Independent

Puzzle with many seasonal references, solving time, 21 mins. * = anagram   < = reversed ACROSS 1  STABLE    Double definition, ref Nativity 4 HAMPER   Double definition 10 DRA (PER) Y     rep< 11 EM … Read more >>

A puzzle which I found a mixture of very easy and quite difficult clues, solving time 30 mins.   Great stuff as always from Dac. * = anagram  < = reversed ACROSS 1 RESIGNED     … Read more >>

I had a quick look at this online late last night and managed to solve a few clues on a first read-through, so I didn’t think it would be too much trouble when … Read more >>

*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, CD=cryptic def, DD=double def, sp=spoonerism I found this very difficult and a few of the clues I only found by resorting to word searches. Causing particular frustration were 16 … Read more >>

No Phi today, maybe he’ll feature on Saturday  this week.    Instead what I found quite a tough puzzle from Morph esp SE corner.      I failed on 24 across, which I understand … Read more >>

Solving time: about 45 late night minutes Mass has usually been a very difficult setter for me – never quite sure why. I was going to say that this has a lot of … Read more >>

Apologies for the brevity/lateness here. Work Xmas party last night, so I solved this one with a belting hangover on the bus 2 hours late for work and am still playing catch-up. Good … Read more >>

Solving time, 18 mins * = anagram  < = reversed ACROSS 7 A L (L ERG) IST 9 ASS ET    silly (noun) 11 DEVONSHIRE CREAM  (over merchandise)* 12 PURL(O)IN 13 ILL EG AL(Capone) … Read more >>

As always Dac’s clues are simple and elegant and have lovely surfaces. Time after time the immediate reaction is to say how lucky he’s been that everything has fallen out so neatly. But … Read more >>

If I were to choose a title for this puzzle it would be “Bottoms Up” – partly for thematic reasons, but also because that’s how the answers fell in today. The bottom half … Read more >>

*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, CD=cryptic def, DD=double def, sp=spoonerism Reasonably challenging in parts with a good mixture of clue types. The clues were mostly solid rather than inspiring, although there were a few … Read more >>

An interesting one this. I only solved one or two clues on my first pass and had no idea what the theme might be. As the grid started to fill up, I spotted … Read more >>

This was certainly a fair bit tougher than Bannsider’s other recent Saturday puzzle. I quite quickly moved from trying to solve this unaided to treating it much as I would a barred weekend … Read more >>

Thursday is usually the toughest midweek day in the Indy.   This was hard, but not exceptionally so, 35 mins.    Top half easier than bottom half.   Very enjoyable puzzle with some intricate wordplay and … Read more >>

Pleasing puzzle as always, not too difficult, solving time, 18 mins * = anagram    < = reversed ACROSS 6 OP (little work) U (university) LENT (austere time)       Definition: rich 8 BA (TT IN) … Read more >>