Struggled to finish this, with several left unparsed until the end – I still can’t work out 16dn (Edit: thanks PGreen). Favourites 13ac and 8dn. Thanks, Screw.
Year: 2016
Independent 9245 / Dac
What can we say? Another excellent Dac, which for some reason we found slightly tougher than normal. As usual, excellent surfaces, with an ingenious definition at 1d. We were delighted that our favourite … Read more >>
Inquisitor 1439: Evolution by Kruger
Preamble: Each clue contains either a single letter misprint in the definition or wordplay leading to an extra or missing letter (equal numbers of each). In clue order, the correct/extra/missing letters give an … Read more >>
Guardian 26,898 – Brendan
After a long break, Brendan seems to be making regular appearances again; a very welcome trend. As usual, this was not too hard – apart from the obscure (to me) 24d, but most … Read more >>
Independent 9,244 / Crosophile
Crosophile has served up this morning’s cruciverbal fare. I enjoyed this puzzle, finding it a challenge but not an insurmountable one. There was no point at which the solution suddenly revealed itself to … Read more >>
Financial Times 15,254 by DANTE
Clear clueing from Dante, and a couple of good jokes.
Guardian Cryptic 26,897 by Rufus
Typical Rufus fare
Independent 9243/Daedalus
Daedalus and I keep running into each other on Fifteensquared. This is his ninth Indy puzzle and I’ve blogged five of them. I’m still not warming to his style – I find it … Read more >>
Guardian Quiptic 863 / Nutmeg
Nutmeg has got the hang of these Quiptics, this one fits the brief exactly. Well almost, as I have one reservation (8dn). Either I have missed something (always possible!) or the subsidiary indication … Read more >>
Azed 2294 / normal service has resumed…
A rather tough puzzle that I just spent 2 hours solving in the lounge at Heathrow. On a hand-drawn grid. Not a pretty picture. I thought this was rather difficult and I think … Read more >>
Independent on Sunday 1,371 by Alchemi
A fairly rare Sunday outing from Alchemi, the first since January, as far as I can tell. My last couple in included 25 across, which doesn’t seem all that difficult and is rather … Read more >>
Everyman 3,633
The puzzle may be found at https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/everyman/3633.
Independent 9242 by Monk (Saturday Puzzle 28 May 2016)
Enjoyable fare from Monk today…some nice surface readings and clever clueing… …and a Nina to boot, although I only spotted it once the grid was completed and I was preparing to blog it. … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations 1226 FoRbIdDeN by Ifor
Down clues are normal – always a good start. Acrosses however have alternate misprints in the definition or wordplay. The misprints yield what is partly forbidden and does not appear. One down entry … Read more >>
Guardian Prize 26,890 / Puck
Tons of fun from Puck this week! ‘Special instructions’ can be a little unnerving, especially if you’re down to blog the puzzle, and at first sight these – ‘Thirteen of the solutions contain … Read more >>