Independent

I found this quite a tough puzzle for Dac, needing two solving sessions, though the first was late at night. Apologies for posting a few days late. I liked the range of cultural … Read more >>

*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, cd=cryptic definition, dd=double definition. All fairly straightforward, I think, with everything fitting together nicely. Across 7 BOOR – BOO + R. 8 OBSEQUIOUS – 0 + BISQUE* + OUS[ted]. … Read more >>

Given the general tendency for Thursday’s puzzle to be on the tough side, it’s usual practice for me to check online at midnight. Probably just as well really, as we very rarely see … Read more >>

Solving time, 40 mins, a lot of which was looking for 5 down. * = anagram      < = reversed ACROSS 1 T(EACH)ABLE 8 SheeP LEAD 10 DO RIS(k) 11 IN THE GODS   (Thing … Read more >>

Usual excellent offering from Dac, solving time, 24 mins. I found SE quarter the toughest. * = anagram < = reversed ACROSS 1 HOPPING hopping mad – double definition 5 BAGH DAD “Bag” … Read more >>

Although it is always a delight to blog a Virgilius crossword, my heart is for ever in my mouth because of the Nina: what a fool I’ll look when I don’t see it. … Read more >>

*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, CD=cryptic def, DD=double def I found this very difficult, although having finished it, the clues don’t seem that hard, so maybe I was just completely off form. Most of … Read more >>

An excellent Saturday puzzle, challenging but ultimately manageable. I’m particularly struck by the exceptional quality of the surface readings. *=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, cd=cryptic definition, dd=double definition. Across 1 BABE RUTH – BABE … Read more >>

Excellent puzzle from Phi, solving time, 24 mins * = anagram  < = reversed ACROSS 1 MA (GI) C AL(l) 5 SIDECAR   (is)<  (raced)< 9 DEAD TREE EDITION    My penultimate answer – new … Read more >>

*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, cd=cryptic definition, dd=double definition. Entertaining and challenging, as one tends to expect from Nestor. I’ve done my best to explain them, but I’ve failed in several places. I’ll blame … Read more >>

Not too difficult, solving time 16 mins * = anagram < = reversed ACROSS 6 BULL(y) y = yen (Japanese currency) 7 RINGO STA RR (Organist)* bishop = RR (Right Reverend) The Beatles’ … Read more >>

A rare departure from Wednesdays for Dac, but this Merlin offering is excellent. To begin with I found it very easy and it seemed that all would be done quickly by my standards, … Read more >>

Pretty much everything you could want from Nimrod here – lots of 15-letter answers, some lovely anagrams, an answer that defies all standard clue-type classification and a handful that will need further explaining. … Read more >>

*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, CD=cryptic def, DD=double def A neat, cricket-themed puzzle that was fairly enjoyable. There was some clever cricket misdirection, 2 down being a good example. There ware one or two … Read more >>

What one always gets from Phi — sound clueing, much of it very pleasing, a few complete anagrams, and the occasional musical reference (actually only one I think, unusually few). Across 5 A D JUST … Read more >>