It has been a while since I crossed swords (or words) with Brunel, so I was curious to know how this solving and blogging experience would turn out.
RatkojaRiku
Independent 12,301 / Quince
Quince, a compiler whose work I am not that familiar with, has provided our cruciverbal challenge this Thursday morning.
Independent 12,296 / Phi
Once again, Phi takes us into the weekend with his latest puzzle.
Independent 12,287 / Crosophile
Crosphile is occupying the Tuesday slot this week, on what tends to be theme day.
Independent 12,282 / Poat
Poat is a compiler whose advanced barred cryptic crosswords I have been familiar with for a long time, but this is the first time that I have encountered him as a setter of a standard daily cryptic.
Independent 12,277 / Ringoe
Today’s crossword has been set by Ringoe, who appears to have set just one puzzle previously blogged on this site.
Independent 12,272 / Phi
As custom dictates, Phi brings the latest suite of working week puzzles to an end this Friday.
Independent 12,263 / Filbert
Filbert has produced this week’s Tuesday puzzle. It is the second time in a row that it has fallen to me to blog a crossword by this setter.
Independent 12,258 / Filbert
Filbert, whose work I encounter more often on Sundays than on any other day, is filling the Wednesday slot this week.
Independent 12,253 / Bluejacket
Bluejacket has provided our cruciverbal challenge this Thursday. He appears to be a relatively new addition to the Indy compiling team, and it is certainly the first time that I have blogged one of his puzzles.
Independent 12,248 / Phi
Phi has provided our Friday puzzle this week, bringing the first suite of working week puzzles in 2026 to an end.
Independent 12,239 / Kairos
Today sees me posting my last blog of 2025 rather later than expected, but here it is. This Tuesday sees the latest puzzle by Kairos, whose work I have rarely blogged as it has tended to appear at the beginning of the week.
Independent 12,234 / eimi
Our Christmas Eve cryptic challenge has been set by eimi, perhaps better known to many for his general knowledge puzzles in the i at the weekend. It has been a while since I have solved one of his cryptics, and I am wondering if there is any significance in his name being spelt with a lower-case “e”, both alongside the puzzle and in the clue at 6.
Independent 12,229 / Coot
Coot has provided this Thursday’s teaser. I haven’t blogged many of his puzzles, so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect today.
Independent 12,224 / Phi
Phi’s latest puzzle marks the transition from working week into weekend for many of us solvers and bloggers.