Quirister

I learned to do crosswords from my parents, who also introduced me to choral singing and classical languages (they met in a choir while studying Classics / History at university). Perhaps not the most obvious background for an Engineering degree, but the language and problem-solving skills turned out to be useful for working as a technical author in the software industry. Meanwhile all the fun stuff (sewing, cooking and various crafts as well as the singing) gradually took over more of my time . . . so eventually I decided that 30 years’ working life was enough. I now do a range of different volunteer tasks and need a good diary to keep track of it all. As they say: once you retire, you wonder how you ever found time to go to work.

Independent 10,656 by Alchemi

Mon December 7, 2020 at 9:00 am by Quirister

Alchemi has brewed up an enjoyable Monday morning challenge: mostly straightforward but with a few tricky bits. Lots of good surfaces and amusing misdirections. I liked the obvious-when-you-see-it 12d and the sneaky cryptic … Read more >>

Quiptic 1,097 by Carpathian

Mon November 23, 2020 at 5:44 pmMon November 23, 2020 at 10:45 am by Quirister

Thanks to Carpathian for an enjoyable Quiptic as ever: not always easy, but always fair. Some of the definitions took a bit of thought, but that’s part of the fun; everything makes sense … Read more >>

Independent 10,638 by Nitsy

Mon November 16, 2020 at 9:00 am by Quirister

This is the first time I’ve blogged a Nitsy puzzle: an enjoyable experience that I hope to repeat. Several clues here remind me of the recent US political impasse, though this may just … Read more >>

Everyman 3,865

Sun November 15, 2020 at 12:01 am by Quirister

Another fun puzzle from Everyman, with most of the usual features we’ve come to expect. The clues range from pretty straightforward to quite complex, which I think is what Everyman intends (to give … Read more >>

Quiptic 1,093 by Pan

Mon October 26, 2020 at 10:51 am by Quirister

An enjoyable solve from Pan this morning: mostly “easy when you know how”. As always, Pan provides concise clues with some lovely surfaces: my favourite was 1d. There are lots of common crossword … Read more >>

Independent 10,620 by Tees

Mon October 26, 2020 at 9:00 am by Quirister

The fifth Indy puzzle from Tees this month – he’s been busy. Some tricky elements but an enjoyable challenge. A few clues required some not-very-general knowledge, particularly 8d which also had a tricky … Read more >>

Everyman 3,861

Sun October 18, 2020 at 12:01 am by Quirister

Everyman as usual: a bit untidy in places but a fun solve. Those who don’t like contrived or wordy surfaces and imprecise definitions may be a little irritated – though no more than … Read more >>

Independent 10,602 by Filbert

Mon October 5, 2020 at 9:37 amMon October 5, 2020 at 9:00 am by Quirister

Filbert provides our mental workout this morning: not the easiest puzzle for a Monday, but a fun challenge. For some reason we have “pop diva” twice, both referring to the same lady; I’m … Read more >>

Quiptic 1,089 by Anto

Mon September 28, 2020 at 1:49 pmMon September 28, 2020 at 10:51 am by Quirister

Anto provides a slightly tricky Quiptic today. There are a couple of loose definitions, and some references that may be unfamiliar to non-Brits – I’ve tried to cover these in the notes. I’m … Read more >>

Everyman 3,857

Mon September 21, 2020 at 10:21 amSun September 20, 2020 at 12:01 am by Quirister

A fairly typical Everyman, with clues ranging from pretty easy to quite tricky. A good clue at 20a was spoiled by the omission of a couple of words in the online version, though … Read more >>

Independent 10,584 by Atrica

Mon September 14, 2020 at 9:00 am by Quirister

A fun challenge (if a bit tricky in places) from Atrica, who is a fairly recent addition to the Indy with a handful of puzzles over the past year or so. This puzzle … Read more >>

Guardian Prize 28,225 by Maskarade

Sat September 5, 2020 at 9:53 amSat September 5, 2020 at 12:01 am by Quirister

Maskarade’s traditional Bank Holiday weekend giant puzzle – but one of the less complicated versions. The preamble says: The wordplay of 29 clues lack a theme word to reach the required solution. These … Read more >>

Quiptic 1,085 by Carpathian

Mon August 31, 2020 at 5:32 pmMon August 31, 2020 at 11:02 am by Quirister

An excellent Quiptic as always by Carpathian. This puzzle is full of surfaces that immediately conjure up a mental image, which of course is there to mislead the solver: “police got a criminal” … Read more >>

Independent 10,566 by Gila

Mon August 24, 2020 at 9:30 am by Quirister

Quite a tricky puzzle today, but an enjoyable one. I think the trickiness comes mainly from some tenuous definitions (mentioned in the notes below), though the hardest bit was probably the rather indirect … Read more >>

Everyman 3,853

Sun August 23, 2020 at 12:06 pmSun August 23, 2020 at 12:01 am by Quirister

Another fun weekend challenge in Everyman’s recent run of good form. Some have complained about Everyman’s rather loose definitions or vague indicators in the past, but I thought everything here was clear; a … Read more >>