
| 4 | OVERDUE: OVER + DUE |
| 5 | KNAPSACK: KNAP (sounds like ‘nap’) + FIRE (sack) |
| 6 | YOURS FAITHFULLY: & Lit |
| 7 | COBWEB: double definition (see A Midsummer Night’s Dream) |
| 8 | DEWLAP: another double defintion: a fold of skin and a means of marking cattle |
| 15 | CRACKS UP: C + RACKS UP |
| 16 | DEPICT: anagram of PC TIDE |
| 17 | POUNCED: OUNCE in P (quiet) D (end of wooD) |
| 18 | ENHANCE: EN (two points) + (c)HANCE (not 100) |
| 20 | BALLAD: ALL in BAD |
Posted in Guardian | 6 Comments »
Posted by John on 27th August 2008
The usual excellent crossword from Dac, hard enough (it took a while to get started), but not too hard. Everything, apart from one answer, went in slowly but regularly. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Independent | 4 Comments »
Posted by Ali on 26th August 2008
This was a belter of a puzzle, with every clue containing the word ‘number’. The fact that this word can be interepreted in, ahem, a number of different ways (quantity, music, anaesthetic, etc.), coupled with the fact that this is the first day after a long weekend (drinking, lack of sleep, etc.), made for a pretty tough solve for me. Some grey areas along the way, but very entertaining, very clever stuff from Virgilius. 23D is as good a clue as you’ll see anywhere. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Independent | 8 Comments »
Posted by Ciaran McNulty on 26th August 2008
A bit later than normal today sorry, I had noticed I was meant to be solving on Tuesday but had internalised this as ‘the second day of the week’, which the Bank Holiday managed to throw into disarray.
Posted in Guardian | 13 Comments »
Posted by C G Rishikesh on 26th August 2008
I completed left top corner first and then the right top. At the end of the allotted time, some gaps existed in the left bottom corner (22a, 29a, 18d). 26d was also yet to yield itself. I minimised the crossword grid on my machine and started writing the first segment of my blog. When I returned to the grid, three more fell one after the other.
Posted in FT | 2 Comments »
Posted by rightback on 25th August 2008
Posted in Guardian | 9 Comments »
Posted by NealH on 25th August 2008
*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed
I found this very difficult, particularly the bottom right hand corner. There were two or three I didn’t understand and a few obscure words (tosh, lig) that I hadn’t come across before. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Independent | 7 Comments »
Posted by Andrew on 25th August 2008
A straightforward Rufus for Bank Holiday Monday. A couple of nice cryptic definitions, and a couple more I’m not so keen on.
Posted in Guardian | 5 Comments »
Posted by tilsit on 25th August 2008
I’ll be back a bit later today with the blog on this puzzle.
Posted in Azed | No Comments »
Posted by Gaufrid on 22nd August 2008
It’s now well past 7pm and the scheduled blogger hasn’t put in an appearance so here is a substitute. As this has been prepared in some haste there are not many comments.
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Posted in FT | No Comments »
Posted by Ali on 22nd August 2008
A mercifully gentle end to a tough week. There were one or two answers I wasn’t immediately sure about, but solid clueing as always from Phi. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Independent | 2 Comments »