Andrew

I started off on Everyman in The Observer, and began solving Azed while I was a student at Cambridge (reading maths) shortly after it started. I do the Guardian puzzle most days and others sporadically. In real life I work as a software developer (still in Cambridge), and for non-crossword recreation play the piano and am involved in amateur theatre.

Guardian 29,382 – Fed

by

Fed’s puzzles are always good fun, and this was no exception. I found it mostly straightforward, though with the occasional tricky parsing and (I think) one small error. Thanks to Fed. Across 7 … Read more >>

Guardian 29,375 – Vulcan

by

The Mayday Bank Holiday sees Vulcan makes his regularly fortnightly appearance, with quite a few cryptic definitions and one technical word that may be unfamiliar.Thanks to Vulcan.   Across 1 BOG STANDARD Quality … Read more >>

Guardian 29,373 – Tramp

by

Some well-concealed definitions and other bits of trickery made this seem harder that it appears in retrospect. Very enjoyable – thanks to Tramp.   Across 1 PLAUDIT Praise? It follows Dua Lipa regularly … Read more >>

Azed 2704

by

A slightly unusual grid, with 90-degree symmetry, and a large cross of bars in the centre that might have tended to break the puzzle into isolated corners, but Azed has avoided this with … Read more >>

Guardian 29,352 – Picaroon

by

Picaroon regains his missing O after last week for a typically enjoyable puzzle that I found mostly quite straightforward, though with a couple of less-familiar words to keep the brain cells working. Thanks … Read more >>

Guardian 29,343 – Paul

by

Another puzzle from Paul with several interlinked cues, which becomes easier once you find the thematic link… … in this case, POND LIFE, whose clue I solved by working back from some of … Read more >>

Guardian 29,329 – Vlad

by

Quite a tough one from Vlad today. There were a few answers that I guessed from the definition, hoping that I’d be able to work out the parsing when writing the blog. Fortunately … Read more >>

Azed 2698

by

Slightly harder than some recent Plains, I thought, but not too many problems. Thanks to Azed.   Across 1 UMBRELLA‑STAND Bit of hall furniture? Broken tumblers land around one (13, 2 words)A in … Read more >>