Independent

We always look forward to tackling Anax puzzles, albeit with a slight sense of trepidation at the devilish nature of his clueing. This lived up to our expectations, and despite some unusual words, … Read more >>

I feel that this was a fairly standard offering from Phi today.  No themes, messages, or pangrams that I can see, just a sound national daily crossword puzzle that some solvers can complete … Read more >>

Klingsor has produced a fine crossword today. Many of the clues are quite excellent, and although one might criticise the fact that perhaps rather a lot use the device of getting one or … Read more >>

We’ve only blogged one Crosophile before. As one of us typed up the clues, before we had really even started, a few of them were solved quite easily (12ac, 13ac, 28ac and 4d). … Read more >>

It’s my turn to blog the crossword this Tuesday, one of those days when you can never quite be sure whose work you will be pitting your wits against. It hadn’t fallen to … Read more >>

A very entertaining puzzle from Radian, where, I think before a clue was solved, everyone would have realized there was a theme with all the cross-references in clues. I was impressed by how … Read more >>

I find Poins one of the more difficult IoS setters, and I wasn’t quite sure what to make of this offering.  If I’m being critical, this crossword lacked a bit of sparkle; and … Read more >>

I’m always happy to tackle a Nestor crossword.  Solving was similar to my previous experience of his work: A few accessible clues to get started. Several novel wordplay techniques to delight. A few … Read more >>

The usual pleasant solve from Phi today. I found it all fairly straightforward and have no major questions, except that the unchecked letters round the sides suggest that there is a Nina here, which … Read more >>

We’ve not blogged a Tees puzzle before so we approached today’s offering with a degree of trepidation although we always enjoy his puzzles. There were a number of clues that we solved but … Read more >>

Dac is appearing today in his regular Wednesday slot, although it has not fallen to me to blog one of his puzzles for quite a while. As is customary for me when solving … Read more >>

I have blogged Samuel puzzles in the Saturday Independent Magazine Inquisitor series, but I don’t remember even seeing, let alone blogging a Samuel in the Independent daily series.       This was … Read more >>

*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, CD=cryptic def, DD=double def, sp=spoonerism I thought this was a slightly harder Quixote with a stronger than normal use of proper nouns, not all of them very topical (e.g. … Read more >>

My first blog of a Nitsy.  Enjoyable experience, thanks Nitsy.  Definitions are underlined in the clues.  [[Each picture at the bottom of the blog has an unidentified link to the puzzle.]] Across 1 … Read more >>

Having agreed to swap blogging slots, one often wonders what one has let oneself in for, and I must admit there was an “oh crikey” moment when I discovered I’d drawn Tyrus again. … Read more >>