Independent

My delight in finding that I have to blog a Virgilius crossword is never total, for although there are bound to be some lovely clues I know that there will be some clever … Read more >>

*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, CD=cryptic def, DD=double def Although I’m not a user of it, all the recent fuss over Twitter helped me get going with this puzzle. Once I’d got that, I … Read more >>

Quick, early one from me today as I’m flying off to Denmark for the weekend. Phi back to his usual Friday slot after a couple of weeks elsewhere, and up to his usual … Read more >>

*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, cd=cryptic definition, dd=double definition. Math is another setter whose puzzles I’ve never happened to blog before. I found this one inventive, and quite challenging in places. There’s a couple … Read more >>

Solving time: about an hour, mixed with TV watching (ironically …) This is the third Tyrus puzzle I’ve tried in the Indie and the first I’ve finished unaided, but I still found it … Read more >>

Solving time, 16 mins * = anagram < = reversed ACROSS 1 B(L)OG 3 AP PETITE pa< 8 DE C ODES ed< 10 (win)TER MINI 11 SUNDAY LUNCH (Lucy had nuns)* 14 (b)ARMY … Read more >>

Dac as usual shows his mastery. One or two things I’m not quite sure about but it’s more likely to be me than him. Across 1 SCRAPHEAP — (car)* in (shape)* {dum}p — … Read more >>

There’s a Nina here which I refer to after the clue explanations. Solving time, 36 mins. * = anagram < = reversed ACROSS 1 VIR(A)GO The clue wording at first suggested the other … Read more >>

*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, CD=cryptic def, DD=double def Some nice clues, but also one or two I thought were a bit hard to decipher (especially 16 across). Across 1 Pass round the hat: … Read more >>

Not quite sure what’s happening here. Phi, who is usually on Friday, was on Monday this week, which suggests that something significant was in the pipeline for Friday. But it doesn’t seem to … Read more >>

*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, cd=cryptic definition, dd=double definition. I think this is the first time I’ve blogged a Nestor. It was jolly good either way, with inventive but solid clueing and some impressive … Read more >>

The Indy has been on rather fine form of late and this puzzle was certainly one of the most enjoyable ones I’ve done in a while. Some very nice clues here and there’s … Read more >>

Solving time, 16 mins * = anagram ACROSS 6 CAT (A) COMB 8 T U’S CAN    TU = trade union 9 GRINDSTONE   (Dinner’s got)* 10 Sir Anthony E DEN 11 SO (PH IS)T … Read more >>

Solving time, 19 mins * = anagram  < = reversal ACROSS 1 RE (GA)IN 4 CHASSEUR  (crushes a)* 9 MORE L 10 BAR BAD IAN 11 STE (AmsterdaM)ER 12 TEN DRIL   “drill” 13 … Read more >>

*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, cd=cryptic definition, dd=double definition. An interesting exercise in “words that are like other words, but with the initial letter chopped off”. I think it took longer to type out … Read more >>