Anyone hoping for a gentle post-Sunday lunch solve would have been in for a shock! I got everything in the end but it was not easy. Very satisfying though. Thank you Nimrod.
Independent
Independent 9416 / Klingsor
As anticipated, this was an enjoyable challenge from Klingsor today. Some excellent surfaces caused a fair amount of head-scratching over the parsing of several clues – 23a and 26a in particular. We had … Read more >>
Independent 9415 / Phi
A standard puzzle from Phi today. Well I think it is; I can’t see any themes or messages. This was a good example of a national broadsheet puzzle that solvers … Read more >>
Independent 9,414 by Crosophile
An enjoyable crossword from Crosophile today: not too difficult for a Thursday, it seemed to me.
Independent 9413 / Raich
Even if time is short on the approach up to Christmas, we are enjoying having a regular puzzle (or two) to solve each day and were pleased to see that it was Raich today. Several … Read more >>
Independent 9,412 / Alchemi
Alchemi’s latest puzzle awaited solvers this Tuesday morning. If I look back at my previous blogs of Alchemi puzzles, they all talk about struggling to get started and needing to chip away at … Read more >>
Independent 9,411 by Anglio
I found this a bit of a grind with lots of quite involved clues and a number of off-centre or obscure word usages making the clues seem more difficult than they actually were.
Independent on Sunday 1,399 by Peter
I think this is my first tangle with Peter, at least within a blogging context, though the Fifteensquared search reveals it isn’t a debut. I often find it tricky to get to grips … Read more >>
Independent 9,410 by S.park
Perhaps it’s just that the change of format to online-only no longer lends itself favourably to the quiet luxury of tackling a challenging puzzle over a leisurely pot of coffee or perhaps a … Read more >>
Independent 9,409 by Phi
Although this was no easier than Phi usually is, indeed rather tricky in places, most of these answers can be explained in one short parsing. So really quite simple despite appearances — to use what is rapidly becoming a cliché if it hasn’t done so already, the mark of a good setter.
Definitions underlined and in maroon.
Independent 9408 – Rodriguez
As far as we can tell, this is only the fourth Indy puzzle by Rodriguez, and it’s the second we’ve blogged. The previous puzzle was themed, so we have looked at this one … Read more >>
Independent 9,407 / Dac
It wouldn’t quite be Wednesday without a Dac, would it? My apologies for the disgracefully late posting, which was caused by my unexpectedly having to replace a colleague who fell ill this morning. … Read more >>
Independent 9406 / Knut
Knut’s forte is compiling topical puzzles. For reasons that may not be immediately obvious, this puzzle must have been compiled and edited within the space of seven days and possibly … Read more >>
Independent 9405/Punk
I haven’t had a Punk to blog for ages, so I was pleased to see his name come up in the Monday slot, because I like his puzzles. Cars were the theme … Read more >>
Independent on Sunday 1398/Hypnos
This must be the most difficult IoS puzzle I’ve solved/blogged for a long time. It took me three goes to get it to lie down, whereas normally I’m done and dusted before getting … Read more >>