Andrew's avatarAndrew

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 29,196 – Vulcan

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I found this a bit harder than usual for a Vulcan, with the SE corner holding me up longest. Others may of course have had a different experience. Thanks to Vulcan for the … Read more >>

Guardian 29,187 – Picaroon

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Picaroon is keeping busy, with his alter egos Rodriguez and Buccaneer having appeared yesterday in the Independent and in the FT Sunday News puzzle. No complaints from me about that, as his puzzles … Read more >>

Azed 2674

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Please excuse a rather terse blog – I’ve been away and had to write it in a bit of a hurry. I hope anything I haven’t said is verifiable in Chambers. Thanks to … Read more >>

Guardian 29,166 – Brummie

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A bit trickier than usual for a Monday, I think, with a couple of unfamiliar words, though perhaps on the easier side for this setter. Thanks to Brummie. Brummie puzzles sometimes include a … Read more >>

Guardian 29,164 – Arachne

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A delight to see Arachne again, with a “normal” puzzle after a tribute to Nutmeg and a joint effort with her. No major difficulties here, but an abundance of elegant clues. Thanks to … Read more >>

Guardian 29,157 – Brockwell

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Quite a tricky solve from a relative newcomer to the Guardian (though he’s been around a bit longer at the Independent as Grecian) – thanks to Brockwell. There’s an obvious theme, with several … Read more >>

Guardian 29,150 – Vlad

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A stiff challenge, as expected from this setter, with the NW corner holding me up the longest. Thanks to Vlad.   Across 1 WAR BRIDE One becoming union member during dispute (3,5)Cryptic definition … Read more >>

Azed 2668

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A medium-strength offering from the master, challenging and instructive as ever. Thanks to Azed. Rather unusually, the rubric mentions three “problematic” answers: two that are not in Chambers, and one abbreviation. Azed sometimes … Read more >>