A nice crossword from Radian today. Lots of pleasant clues with smooth surfaces, although as an ex-maths teacher I have misgivings about 14ac.
John
Independent 9,352 by Eimi
It seems that Eimi wants to make a point to all us pedants who endlessly carp on about less than 50% checking: more than 57% of the answers are of this type, which is clearly of no concern to him.
Two other things struck me about this offering from Eimi: the apparently large number of full anagrams (seven I think), and what Brian Greer once referred to in his excellent crossword articles in the Times of the late 90s as something whose exact name I can’t remember, but it was typically apposite and referred to anagrams which hit you in the face and can be nothing but anagrams (‘Paint Lucy’, ‘Canopus’, ‘Dench loafs’). Which is not to say that I found it easy: as you’d expect Eimi has included various references to a world that is less well-known to me than to him, and occasionally some rather good clues (I’d have liked the RSC one if it had been printed properly).
Independent 9,347 by Dac
Dac is absolutely back to his best after his illness. The surfaces are as convincing as ever and this was a remarkably simple blog to do since the constructions are all so sound and straightforward. Which is not to say that the crossword is a doddle: yes, on the easy side, but one still has to stop and think from time to time.
AZED 2,311
The usual from Azed: a combination of sometimes less than sparkling surfaces with utterly sound clueing. And of course the words that one never knew.
Definitions underlined and in maroon.
Independent 9,342 by Klingsor
On the hard side for Klingsor. I thought, but none the worse for that: this is his usual well-produced article and I’m always pleased when I see that he is the person I shall have to blog. The clues are smooth and read well as simple phrases.
Independent 9,337 by Phi
Phi is well up to his usual standard here: all very satisfactory, with a whole lot of good clues that, although sometimes initially incomprehensible, can usually be solved by persevering with the wordplay. I had my doubts about 4dn but Phi wins. Of course.
Definitions underlined and in maroon.
Independent 9,328 by Punk
Punk has favoured us with a delightful little crossword today. Just right for a daily cryptic. He has another incarnation, as Mudd in the FT, and I once posted on the blog of one of his puzzles to say that we don’t always appreciate how good he is. This crossword does nothing to change my view.
Definitions underlined, in maroon.
Independent 9,323 by Dac
I hope this means that Dac is becoming restored to his former health, because he has appeared today and also last week. I was under the impression that he had been unwell and was now only going to be doing every other week. If that was wrong then I’m sure everyone welcomes him back with open arms.
After a crossword last week that was arguably one of Dac’s less imaginative and elegant productions (that at least was the verdict of some of those posting here) he is right back to form: smooth surfaces and the whole thing satisfactory and (apart perhaps from 23ac) uncontroversial. The only thing militating against the surfaces is the unusually large number (for Dac) of clues that cross-reference some other clue.
Definitions underlined and in maroon.
Independent 9,318 by Tees
Tees has been kind to us today. Yes, the odd classical etc reference, but all fairly gentle. I wouldn’t say that I whizzed through this, but certainly it was less daunting than it might have been. And all well-executed, so far as I can see.
Definitions underlined and in maroon.
Independent 9,313 by Phi
The usual very pleasing crossword from Phi, with the musical references that we have come to expect. He is always easy enough to understand once a clue is solved, but not I find always all that easy to get one’s teeth into. Perhaps this is because his definitions are so well-concealed.
Definitions underlined.
AZED 2,305 ‘Wrong Number’
Azed gives us these every five years or so. The last (clue-setting competition one, anyway) was in October 2011. So far as I know it is his own idea and must be absolute hell to set. In case you didn’t see the preamble in the paper here it is: ‘Each clue contains a one-word definition of the word required at the number where it stands, but belongs as a whole to a word of the same length elsewhere….’ and he goes on to give some very helpful advice on how to go about solving such a puzzle.
Independent 9,304 by Hob
For some reason I didn’t really enjoy this a lot, although I can’t explain why: it is all reasonably sound and there are some quite good clues. It just seems a little clunky: few of the surfaces read very well; indeed, it is hard to think what some of them mean. And the clues are on the long side.
Perhaps it was just that it was rather difficult.
Apologies for the delay: as you may be aware, the site was inaccessible earlier this morning.
Definitions underlined and in maroon. (Something seems to have gone wrong: that was the intention, but in fact the definitions are in black and the answers are in maroon.)
Independent 9,299 by Daedalus
This is the first time that it has fallen to me to blog a crossword by Daedalus. The crossword Who’s Who says that his or her debut puzzle appeared only recently in the Independent. I looked back at what people had said and the reception seemed to be less than totally enthusiastic, but either Daedalus is learning or my standards are low (surely not!) because I found this to be a very pleasant solve with nothing there to encourage my Zoilist tendencies. Not totally easy — I see that I took rather a long time to solve it, but that’s just me I think.
Definitions underlined and in maroon.
Independent 9,294 by Vigo
When I saw that this was by Vigo I thought that something similar to what happened recently was going to take place: I was going to be blogging a crossword about which I was less than enthusiastic, while the great body of opinion was largely in favour. But no, on the first count, anyway. I’m very enthusiastic about this crossword, which seems to be to be just right for a daily cryptic: not too hard but not a gimme either, with some good clues and the whole thing a pleasant experience. Whether the great body of opinion will be largely in favour we have yet to see, but I wouldn’t be at all surprised if it is.
Definitions underlined and in maroon.
Independent 9,289 by Phi
The usual nice crossword from Phi today, with some excellent clues, such as 7ac and 1dn. I am a little unsure about 13dn, which will I’m sure be explained in due course.