Independent

It’s back to Phi-day again this week after Hob’s tribute to ‘Let It Be’ last Friday. As usual with a Phi puzzle, it was a pleasure to solve, and on this occasion, not … Read more >>

Serpent has provided today’s cruciverbal entertainment. I found this a challenging and highly entertaining serve, but I got there in the end, I think, both as a solver and as a blogger. It … Read more >>

Eccles gives another smoothly clued crossword       As is usual with Eccles, the grid was full  of everyday words.  Perhaps only NEPENTHE and NEEPS could be queried as slightly unusual. I … Read more >>

What a high-class crossword: smooth surfaces which all fit together well and plenty of original and excellent clues. I found that often I was sure what the answer was but couldn’t explain it … Read more >>

A reasonably straightforward puzzle, though with a few rather tricky constructions that took some working out. There’s only one really obscure word, at 14a, where the wordplay is clear enough to allow the … Read more >>

Thanks Tees for an enjoyable puzzle. Definitions are underlined in the clues. Across 9 Subcontract abroad before spring (9) OUTSOURCE : OUT(abroad/out of the country) plus(before) SOURCE(a spring/a place, person, or thing from … Read more >>

Phi on a Saturday – unusual indeed. But we live in the most unusual of times and here’s hoping that the British ineptitude that occurred in the early weeks of World War II, … Read more >>

Perhaps a tad surprisingly, Hob is occupying the Friday slot this week. Perhaps we have an anniversary puzzle in store … One or two of the clues suggest a Beatles theme, and indeed … Read more >>

We see Independent puzzles from Wire about once a month, so today’s the day for May.       I suspect this puzzle won’t generate as many comments at yesterday’s offering by Bluth, … Read more >>

Bluth appeared for the first time about a month ago and I enjoyed his debut. This one is as good: lots of nice surfaces and apart from one or two I’m not sure … Read more >>

It’s been over a year since we last blogged a Vigo puzzle. Initially we were disappointed by this puzzle – maybe because we completed it very quickly. Vigo’s previous puzzles have usually incorporated … Read more >>

A nice mixed bag of clues. Thank you Tees.   ACROSS 9 ICELANDER Just one left with Cinderella, beaten in National (9) anagram (beaten) of CINDERELLA with only one L (left) 10 AGGRO … Read more >>

Phi makes his regular Friday appearance       As usual, Phi eases us into the weekend with a good puzzle. I don’t think there is a theme, but there is an additional … Read more >>