Never knowingly undersolved
mc_rapper67 The preamble to ‘HARD GRAFT’ tells us that a ‘6A by 11D’ (both unclued) will appear in the grid (five words) and explain said ‘graft’. In addition, each clue’s wordplay will lead to … Read more >>
A good, honest cryptic work-out from Tyrus this week – no fancy themes or Ninas (that I could see, anyway), just a ‘Ronseal’ puzzle – does what it says on the tin… Things proceeded fairly … Read more >>
‘Good morning one and all’ is the usual opening from Lorraine, when it is the Trafites’ turn to blog – but this week they are on a well-earned break, and I have the … Read more >>
Another poignant moment, as the preamble informs us that this is the very last EV from Rustic (James Leonard) – instigator of the EV series and its editor for 20-odd years – who died … Read more >>
The preamble to Genius 130 states: “Before being entered in the grid, six solutions must undergo 24 down 9, while another six must undergo 26 15. In the process only valid words may … Read more >>
A neat puzzle from Klingsor, with lots of lovely surface readings, and no twists in the tail in terms of Nina or themes, at least as far as I can see…readers may think otherwise?… … Read more >>
The preamble says ‘In the definition of every clue a letter has been MORPHED and must be changed back before solving. In clue order, alternating between correct and morphed letters in each set of … Read more >>
Several linked/cross-referenced clues here, which often suggests a theme may be present; and also several references to ‘cardinals’ in the clues – is there going to be some sort of Monty Python/Spanish Inquisition theme? … Read more >>
A sad moment – this is (presumably) the last EV from Syd Lexis (Alan Donovan), whose recent passing was announced the week before in Nimrod’s Inquisitor 1322 editorial, and to whom tributes have been … Read more >>
In ‘DREAMS’ solvers need to turn one man’s dreams ‘into reality’ by single word removals from various clues, and by erasing 51 cells from the completed grid – so pencils and/or correcting fluid at the … Read more >>
‘Jambazi’ is ‘Tramp’s Indy pseudonym, but on closer inspection of this puzzle, could he also be ‘Cyclops’ in disguise?… On my initial solve, this seemed a fairly straightforward puzzle – suitably difficult for a Saturday … Read more >>
The preamble tells us that twelve answers need to be substituted with a ‘thematically associated’ word before entry. And the one unclued entry can be ‘similarly’ associated with a word which must be … Read more >>
After the veritable smorgasbord of fancy themed and Nina’d centenary/Christmassy puzzles across all sources over the past few weeks, Nimrod brings us back down to basics with a good, honest hard-working cryptic prize puzzle…a … Read more >>
The EV series clocks up another hundred on the mileometer and, due to the rotation of the four current bloggers, I am the lucky one to mark the occasion (as I was with EV1000 … Read more >>
A tough (but fair) mental workout from Monk this week. This needed a few return sessions to get to completion – in fact I think my first scan through only offered up the … Read more >>