A delightful pleasant puzzle from a much welcome setter today. Redshank gives us a relatively easy challenge with appropriate sprinkles of innovative cluing and generally clean surfaces. A couple of clues caught my fancy, especially 24ac and 7d. Thanks to Redshank, who rounds off an incredible week for the FT aficionados.
Turbolegs
Financial Times 14,925 by BRADMAN
A tough crossword from Bradman this, with a couple of words I have never had the pleasure of coming across before. If at all there was a theme in this puzzle, it would have been “Difficulty”! 🙂 Unusually mysterious crossword for the likes of the Don. It was an impossible complete-solve for me without using some digital help. Nevertheless, it was a fun-filled experience!
Financial Times 14,919 by WANDERER
A brilliant and superb puzzle from Wanderer today. I really enjoyed solving this every minute of the way, and while there are still a couple of clues that I need help parsing with, doesnt take anything away from the really nice afterglow of a good solve. Thanks Wanderer for an absolute treat today. There is a mini-theme around Russia / Russians but a quick googling didnt turn up anything significant related to today’s date – anybody with any ideas here?
Financial Times 14,916 by JASON
A straightforward puzzle from Jason meant a quick pleasurable solve. Got started with the anagrams and made quick progress from there. I do wonder if its ok to spell 20d as has been used in this grid. All in all, a fine treat – Thanks Jason.
Financial Times 14,913 by ALBERICH
My eyes lit up with glee when I saw who my setter was today. By the time I got through the crossword, the smile was wiped clean off. Amidst the battering and bruising, I still managed to enjoy several clues. Outclassed by Alberich today. A typical tale of an extraordinary setter meeting an ordinary solver. 🙂 Thanks to Gaufrid for the assistance where needed.
Financial Times 14,910 by GURNEY
An easy stroll this Tuesday from Gurney. Plenty of anagrams all over the place meant a quick solve despite which the experience was quite pleasant and appealing. Apologies for the late post as I had (and am having) a long day at work. I hope readers here have more discerning comments than I do, given my paucity of time.
Financial Times 14,907 by MUDD
Traveling on work and a full day meant I got to this Mudd challenge a lot later than I would have liked to – so apologies for the late post. I found this to be a tough challenge to begin with but gradually picked up steam along the way. Outclassed on a few clues that required googling to confirm or supplement the parsings. Some deviousness exhibited by Mudd – enough to leave me seeking a helping hand on the deconstruction for a couple as well.
Financial Times 14,901 by MAGWITCH
A gentle saunter of a grid today from Magwitch. Simple, inambiguous cluing for most part, ruffled ever so slightly by 8dn. Thanks to Magwitch for this Friday treat.
Financial Times No.14890 by Chalmie
The usual software tool I use to blog is down today so please bear with me on this one. Also apologies for the late post, as I was traveling and solved this in-flight. Not sure how this will turn out in the blog so do ignore any formatting issues too.
Maybe I get excited too easily but I absolutely enjoyed this delightful Chalmie teaser from start to finish, with hardly any clue that didnt make me go “Awesome!!”.
Financial Times 14,884 by WANDERER
Wanderer returns this Friday. He returns to try and expose my facade as a solver/blogger. He nearly succeeded.
Financial Times 14,878 by MUDD
A pleasant challenge from MUDD that provided a fine blend of write-ins, deducibles and hard cryptics. Steady progress through the lower half literally laid the foundation for the remainder. By my own standards, if I didnt require much help solving MUDD, it means he is taking it easy on me. Thanks MUDD for this excellent Friday treat.
Financial Times 14,872 by PETO
I thought PETO (unusual for a Friday) set a puzzle that was more approachable than some his earlier servings. I still needed to use the internet to confirm my answers for a couple of clues which I hadnt come across before. 14ac could use some help.
A lovely start to this Friday. Thanks to Peto for a delectable challenge.
Financial Times 14,866 by BRADMAN
A reunion with the Don this Friday. A very pleasant challenge with some clues that were just out of reach (annoyingly so) as a direct solve. I had to resort to looking up Google for confirming the parsing for a couple of clues.
Financial Times 14,860 by MUDD
An excellent challenge from MUDD today! Several fantastic clues peppered all over the grid and a real treat for someone wanting to bite into tantalizing cryptic crosswords.
Financial Times 14,854 by CHALMIE
A very enjoyable puzzle from CHALMIE this Friday. There were some devious twists and turns that extended the solving time by atleast 25% for me. A couple of clues also had me googling feverishly for checking the parsing but otherwise relatively unambiguous.