Independent

Another pleasant diversion from Dac with clues that read very well and solutions that are virtually all words in everyday use.       There were just a couple of entries that were … Read more >>

As usual a nice crossword from Anax, with some excellent clues and what one expects in the way of original ideas for wordplay. The fact that four of the answers have less than … Read more >>

I found this a mixture of quite easy and very tricky, solving it in 32 mins though I’d all but the last four answers in around half that time.      There are two where … Read more >>

A nice Sunday challenge from Poins. I definitely found this tougher than some of his/her weekday puzzles and needed the rain break during the tennis to finish it off. No problems with any … Read more >>

I think I am beginning to recognise Monk’s style.  Straight, non-thematic crosswords clued with a range of difficulty.  Some relatively accessible clues to start with, but nothing too obvious, so you can make … Read more >>

This Friday morning, as is customary, saw me pitting my wits against Phi’s latest offering. I enjoyed completing this grid, with its four long entries; it is not one that I recall having … Read more >>

This was a crossword that did not have complex wordplay, but it was still an enjoyable challenge.  The wordplay in  majority of the clues followed an additive or double definition route.     … Read more >>

As usual from Dac, an impressive contribution. Several of these clues have an &lit. quality (and quality is the word), so many in fact that while solving one tends to say “I can’t see … Read more >>

An interesting themed puzzle today, with the themed items generally forming part of the wordplay rather than the answers themselves. This made it a bit trickier than other themed puzzles where you can … Read more >>

*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, CD=cryptic def, DD=double def, sp=spoonerism This was just the right level to be fairly challenging to less experienced solvers, although unlikely to cause problems for the more experienced. As … Read more >>

Great stuff as always from Raich. I found a couple of terms slightly unfamiliar, such as at 10ac and 5dn, but in all cases the wordplay was unambiguous. I didn’t spot any themes … Read more >>

So my first blog of an Anax puzzle – should be fun and hopefully have a theme, or even two and a good few chuckles along the way? Indeed it was fun (and … Read more >>

Phi ‘s puzzles often show that he has different leisure and reading interests to me – today we have reference to films, history, art, poetry, religion and birds.  I have only a superficial … Read more >>

So far as I know Rorschach is a new name to crosswords, although I suppose it might be an amalgam of other setters. At first sight, with its references to Bob Marley and a … Read more >>

When we saw that we had a Dac puzzle to blog we were pleased – his surface readings are always good. There are a few new terms to indicate word play that we … Read more >>