Independent

*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed A varied puzzle with some interesting clues, including one or two I didn’t fully understand. Across 7 Goal: I think this is gal around o, indicating hungry in an extremely … Read more >>

Typical Phi crossword in which everything stacks up.   Solving time, 16 mins. * = anagram < = reversed ACROSS 1 LES (MISERABLE) S    By Victor Hugo 8 COD A   Musical term for end … Read more >>

Another superb puzzle from Bannsider with some very original and rigourous clueing. Very tough too, but always a pleasure to solve. Across 1 (PRAYER THAT)* – ART THERAPY. Great clue with an excellent … Read more >>

Something of a rarity for me: a Nimrod puzzle where I understand every clue! Across 1 (FILM DUO AT)* in SIGHT – STADIUM OF LIGHT. Quite a tricky one to parse: “originally directing” … Read more >>

Solving time, 16 mins * = anagram  < = reversed ACROSS 1 COME TO LIGHT     Definition: be revealed  Moths seek the light 7 A MASS  Mass is another Indy setter 8 COUNT LESS … Read more >>

The usual excellent crossword from Dac, hard enough (it took a while to get started), but not too hard. Everything, apart from one answer, went in slowly but regularly. Across 1 MALAGA — … Read more >>

This was a belter of a puzzle, with every clue containing the word ‘number’. The fact that this word can be interepreted in, ahem, a number of different ways (quantity, music, anaesthetic, etc.), … Read more >>

*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed I found this very difficult, particularly the bottom right hand corner. There were two or three I didn’t understand and a few obscure words (tosh, lig) that I hadn’t come … Read more >>

A mercifully gentle end to a tough week. There were one or two answers I wasn’t immediately sure about, but solid clueing as always from Phi. Across 1 SACK – Straight DD to … Read more >>

I somehow managed to finish this, despite the half dozen or so clues that I filled in without really knowing why. Offers of enlightenment gratefully received. Across 1/4 IN POLE POSITION – I … Read more >>

This was very tough indeed.   I found the NW quadrant absolutely fiendish, but got there in the end.   Solving time, 67 minutes.    As in previous puzzles by Tees, this draws on very wide … Read more >>

I found this on the easy side – solving time, 11 mins. * = anagram  < = reversed ACROSS 1 WOLF RAM 5 C (HIS) EL(l)   his = the man’s   prison room = … Read more >>

Across 1 BE in (ANIMAL)* – LIMA BEAN. 10 MIDDLE-AGE SPREAD – I can’t decide if this is a cryptic definition or if there’s some aspect of the wordplay that I’m missing because … Read more >>

This took ages — Morph seems to be getting very difficult nowadays. This wasn’t helped by the fact that there were some answers that appear a bit tenuous, although it’s more likely that … Read more >>

*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed Some very tricky, well disguised clues today. Mostly very good, but I thought 6 down was taking things a bit too far. Across 8 Japanese lantern: very convoluted but I … Read more >>