After the excitement of Cyclops’ 700th puzzle, and the wrinkly/crinkly dichotomy of 701, we are back to the ‘new normal’ with this issue’s puzzle…
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Independent 10,798 by Alchemi (Saturday Puzzle 22 May 2021)
I think this is only my second blog of an Alchemi Indy puzzle, the other one being 8853 back in 2015 – when the Indy was a paper paper and the Saturday puzzle was a prize one…and Corona was just a brand of Mexican beer…ahhh…such happy, innocent, carefree days…
Guardian Genius 214 by Puck
I think this is the fourth Puck Genius that I have blogged, from Genius 136 way back in Nov 2014, through 160 and 190, approximately every two-and-a-bit years. Always a pleasure to ‘shake hands with an old face’, as my grandfather used to say!
Enigmatic Variations No. 1483: Mixed Feelings by Stick Insect
The first thing that struck me about this puzzle was the tiny font of the clue numbers in the grid! Just about at the limits of my already-aided eyesight – I suspect some solvers may have struggled to make them out? The second was the 12 x 14 grid…a rare-ish shape…and thirdly the asymmetry of some bars – both maybe suggestive of adaptations to fit in some elaborate thematic material? Will I have MIXED FEELINGS about this puzzle?…
Cyclops 700 – Crossword Fiend
I also had the pleasure/honour of blogging the last ‘milestone’ Cyclops – no. 600 – nearly four years, or ‘a Trump’, ago. My how time flies…and congratulations to Cyclops for extending his longevity even further!
Independent 10,768 by Tyrus (Saturday Puzzle 17 April 2021)
A nice straight-forward solve from Tyrus today…or is there more than meets the eye?…
Enigmatic Variations No. 1479: Transmutations by Wan
As far as I can tell, this is Wan’s first EV since 2013 (although there have been a few IQs in between), so welcome back! Chambers has various chemical, nuclear-physical, biological and alchemical definitions for TRANSMUTATIONS…let us see what ‘trans’pires…
Cyclops 698 – Leafy Elegance
Some classic Cyclops-ean smuttery and establishment-targeting in the clue readings, with some recent and more distant references…
Independent 10,738 by Morph (Saturday Puzzle 13 March 2021)
Lots of fun and some clever clueing from Morph today…
Enigmatic Variations No. 1475: A Donation by Vismut
Vismut has presented a jigsaw for us this week, with ‘A DONATION’…
Cyclops 696 – Istanbul Butcher
A tougher than usual puzzle from Cyclops this fortnight, at least for your correspondent…
Independent 10,708 by Wiglaf (Saturday Puzzle 6 February 2021)
Like the last Indy I blogged, Raich’s 10,678, I started this at a canter in the top half, but ground to a halt further down – and was eventually flummoxed by one bit of fairly specialist GK, and a cunning wild cat…
Enigmatic Variations No. 1471: What’s Earned by Jaques
I don’t know about you, but I think WHAT’S EARNED is a little lie-down after solving this one! I’m sure Jaques must have needed one after setting it…
Cyclops 694 – Flirty Oomph!
An enjoyable Cyclops, with a line-up of the usual suspects as clue-surface-reading targets…
Enigmatic Variations No. 1467: The Flavour of the Month by Gos
And so we come to the last EV of 2020, and good riddance (to 2020, that is!) The flavours assailing my senses on the Sunday this was published were those of gently simmering turkey stock, as the last of the leftovers were put to good use…