Independent

Across 1 (MATERIAL SNAG)* – MARGINAL SEAT. 9 ORPHANAGE – I think this is a reference to Wilde’s line from The Importance of Being Earnest: “to lose one parent, Mr Worthing, may be … Read more >>

I’ve always had something of a fascination with the 7 for 28 (maybe because I did my degree in English Lit) so this was fairly easy for me as I’d heard of all … Read more >>

I found this tough going for a mid-week puzzle. I’ve never come across a few of the answers before and some clues are still a bit baffling. Across 8 ZULU – As in … Read more >>

Fairly straightforward, solving time 17 mins. * = anagram < = reversed ACROSS 1 T (RUM PETER) S st< 9 PRO (S) PER 10 CO (M PAN) y nap< 11 KAPPA hidden 12 … Read more >>

The usual impressive offering from Dac, full of simply-constructed but very satisfactory clues. One or two I can’t quite explain, and one or two words that were new to me. Across 1 S … Read more >>

A pleasing, innovative, puzzle which I found on the easy side.   Solving time, 18 mins. * = anagram  < = reversed ACROSS 1 GUARDIAN   (A = American in a drug)* 5 P (EOPL) … Read more >>

*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed I found this quite tough and there were a number of tricky, deceptive clues. Across 8 Beneficiary: Soundalike of Ben E. Fishery (Ben Elton the comedian rather than Elton John). … Read more >>

This puzzle appeared only on the paper’s website – the previous day’s Virgilius was reprinted in the paper. I found it very hard, but got there in the end – solving time 70 … Read more >>

Great puzzle from this consistently entertaining and challenging setter. Still don’t understand 28, 1, and 16 and not sure about the definition at 6. Across 8 L,EVERET[-t] – which is a young hare. … Read more >>

The 2008 US Open Golf Championship starts today at the Torrey Pines course in San Diego, CA. Virgilius commemorates this fact in his usual inimitable style. Across 1 S,T,N in ACE 4 (EGG … Read more >>

This appeared in the IoS on the day that Don Manley’s guide to cryptic crosswords was given out free with the paper. I thought perhaps some of those new solvers might turn to … Read more >>

More great stuff from the mid-week master, with some class clues along the way. A very enjoyable way to spend a bus journey to work. Across 1 CASELOAD – CASE,LOAD – “Bar work” … Read more >>

A very pleasant crosword from Merlin – several nice clues. I didn’t find him so difficult as usual. Across 1 NAPS – (span)rev. 3 TOUCH-ME-NOT? – this seems to be the only plant that fits, … Read more >>

*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed I haven’t done a lot of Monk puzzles but those I have done I found relatively straightforward. This was no exception and I completed it fairly quickly (about half an … Read more >>

It was obvious that something was in store for today, Phi having been moved to Thursday. So far as I can see it’s because it’s 64 years after D-Day. But 64? Is that … Read more >>