Independent

The usual tidy crossword from Phi. Things work smoothly almost every time. Phi often uses grids with unchecked letters at the sides, yet he always (I think) has at least 50% checking, which … Read more >>

We realised that we were in for a bumpy ride when we saw that today’s puzzle is a Serpent In the event, we found this to be less challenging than we had expected, … Read more >>

Morph has provided our Wednesday workout this week. It hasn’t fallen to me to blog a puzzle by Morph, who never disappoints a solver, for quite some time, so I was relishing this … Read more >>

Radian can often be found as a setter for the Independent on Tuesday       Radian has compiled puzzles with literary themes in the past with Shakespeare frequently taking centre stage.  Today … Read more >>

An enjoyable challenge from Silvanus today: not the easiest, but with that important quality of “obviously right once you see it”. The neat surfaces hide a good variety of clue constructions, including the … Read more >>

Dill’s third crossword for the Independent on Sunday, and my first encounter with her as a blogger.       I enjoyed the puzzle, and even managed to spot the ghost theme, which … Read more >>

My run of a trio of Hobs comes to an end with a tussle with the Serpent. Knowing Serpent’s reputation there will be a theme, won’t there? And was there? Indeed there was … Read more >>

Phi is back to his usual day this week after a brief excursion to the weekend last Saturday The first thing we noticed about the puzzle was the large square in the middle, … Read more >>

Loglady, with whose work I am not yet that well acquainted, is occupying the Thursday slot this week. I think that I have managed to solve all the clues correctly and unaided, although … Read more >>

Eccles is a regular setter of Wednesday Independent puzzles.  He provides a puzzle that usually avoids messages and themes.  His puzzles would be a good starting point for solvers getting into cryptic crosswords. … Read more >>

Apart from my vague grumblings over the use of ‘possibly’, and what seems to me to be a bit doubtful in 26dn, Alchemi has as usual produced a very neat and enjoyable crossword.  … Read more >>

Thanks Hoskins for an enjoyable crossword. Definitions are underlined in the clues. Across 6 Salary? Mine must be returned in post! (7) STIPEND : Reversal of(… must be returned) PIT(a mine/a hole in … Read more >>

It has been a while since I blogged a Saturday Indy Phi – April 2016 to be precise – although I have covered a few of his Kcit EVs in the meantime…anyway, he … Read more >>

Rather unusually Hob is occupying the Friday slot this week, not Phi. But there is a good reason for what at first seems like a scheduling hiccup. Today is the 200th anniversary of … Read more >>