Pete Maclean

Here’s what I like: a puzzle that is challenging but so good I finished it fairly easily. For all that, I fail to fully understand 7D. Across 1. SPECIMEN – S (small) + … Read more >>

Some snazzy clues here but also one that I could not solve (11D)! Across 1. SO CALLED – anagram of ALL CODES 5. SHAPES – S[tylis]H + APES (copies) 9. HESPERUS – HES … Read more >>

Here is Mudd in fine form. I found 16D difficult and still do not quite see how “go” is clued. Across 1. HARMLESS – ARM (weapon) + L (left) in HESS (Nazi). Great … Read more >>

A moderately tough one as Cincinnus puzzles go but, as usual, very satisfying. I found 4A, 25A and 23D challenging. I fail to fully understand 4A and 2D. And I was charmed by … Read more >>

Here is one of those characteristic Cinephile themed puzzles, this one with a fairly easy theme to spot — chickens. Across 1. CAPONE – CAPON (bird) + E (energy) 4. ASSAILED – ASS … Read more >>

An easier-than-usual Mudd this week. Across 1. SHELLAC – HELL (very hot) in SAC (bag) 5. MINARET – ERA (time) reversed in MINT (perfect) 9. GRUFF – [ribbin]G + RUFF (frill) 10. REPUGNANT … Read more >>

Another beauty from Cincinnus. Don’t you love 27A? Also great are 12A and 26D. Across 1. ABOVE SUSPICION – anagram of OBVIOUS IN SPACE 10. ALGOL – hidden word 11. NARRATION – ARR … Read more >>

I do not recall coming across Falcon before and am almost sure I have not done a Weekend FT puzzle by this compiler. I found this particular one very easy which is a … Read more >>

A fine, fairly easy (for me) puzzle. I especially liked 1D, 8D and 16D. Across 1. BRASSICAS – BRASS (money) + I (I) + CAS[t] (almost throw away) 6. PESOS – PE (exercises) … Read more >>

A fairly routine puzzle from Mudd here. I completed it fairly quickly because I found the clues for the three long answers easy. Still, 11A and 5D took some puzzling over. Across 9. … Read more >>

A moderately easy and thoroughly splendid offering from Cincinnus this week. It is a bit heavy on double-definition clues but there’s nothing wrong with that especially since only one of them is a … Read more >>

I had some trouble finishing this one. One reason was that I was unfamiliar with the expression “to wet the baby’s head”. It stems, I understand, from baptism but has come to mean … Read more >>

Cincinnus again brings us an enjoyable puzzle with a few brilliant clues. I particularly like 4D, 7D and 18D. Across 1. JOYSTICK – JOYS (delights) + TICK (parasite) 5. CHASER – double definition … Read more >>

This whopper proved rather easy. That is often true of Cinephile’s themed puzzles but is especially so of this one because, once one has spotted the theme, one knows not simply what kind … Read more >>

A fairly standard Cincinnus puzzle this week with at least one great clue (3D) and one that I do not understand the workings of (26D). Across 1. THE WASP FACTORY – anagram of … Read more >>