Independent

*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, cd=cryptic definition, dd=double definition. A solve of two halves for me – I raced through most of this in minutes, then ground to a halt on the remaining few. … Read more >>

We haven’t seen Tyrus for a while. When we have it has been tough, as this one proved to be. I was pleased to get a good handful on the first pass over … Read more >>

Anax has fairly recently joined the Indy team and also, I believe, sets for the Times and set one of the three puzzles used in the recent Times Crossword Championship won by Mark … Read more >>

Excellent puzzle as ever from Dac – I found it on the easy side, 17 mins * = anagram ACROSS 1 S NATCH (naturally = of course) 4 KNOCKER’S 9 TOAST boY 10 … Read more >>

How clever. All the across answers except 16ac consist of something repeated, as indicated by 16ac (DOUBLE-DEALING). Quite an achievement to fit them all in, so one can be lenient about the obscurity … Read more >>

*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, CD=cryptic def, DD=double def, sp=spoonerism I found this very challenging, but there were some very imaginative clues. Some of the references were a little obscure (literally in the case … Read more >>

I have been informed that, due to the postal strike, the closing date for most Indy prize puzzles is going to be extended by a week as from this weekend. Consequently the publication … Read more >>

By the time you read this I’ll be on holiday, so I won’t be able to respond to any questions myself. I finished this in 8:36 so found it fairly easy for a … Read more >>

Quite tricky for a Phi puzzle, enjoyable as always, solving time, 30 mins * = anagram < = reversed ACROSS 1 (p) ASSES 4 A DANCE TO THE MUSIC OF TIME Anthony Powell’s … Read more >>

Well I never, a Nimrod that I could actually solve! And very good it was too. There are a couple of references in 10 and 12ac that I couldn't quite explain, but no … Read more >>

Like last week, I found this harder than usual from Quixote, not that the clues were more difficult but some of the words were less familiar. Enjoyable solve as always, solving time, 30 … Read more >>

I was slowed by two words of which I’ve never heard, one of which I can find in no English dictionary; and there’s one more I’m not very comfortable with. Otherwise (at least) … Read more >>

As sometimes happens with Virgilius’ themed puzzles, I managed to get through this without fully understanding some of the connected answers. Probably me being a dunce, but I don’t quite get the links … Read more >>

*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, CD=cryptic def, DD=double def, sp=spoonerism This was similar to a Christmas puzzle a couple of years ago where the setter uses lots of his fellow compilers as either solutions … Read more >>

A couple of words where I felt no hint of guilt in using the aids: HAEREMAI (obviously familiar to Phi but not perhaps to people outside New Zealand) and MEERSCHAUM, and one more … Read more >>