Never knowingly undersolved
John This was the usual smooth solving experience, but slightly less smooth than usual because there were some unfamiliar words as well as one that looked like a mistake until Collins came to the rescue. So the solving experience was marginally stuttering.
Definitions in maroon, underlined. Anagram indicators in italics.
Not the easiest. I’m embarrassed to say how long it took, even with all sorts of aids. But no real complaints — one or two things that seemed at the time to be stretching things a bit but which in retrospect are probably fair enough, and some very good clues. And help needed with 28ac, please.
Definitions in maroon, underlined. Anagram indicators in italics.
The usual utterly sound and enjoyable crossword from Phi. Nothing at all controversial, so far as I can see.
Although Phi often has a Nina he apparently never uses this as an excuse to have less than 50% checking. OK some people don’t regard this as important, but sticklers like me do. (Some people would replace the word ‘sticklers’ by ‘pedants’.)
Definitions underlined, in maroon. Anagram indicators in italics.
Knut often seems to get me, which at least from my point of view is no problem at all, because as usual this is a pleasant and well-constructed puzzle. There are one or two clues which I’m a little vague about, as outlined below, but no doubt they will be explained and it will all be quite obvious.
Definitions underlined, in maroon. Anagram indicators in italics.
A nice gentle crossword in keeping with the Wednesday traditions laid down by Dac and so ably continued by people like Eccles. It all worked out very comfortably and pleasantly, with the exception of my stupid mistake on 1dn described below.
Definitions underlined, in maroon. Anagram indicators in italics.
I was under the impression that I had blogged Wiglaf more recently than last October, but apparently not. Everyone since then seemed to moan gently about the difficulty. Although I didn’t really do so last October, I’ll do so this time, but not with the intention of criticising, simply to say that I was defeated by 6dn and was rather unsure about some of the others (8ac, 26ac, 28ac) because the words were so apparently unusual. It was hard but enjoyable.
Definitions underlined, in maroon. Anagram indicators in italics.
Every week Phi gives good value for money and this was no exception. As always there are plenty of excellent clues (6ac in particular) and everything was very enjoyable. I found this on the straightforward side for Phi, who is occasionally rather tricky, but even so that statement on the tab SETTERS where I suggest that Phi usually takes about 25 minutes seems to be a thing of the past I’m afraid.
Definitions underlined, in maroon. Anagram indicators in italics.
Back in April I blogged my first Filbert and wrote:
I enjoyed this crossword by a setter whose crosswords I have never blogged. Previous puzzles seem to have been rather difficult. This one was also on the hard side, but there are some very good clues here and it all just about makes sense after solving.
Nothing has changed. Filbert has continued the good work.
Definitions underlined, in maroon. Anagram indicators in italics.
I enjoyed this crossword from Eccles. He uses Occam’s razor in his clueing, which is often very straightforward (but nicely testing in places, as I found to my cost with 27ac).
Definitions underlined, in maroon. Anagram indicators in italics.
This excellent offering from Anglio gave me much trouble, although there are not really any clues that now are incomprehensible. Which is not to say that my explanations will be the correct ones.
Definitions underlined, in maroon I hope. Anagram indicators in italics.
One of Phi’s more intractable puzzles, it seemed to me. The difficulty with his clueing, even though it is almost universally sound, excellent and imaginative, is that — as Carol Vorderman used to say on Countdown with respect to the numbers games when a contestant chose four large numbers — there are so many ways to go. The clues, although simple enough after the event, often have many possiblities. No doubt this is deliberate. It certainly is more fun than those clues where you say ‘well it must be that, but …’
Definitions underlined, in maroon [I must have done something wrong since they’re not in maroon. Never mind]. Anagram indicators in italics.
A most enjoyable, albeit very difficult I thought, crossword today. There are lots of extremely clever clues, as we have come to expect of Maize. I thought 20dn and any number of others were outstanding.
Definitions underlined, in maroon. Anagram indicators in italics.
I was panicking a bit to begin with, because on scanning the clues I couldn’t do any of them for a while. Then a few fell and it was all easy enough, a pleasant offering from Knut today. There were one or two small things I was a bit uncomfortable with, as indicated below, but on the whole it was good.
Definitions underlined, in maroon. Anagram indicators in italics.
Some very good clues here. I wasn’t sitting in my usual place in peace and quiet when trying to solve this, and made poor progress with it. Only when I came home did it fall, and even then I had to ‘cheat’ once or twice. So it’s difficult, or perhaps it’s just me.
Definitions underlined, in maroon. Anagram indicators in italics.
Excellent crossword as usual from Phi. Some of the clues were very good, and sometimes one didn’t for a long time know where to go.
Definitions underlined in maroon. Anagram indicators in italics.