Guardian 25728/Orlando
The blogger for today seems not to have been able to post, so here’s a quick review of what I thought was an excellent puzzle from Orlando. There are a few I can’t … Read more >>
Pierre
Independent on Sunday 1174/Poins
I find Poins one of the more difficult IoS setters, and I wasn’t quite sure what to make of this offering. If I’m being critical, this crossword lacked a bit of sparkle; and … Read more >>
Independent on Sunday 1172/Raich
It looks like the blogger for Sunday’s Indy puzzle hasn’t been able to post, so here’s a no bells and whistles blog of a pleasing puzzle from Raich. Abbreviations cd … Read more >>
Independent 8059/Morph
We’ve had a wide variety of ‘guest’ setters in the Monday slot, and today it’s Morph, whose puzzles always seem to have a contemporary feel. A fine crossword, which it took me a … Read more >>
Everyman 3435/5 August 2012
Another Sunday, another fine Everyman puzzle. ‘What’s new?’ I hear you say. Well, for this solver, a meaning of a familiar word that I’d never come across before. A day that goes by … Read more >>
Guardian Quiptic 664/Beale
We haven’t seen Beale in the Quiptic slot for some time, and while this was on the whole a fair puzzle, it seemed to me to contain a good number of clues that … Read more >>
Independent on Sunday 1170/Math
There’s been a bit of discussion recently about the level of difficulty of the Indy Sunday puzzles now that we have a different setter each week. My experience with this one was that … Read more >>
Independent 8041/Quixote
The Don was saying in Another Place last week that if you wanted his most accessible puzzles, then the Monday Indy with his Quixote hat on was the place to come. And so … Read more >>
Everyman 3431/8 July
Another fine puzzle in the Everyman style, with plenty of good surfaces and elegant cluing. But I found this trickier than normal, with one phrase I had never come across before. … Read more >>
Guardian Quiptic 660/Arachne
A fine Quiptic from Arachne – everything clearly clued, a good range of devices, no obscurities, and some wit thrown in for good measure. I’m sure others will have enjoyed this as much … Read more >>
Independent 8023/Punk
Bonjour! Punk and I cross swords again on a Monday – in a friendly sort of way, of course. I loved this one, but I’m not sure everyone will be quite so keen … Read more >>
Independent on Sunday 1166/Tyrus
You know that stuff about buses? You wait ages for one to come along, and then two come one after another? I blogged my first Tyrus when he had the Monday slot a … Read more >>
Everyman 3427/10 June 2012
Late on parade, for which apologies. I did forget, since you ask, so the blog is a bit rushed. Another fine puzzle from Everyman, with one or two old chestnuts – but as … Read more >>
Guardian Quiptic 656/Hectence
It’s a Quiptic, Jim, but not as we know it … It might have just been a bad day at the office for me, but this was harder than many a Guardian cryptic … Read more >>
Independent 8005/Quixote
It’s Monday, it’s Quixote, and it’s the usual mix of fine surfaces, clear definitions, and polished wordplay. Quixote was mentioned in nms’s recent survey as being one of the ‘easier’ Indy setters, and … Read more >>