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 29,532 – Jack

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Quite easy by this setter’s standard, I thought, but ingenious and enjoyable as ever. Thanks to Jack. Jack’s puzzles (and those of his alter egos Serpent and Basilisk) usually include a Nina of … Read more >>

Guardian 29,523 – Tramp

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A good mixture of clues, with some easy ones to get things started and a few that took a bit of working out. Thanks to Tramp for the entertaining challenge. Best wishes to … Read more >>

Guardian 29,516 – Paul

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It was a bit of a relief to see a Paul puzzle without multiple cross-referenced answers. Although I found it mostly straightforward, there were a few clues where I couldn’t at first see … Read more >>

Guardian 29,509 – Anto

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This was rather easier than Sunday’s Quiptic from the same setter, I thought, though with one or two quibbles that I won’t bang on about. Thanks to Anto.   Across 1 STAND BY … Read more >>

Azed 2728

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Recently I’ve been solving Azeds quite quickly; on this one, however, I made rather a slow start, but once I’d got a few answers in the rest came reasonably smoothly. Thanks to Azed. … Read more >>

Guardian 29,495 – Vulcan

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Another Vulcan Monday for those who like a gentle start to the week, with quite a few cryptic (or barely cryptic) definitions. Thanks to Vulcan.   Across 1 BIOPIC A sexually fluid work … Read more >>

Guardian 29,493 – Pangakupu

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An enjoyable puzzle that I found mostly straightforward, though there are a couple of clues that I can’t parse to my satisfaction: please enlighten me. Thanks to Pangakupu. Looking for the traditional Māori … Read more >>

Guardian 29,486 – Fed

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A typically entertaining puzzle from this setter, with some quite involved parsing in places. Thanks to Fed.   Across 1 A FLEA IN ONE’S EAR Arrange safe area online to see rocket (1,4,2,4,3)Anagram … Read more >>

Guardian 29,479 – Qaos

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An entertaining puzzle for an overcast Wednesday morning. Thanks to Qaos. Looking for the inevitable theme, I see a number of words that can go with SALAD: FRUIT, OLIVIER (I had to check … Read more >>

Guardian 29,472 – Anto

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Some nice clues here – I liked the appropriate anagram in 9a – but also some niggles, as noted below. Thanks to Anto for the puzzle.   Across 1 BED HOPPER Spooner’s accused … Read more >>

Azed 2722

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A long answer at 1 across can be helpful in getting into a puzzle, but in this case I needed a lot of crossing letters to work it out. Apart from that it … Read more >>