NealH's avatarNealH

I've been doing crosswords off and on since university back in the 1980s. I used to do the Guardian, but defected to the Independent a year ago. My solving standard is still not what I'd like. I'd love to be able to knock off a crossword in 10 minutes, but find I'm still getting stuck for long periods when the inspiration doesn't quite arrive. I once had a go at compiling crosswords but, after a very rude rejection for the editor of the Telegraph, I didn't bother any further.

Independent 6808 by Monk

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*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed I haven’t had chance to see who the compiler is yet, although it seems a bit easier than some of the recent monday puzzles. Across 1 Sometimes: so me times. … Read more >>

Independent 6796 by Merlin

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*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed An anagram-heavy puzzle from Merlin with some good long anagrams and a couple of excellent &literals. There were a couple (17 across and 19 down) I didn’t completely follow. Across … Read more >>

Independent 6790 by Tees

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*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed Some excellent clues from Tees on a grid that concentrated on shorter words rather than having the usual couple of 14 or 15 letter entries. No obvious nina that I … Read more >>

Independent 6784 by Eimi

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*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed A Zimbabwe themed puzzle from Eimi, with the definition for Robert Mugabe (“one destroying his country”) only controversial if you’re one of Mugabe’s ruling circle. There was a fair amount … Read more >>

Independent 6778 by Hypnos

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*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed Very tough puzzle today from Hypnos. Across 5 Leaflet: I think it’s a soundalike of Leif + Lett. 7 Stir Fry: Stir + fry. 9 Leonardo da Vinci: (on DVD … Read more >>

Independent 6772 by Eimi

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*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed Eimi crosswords tend to send me scurrying for the reference books and there were quite a few words in this that were new to me (13 across being particularly obscure, … Read more >>

Independent 6766 by Punk

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*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed An excellent mix of clues from Punk as usual, with some relatively easy and some quite difficult.   I had a couple of goes at completing it – got most of … Read more >>

Independent 6754 by Monk

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*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed I haven’t done a lot of Monk puzzles but those I have done I found relatively straightforward. This was no exception and I completed it fairly quickly (about half an … Read more >>

Independent 6718 by Scorpion

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*=anag, []=dropped, <=rev. Very tough puzzle by Scorpion, I thought.   There were three I didn’t fully understand. Across 7  Mincer:  cryptic definition. 8  Heighten:  he + (the gin)* 9  Leo Minor:  Odd letters … Read more >>

Independent No 6712 by Radian

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*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed The Independent continued its trend of trying out less well-known compilers for the Monday puzzle. Radian was another new compiler for me, although I don’t know if it’s actually a … Read more >>

Independent 6706 by Tees

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*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed The nuclear accident theme of some of the clues helping me to get off to a flying start on this, but then I started to struggle, with my lack of … Read more >>

Crossword No 6700 by Al

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*=anag, <=reversed, [] =dropped I’ve not come across this compiler before, so wasn’t sure what to expect. It was a good, although not horrendously difficult puzzle with some excellent attempts at deception. The … Read more >>