Independent

*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone Apologies for the late posting. I was too busy at work today to give this the two or three hours of attention I would have needed to get through … Read more >>

Apologies for the comparative lack of commentary – I’m a bit pushed for time today.  Great puzzle, as always from Nestor. Across 1 CH(I,N)ASE,A 6 alternate letters of sPaRsElY 11 A(DO)PTER 12 NAME,NIL … Read more >>

A typically nice crossword, but trickier than usual for Phi. Some long words were slow to come. Across 7 DOZE(n) 8 BOTTLENECK — I don’t really understand this — why wouldn’t you expect to find jam in … Read more >>

Explanations and clarifications needed for 1a, 8, 12, 13, 19 and 26. Across 1 GOLF WIDOWS – can’t make head or tail of this, beyond some sort of pun on “putting”: “In small … Read more >>

I found this quite easy, solving time, 14 mins. * = anagram < = reversed ACROSS 1 M (ODIC) UM odic = of poetry 5 A MAL(e) G AM 9 TOTE M 10 … Read more >>

Excellent, accessible, puzzle by Dac, as ever. Solving time, 14 mins * = anagram < = reversed ACROSS 1 MAOIST Very good with seamless join at old time/communist O (old) in Siam< t … Read more >>

Hi all, Apologies for the short notice, but I’m laid up with a bad cold and am unlikely to be fit for blogging today. If anybody can step in, I’d be much obliged. … Read more >>

A puzzle in Eimi’s very individual style, which I found quite easy – solving time, 15 mins.   Quite a few references in clues that I was not personally familiar with, but these did … Read more >>

*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone An enjoyable puzzle with nothing very controversial. Only one clue I didn’t entirely follow (19 down). Across 1 Toll: To L[iverpoo]l. 3 Able Seaman: (Same banal)* around e. 9 … Read more >>

I think this puzzle was my fastest Indy solve of the year so far, a little less than 10 mins.   Word after word went in from the definitions and crossing letters – the … Read more >>

Across One of the easiest Saturday puzzles we’ve had in a long time but no less enjoyable for that. This would be a great puzzle for beginners to try as the cluing is … Read more >>

Good puzzle, easy in places, tougher in others. I still don’t understand 3, 6 and 22d though. Across 8 TEST TUBE – liked the definition here: “Birthplace of Science”. 9/15 (NINEVEH ABOUT)*,N – … Read more >>

I found this one quite easy – solving time, 13 mins * = anagram < = reversed ACROSS 6 PR (O F) ESS OR 8 IMP thE L 10 1 C EBERG (grebe)< … Read more >>

Several quite brilliant long anagrams in Dac’s typically excellent crossword today Across 1 POP SHOP — 2 defs 5 B(IOM)ASS 9 NO RM A 10/11 INSPECTOR CLOUSEAU — (counters a US police)* 12 … Read more >>

A nice, relatively gentle puzzle from Virgilius. There’s a mini-theme of people who share their name with US states, one of whom – 8/12A – got the better of me, largely due to … Read more >>