Phi’s typically good sound Friday offering. I found this on the hard side for him, although progress was steady enough and there were no long pauses while I failed to see the way forward.
Definitions underlined and in maroon.
John
AZED 2,317
There are two typos in this crossword: Edinburgh is spelled Edinburg at 11ac, and 34ac is numbered as 24ac. Obvious mistakes of course, not likely to detain anyone, but when the standard of proof-reading falls like this, if you can’t at first solve a clue then you begin to wonder if there is a typo in it. Not something one normally sees in Azed’s crosswords — how he generally maintains such high standards of accuracy without so far as I know having any sort of crossword editor to pick up on things is impressive.
(I wrote this before discovering that there is a third typo: The first word of the clue for 4dn is meant to be Chain not Cain. And here at last we have a mistake which does actually cause a waste of time (in my case, because I was doing the blog, considerable).)
The usual: sound clueing, impossibly difficult words whose very existence keeps surprising me, one or two excellent clues, and as so often one (4dn) whose explanation is beyond me (at least it was, until the typo was pointed out).
Definitions underlined and in maroon.
Independent 9,376 by Raich
This crossword from Raich is to the usual high standard that we have come to expect from him. All the clues seem to me to be neat and uncontroversial with good surfaces, and the theme is something you don’t really need to know in order to solve the crossword, which is as it should be.
Raich always seems to appear on Tuesdays, which I find a little hard to understand. I wouldn’t say this was a doddle, but it was much easier fare than the sort of stuff we often get on a Tuesday, a day which sometimes competes with Thursday for the title of ‘most difficult day’.
Independent 9,371 by Dac
For some reason I found this unusually hard for a Dac, but the trademark qualities are still all there — just as good as ever. Perhaps it was because there seemed to be slightly fewer clues than normal involving anagrams. I don’t know.
Definitions underlined.
Independent 9,366 by Wiglaf
This is Wiglaf’s fifth crossword in the Independent, although the first one that I have blogged. We seem to have plenty of newish names nowadays, although you wouldn’t know that they were newish because their crosswords are pretty good; as you’d expect of course, as they wouldn’t have got past Eimi if they weren’t.
I found this to be a bit hard in places, but quite sound and any failings were my own. Perhaps a bit clunky in places, such as 5dn, but this is made up for by some very nice clues.
Definitions in italics.
Independent 9,361 by Radian
A nice crossword from Radian today. Lots of pleasant clues with smooth surfaces, although as an ex-maths teacher I have misgivings about 14ac.
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.