Independent

I found this mostly quite straightforward, with lots of double definitions and simple charades. Still the final four took about as long as the rest put together. *=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, cd=cryptic definition, … Read more >>

Punk has clearly been very clever getting all those 13 24s in, but unfortunately I’m not the person to appreciate all his subtleties. Most of this seemed very good, but the odd one … Read more >>

*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, CD=cryptic def, DD=double def, sp=spoonerism Eimi indicated that this puzzle would be a little easier than last Monday’s Radian and so it proved. However, if I’d looked at the … Read more >>

I found this quite an easy puzzle, solving time 13 mins. * = anagram  < = reversed ACROSS 1 B (O OK) ENDS 6 P ARK 9 E (D WIN) A 10 AMOROUS     … Read more >>

This blog was nearly a non-event when I realised on Wednesday that I had thrown out Saturday’s paper and the recycling binmen had taken it away.  Many thanks to nmsindy for coming to … Read more >>

*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, cd=cryptic definition, dd=double definition. Nimrod has been something of a nemesis of mine since I started blogging here. As with children, the workmanship is impressive, but I can't manage … Read more >>

Solving time, 21 mins * = anagram ACROSS 1 CROTCH ETY  (yet)* 9 ON PAPER  (Propane)* 10 A PO (CO) PE    Omission of final sound of a word 11 P (HEN) OLice 12 … Read more >>

Dac just goes on producing crosswords with clues that run so smoothly you think he must have been lucky. Well the only way he may have been lucky is in having the ability … Read more >>

Yet another example of why Virgilius really is the undisputed master of the themed daily. In puzzles such as this, you’ll often find that there are one or two obscure words in the … Read more >>

*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, CD=cryptic def, DD=double def, sp=spoonerism I couldn’t get into this at all and gave up with about half the grid completed. The theme was evidently pi and I think … Read more >>

I found this very hard, as we come to expect from Scorpion. After I had about 10 answers I came to a complete halt, totally stuck. Restarting the next day I made a … Read more >>

As usual a pleasing efficient crossword from Phi. Not much to say really — it all fits together very well. Across 9 HER(M)ITAGE  — this museum 10 Y(E)ARN 11 ALGE(B)R{I}A 12 DATA SET … Read more >>

Took me a while to break the back of this one even though I got the long clue at 1/21/4 early doors. There are some good deceptive clues in here and I’ve learnt … Read more >>

Enjoyable puzzle as always, solving time, 25 mins * = anagram 6 BEDSORE    Said bore (Spoonerism) 7 OUT POST 10 ROLLNECK SWEATER   (Let cleaners work)* 11 S(second) ENTRY 12 RE BUFFS 14 SO … Read more >>

Solving time,  18 mins.     Excellent, as ever, from Dac. * = anagram  < = reversed ACROSS 1 HO SEA(of Galilee)    Prophet from the Bible 4 WADES INTO   ad = notice in (townies)* 9 … Read more >>