Independent – Page 263 – Fifteensquared

Independent 9090 / Dac

Wed December 2, 2015 at 7:30 am by duncanshiell

I don’t think there is anything to frighten the horses in this standard crossword puzzle by Dac After last week’s challenging Tyrus I find myself in the calmer waters of … Read more >>

Independent 9089 by Hob

Tue December 1, 2015 at 10:13 am by John

All very nice. Good clues and nothing that seems to me to be all that much of a problem (although see below for my discomfort over 8ac and 26ac). I enjoyed this and although it wasn’t perfectly simple — is it ever perfectly simple on a Tuesday? — everything was easily enough explained after the event.

Independent 9088 by Lohengrin

Fri March 6, 2020 at 8:28 amMon November 30, 2015 at 9:29 am by NealH

* = anagram [] = removed A(mpere) = abbreviation I found this to be quite difficult, even though none of the clues individually seem particularly difficult. There were some quite off-centre word associations … Read more >>

Independent on Sunday 1344 by Poins

Sun November 29, 2015 at 12:00 am by PeeDee

An enjoyable puzzle that I found harder than usual for Poins. Thank you Poins.

Independent 9,081 by Klingsor (Saturday Prize Puzzle, 21/11/15)

Sun November 29, 2015 at 8:07 pmSat November 28, 2015 at 1:00 am by Simon Harding

Klingsor was excellent company on a train ride up to The North at the weekend. The grid seemed to fill up from right to left for me, at one point having one half … Read more >>

Independent 9,086 / Phi

Fri November 27, 2015 at 2:34 pmFri November 27, 2015 at 7:57 am by RatkojaRiku

It’s Friday and so perfectly natural to find Phi’s latest crossword to tackle this morning. I have to start by saying that I haven’t managed to complete this puzzle to my satisfaction. I … Read more >>

Independent 9085 / Tyrus

Fri November 27, 2015 at 7:24 amThu November 26, 2015 at 7:30 am by duncanshiell

Tyrus appears on average once a month. I first came across him when blogging Independent Saturday puzzles. I have always found his puzzles tending towards the harder end of the Independent spectrum.. I … Read more >>

Independent 9084 by Quixote

Fri March 20, 2020 at 4:39 amWed November 25, 2015 at 9:35 am by John

Quixote’s monthly appearance as a sub for Dac and as usual not lowering the standard at all; everything elegantly and efficiently clued. I sped through this but spent twenty minutes on 12/14 before giving up. It’s a phrase I had never heard and I felt a bit guilty not knowing it as it’s probably quite well-known.

So, for me at any rate, the unusual word or phrase was there, a trademark of Quixote’s puzzles.

Independent 9083 / Quaiteaux

Wed November 25, 2015 at 10:53 amTue November 24, 2015 at 8:07 am by Bertandjoyce

The 225 archive shows that this is only the sixth Quaiteaux Indy puzzle, and that is more than four years since this setter last appeared in the Indy – so long ago, in fact, that … Read more >>

Independent 9082/Kairos

Mon November 23, 2015 at 12:16 pmMon November 23, 2015 at 7:30 am by Pierre

I’m more used to solving and blogging Kairos in the Independent on Sunday, where he is usually gentle with us. Monday comes round … I found this hard, but that … Read more >>

Independent on Sunday 1,343 by Raich

Sun November 22, 2015 at 1:00 am by Simon Harding

Another enjoyable Sunday puzzle from Raich, and I’m not just saying that because I know he’ll be reading. Everything seemed to fall in very smoothly, with very few hold ups. I particularly appreciated … Read more >>

Independent 9075 Nestor (Sat 14-Nov 2015)

Sat November 21, 2015 at 11:13 amSat November 21, 2015 at 12:01 am by beermagnet

I was thankful when I saw a Nestor arrive for my turn blogging. Always a pleasure and there were some very nice surface readings in these clues I had 13 in after the “first … Read more >>

Independent 9080 / Phi

Fri November 20, 2015 at 7:30 am by duncanshiell

As usual, a Phi puzzle for Friday There are a few cartoon and fictional characters about – PLUTO, EASTER BUNNY, SANTA and XENA, but I don’t think they are enough to … Read more >>

Independent 9079 by Morph

Thu November 19, 2015 at 10:34 am by John

A tour de force from Morph today: many of the clues have clever wordplay and cunningly-disguised definitions. I found it all on the hard side, but absolutely worth it. And Morph’s clues have become pleasantly pithy, something that at one time it was not always possible to say.

Independent 9078 / Dac

Wed November 18, 2015 at 8:06 am by Bertandjoyce

Another Wednesday, another excellent Dac puzzle. As always, excellent surfaces and very fair clueing. This puzzle includes three proper names – not what we have come to expect from Dac. No criticism, just … Read more >>