Independent

I enjoyed this one a great deal. I had the grid filled in reasonably quickly but then had to go over half a dozen or so clues where I’d filled in the answer … Read more >>

Pleasing puzzle from this imaginative setter which I found on the easy side, but made one mistake – thank’s for explaining it below, Geoff. * = anagram 1 SMELLING SALTS Tip-top double definition … Read more >>

Note that in (another) relaunch, the crossword has moved back towards the end of the main paper p. 101 of 104 in my edition. Solving time, 17 mins. * = anagram < = … Read more >>

Great stuff as ever from Dac. Lots of nice clues with great surface readings, and all of them fair. Across 1 REBUSES – RE,BUSES – Easy enough, but as neat a surface reading … Read more >>

I have only recently become aware of Radian, which suggests that he hasn’t been around for long. But with this crossword I had no feeling that he was in any way a novice: … Read more >>

*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed A neat, not too difficult puzzle by Math with some good surface meanings. The borders of the grid were formed by 4 fifteen letter anagrams, which is quite an impressive … Read more >>

The usual excellence from Phi. I suspect there’s a Nina that I can’t see, since 8dn is only mentioned in two clues, and if that’s all there is then it seems a bit … Read more >>

Entertaining and very-tough-in-places puzzle from Nimrod. There’s a nicely-worked theme and Nina too. In the middle of the grid is SEPARATES and SORTS and elsewhere we have THE MEN and THE BOYS. Also, … Read more >>

Extremely difficult and I failed with it, guessing two answers at the end which turned out to be wrong.   There are a few others I do not understand either.    As a late stand-in, … Read more >>

I’m supposed to be blogging today but it doesn’t look like I’m going to get the opportunity. If one of the other bloggers can step in for me I would be very grateful. … Read more >>

Solving time, 17 mins. * = anagram < = reversed ACROSS 1 TAROT CARDS (Trad actors)* 8 S (TICK) UM New word to me that I worked out from the clear wordplay – … Read more >>

The usual excellent puzzle by Dac – solving time. 16 mins * = anagram < = reversed ACROSS 1 (Union) JACK S T RAW war< a good surface reading 6 REBUS Double definition, … Read more >>

A very interesting puzzle indeed. The theme is Ambrose Bierce’s ‘Devil’s Dictionary’, from which 8 clues/answers are word-for-word definitions/entries. It’s perhaps a bit much to expect people to be able to get these … Read more >>

*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed I found this extremely difficult. Hypnos seems to have an ability always to come up with the synonym or phrase that I would never think of and this was no … Read more >>

Solid stuff as ever from Phi, though I admit to being stumped by a couple of clues in the NE corner and the anagram down the right hand side which I just couldn’t … Read more >>