This was tough – lots of tricky parsing, and I’m not fully confident in my reading of a few clues – have now made multiple edits thanks to Jack Of Few Trades, KVa, and Shirl in the comments. Favourites were 9ac, 3dn, and 8dn. Thanks to Enigmatist
Independent 12,307 by Dalibor
Dalibor makes a welcome appearance today.
Enigmatic Variations 1737 What he said by Vismut
A complex preamble – the useful bits – remove a word from all bar 2 clues and use the first and last letters to produce 4 messages. One is a quotation – the second message is an instruction based on the previous 4 words of the quotation. The third is the unchecked letters for the perimeter and the last a second instruction to put the speaker’s name in the grid. Then highlight what he’ll do no matter what.
Financial Times 18,322 by ARTEXLEN
Artexlen is this morning’s FT compiler.
Independent 12,306 / Brunel
It has been a while since I crossed swords (or words) with Brunel, so I was curious to know how this solving and blogging experience would turn out.
Financial Times 18,321 by MONK
Thanks to Monk for this morning’s puzzle.
Guardian 29,957: Brummie
Quite a few helpful anagrams to get things going here, and not too many difficulties after that. Thanks to Brummie for the puzzle.
Inquisitor 1950: ‘Just the Same’ by Nathan Panning
A new IQ setter this week? Or is it one or more regular setters in disguise? Whoever it is – it is an extraordinarily daunting grid!
Independent 12305 / Mog
Mog provides the Tuesday challenge this week
Guardian Cryptic crossword No 29,956 by Alia
Alia provides the Tuesday puzzle.
Financial Times 18,320 by SLORMGORM
Good fun, as usual, from Slormgorm . . .
Spectator 2741: Unsurpassable by Madrigal
This week’s puzzle called itself Unsurpassable
Financial Times 18,318 by Neo
Puzzle from the Weekend FT of March 14, 2026
Independent 12,304 by Kairos
I've blogged Kairos before and I found the previous puzzle quite gentle. This was a little harder in places but had a lot very commendable clues.
Financial Times 18,319 by GAFF
GAFF kicks off the week with an anniversary puzzle…