John

Although there are one or two I’m not sure about, this was not one of Dac’s most difficult. Which doesn’t prevent it from being well up to his usual standard. Is there some … Read more >>

Well not really; rather good, as I have come to expect from Punk. At first he seemed rather difficult and unsatisfactory, but increasingly nowadays I enjoy his well-constructed crosswords. Across 1 RHUBARB. There … Read more >>

The usual sound and enjoyable stuff from Phi – there don’t seem to be many novels here and I wonder if I’m missing anything. Across 9 TO THE LIGHTHOUSE, one of the four … Read more >>

Heavens what an effort. After a long time I’d done very little, and really thought that I’d have to cheat and look at the website, but eventually it all worked out, although there … Read more >>

This took a little longer than usual because so far as I could see there were some rather unusual words and meanings, and I also got one answer wrong, which threw me for … Read more >>

I didn’t do this quickly, although looking at it now I bet some people did. One problem was that I wrote an answer in the wrong place, and when I transferred it to … Read more >>

So now we see why Phi was on Tuesday: Eimi had ready a nice 28ac crossword. I hesitate to say that it was tough, but it took me ages, and some of the … Read more >>

As usual, many lovely clues. Am I safe in saying that there’s no Nina? Or is the fact that there were four double clues, all symmetrically placed, somehow significant? Across 1 ACCLAIMED – … Read more >>

Nice to have Virgilius back again. But where’s the Nina? I hope his cutting back isn’t extending to the clever things he does with the grids, and that it’s simply that I can’t … Read more >>

Rather harder than usual for Dac, I thought, but as usual it’s full of very nice clues. Across 1 TOSH – 2 mngs, not helped by the fact that the mate meaning is … Read more >>

Nothing very controversial I think – the usual excellent crossword from Phi. Across 1 (a)UNTY PIC AL(l) 6 ONC(U [=for all to see])E 9 EV(OK)E 10 ARM STRONG. I think this is it: … Read more >>

As usual from Dac, very efficient pleasant clues with good surfaces. Across 1 dropPED LARge. A well-concealed hidden, which was one of the last I did. 9 A(S)LOPE I think. I only have … Read more >>

I had been expecting a comparatively easy ride today; evidently we have a treat in store on Saturday. Although this took a long time, as Punk’s crosswords always do, it was very good: … Read more >>

One of Dac’s easier puzzles I think, but none the worse for that. Consistently excellent clueing as usual. Across 1 DOMINICANS. The islanders and the monks. 9 AMOROSO, which is both a lover … Read more >>

A tour de force from Virgilius. Somehow he has managed to get some reference to a topic that continues to increase in importance into every clue, either in the answer or in the … Read more >>