Independent

Great puzzle. I can’t believe how long it took me to spot what was going on at 1a and 29a. Across 1 (NOTA BENE I MOVED)* – ABOVE-MENTIONED. A self-referential clue as it … Read more >>

*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, cd=cryptic definition, dd=double definition. I can’t pretend that Nimrod is my favourite setter. Here, once again, the clueing tends towards brilliance, but becomes gimmicky in places, and then leaves … Read more >>

The first puzzle I’ve had chance to look at in what appears to have been a tricky batch so far this week, and this one certainly adds to that pile. I managed only … Read more >>

Solving time, 22 mins * = anagram ACROSS 1 SA (DIS) T 4 S (TACK) S 8 KISMET (mistake)* less a (top grade) 9 WEAK SPOT cf ‘speak wot’ , I think 10 … Read more >>

A very tough puzzle from Dac, with some excellent misdirection and great variation all through.   Very satisfying to finish, solving time, 36 mins * = anagram ACROSS 1 (B)RIGHTO(n) 4 TASHKENT   (The tanks)*    … Read more >>

Now that Virgilius has appeared two weeks in a row, has he decided that he can now do every week again? That would be wonderful, although we shall have to wait and see. … Read more >>

*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone Across 1 Bored: ore in BD. 4 Games: Gas around ME. 9 Itchy: [T]itchy. 10 Solitaire: So I lit a [f]ire. 11 Scrabble: (BB + arcs)< + le. 13 … Read more >>

Excellent puzzle from Phi, thought it was going to be relatively easy when I got both 14-letter entries on first run through, but I found it was tricky in both SW and particularly … Read more >>

An enjoyable solve, this – very tough in places, easier in others. Not sure about the wordplay in 14 and I’m not confident I’ve got the right answer at 19 either. The grid … Read more >>

Into the New Year that should see No 1000 in this series. Solving time, 17 mins, if I have solved it – some doubts that I’ll know for sure about only when solution … Read more >>

*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, cd=cryptic definition, dd=double definition. Quite good fun this one, with enough food and drink references to consitute a theme, I should imagine. Other than that, not much to remark … Read more >>

Quick one from me today as I’m hella busy. Enjoyed this, though one or two may need explaining. Across 1 HAMLET – HAM,LET 4 HISPANIC – (CHAP IS IN)* 8 AMULET – A,MULE,T[-ethered] … Read more >>

A typically excellent crossword from Virgilius to start the new year.  The two themes — anagrams of colours and some other pairs of anagrams — are no doubt related in some very clever … Read more >>

*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone I found this surprisingly easy, given it was littered with the sort of clues that I normally struggle with (e.g. double definitions involving the names of celebrities). Most of … Read more >>

There’s a partial “12 Days of Christmas” theme, here with 7, 26,27, 3, and 6 appearing in the grid. It seems a bit odd to have an incomplete theme like this, which makes … Read more >>