beermagnet – Page 20 – Fifteensquared

Independent 8566 (Sat 29-March 2014) Morph

Sat April 5, 2014 at 10:07 amSat April 5, 2014 at 12:01 am by beermagnet

I was very pleased to see I’d drawn a Morph puzzle this time as I always find them entertaining. Seeing 1D mentioned in several clues I naturally tried to crack that first, but … Read more >>

Private Eye / Cyclops 517 – Mayhem reporter

Mon March 31, 2014 at 12:05 am by beermagnet

This one took more effort than most recent Eye crosswords. It didn’t help that I immediately and incorrectly entered ABSTAINING at 10A – I should have checked the anagram fodder – I did … Read more >>

Private Eye / Cyclops 515 – Cheap and nasty …

Mon March 3, 2014 at 12:01 am by beermagnet

… double nasty including the dynasty. This was completed over two sessions. One on the train where half fell in during a 20 min commute home. On the second session rest I generally … Read more >>

Independent 8536 (Sat 22-Feb 2014) Hob

Sun March 2, 2014 at 10:25 amSat March 1, 2014 at 12:01 am by beermagnet

Hob-goblins maybe. When writing the blog, I was considering having a moan about 6/12 because it appeared to have the word split in half in such a way that one half NAVI appeared … Read more >>

Private Eye 513 – Washed up Party

Mon February 3, 2014 at 5:52 amMon February 3, 2014 at 12:01 am by beermagnet

Another relatively gentle Eye crossword for the new year I found that the top right corner was the only tricky area. Devoid until I got 9 Party Animal, then the final few fell … Read more >>

Independent 8506 (Sat 18-Jan-2014) Tyrus

Sun January 26, 2014 at 1:08 pmSat January 25, 2014 at 12:01 am by beermagnet

First Indy Prize blog of the year brings me a Tyrus that is maybe not as hard as a traditional Tyrus puzzle. Solving this was quite fun, the answers falling in gradually, and a … Read more >>

Private Eye / Cyclops 511 – Xmas 2013 – It’s a Winner

Mon January 6, 2014 at 12:01 am by beermagnet

Thank goodness there were a few days over the festive period to devote to a massive puzzle or two. This one took me quite a while, not only from the sheer size … Read more >>

Independent 8477 (Sat 14-Dec 2013) Hieroglyph

Sat December 21, 2013 at 11:26 amSat December 21, 2013 at 12:01 am by beermagnet

Oh here we go – a new setter – straight in at the prize slot – we’re in trouble now. Bound to be someone as tricky as a troop of tamarins, keen to challenge … Read more >>

Private Eye / Cyclops 509 – Obvious Indolence

Mon December 9, 2013 at 5:07 pmMon December 9, 2013 at 12:01 am by beermagnet

This one took me longer than most recent Eye puzzles, but in retrospect it doesn’t look that much harder than usual. Despite a flying start with the long light, I only got 8 answers … Read more >>

Independent 8447 (Sat 09-Nov-2013) Bannsider

Sat November 16, 2013 at 12:01 am by beermagnet

It has been a while since I blogged a Bannsider and though I have a notoriously bad memory, he still engenders a sense of trepidation… … and then he went and gave me … Read more >>

Private Eye / Cyclops 507 – Turn for Good

Mon November 11, 2013 at 12:02 am by beermagnet

I thought I would set a new PB for solving this, … … I was whipping through it at a rate of knots when I came to a grinding halt at 19A. I … Read more >>

Private Eye / Cyclops 505 Irksome Groping

Mon October 14, 2013 at 12:01 am by beermagnet

Another fun-packed episode from our one-eyed friend This was classic Eye fare with the usual parochial nicknames littered among the clues, which of course have disreputable surface readings, and the central row answer … Read more >>

Independent 8417 (Sat 05-Oct 2013) Jambazi

Sat October 12, 2013 at 12:04 am by beermagnet

Jambazi delivers a crossword for the prize slot which is not as tricky as expected. Some of his weekday offerings have given me more trouble. Solving progressed steadily with some answers popping in, … Read more >>

Private Eye / Cyclops 503 – Psycho diatribe

Mon September 16, 2013 at 12:10 am by beermagnet

Cyclops on usual form with a bundle of profane, scatological and politically cynical clues and answers. This time the grid was enlivened by a couple of clues where some thespian knowledge was required. … Read more >>

Independent 8387 (Sat 31-Aug-2013) Tyrus

Sat September 7, 2013 at 12:02 am by beermagnet

I know many Tyrus puzzles that I’ve tackled were heavily themed or contained a Nina. Sometimes the theme was football which I did not fully appreciate and missed half the references. This grid … Read more >>