Independent

I remembered slightly late in the day that it was my blog today and dashed out for the paper. I’m not sure Bannsider sits well with having had a few drinks at lunchtime! … Read more >>

The usual excellent fare. Solving time: 13 mins * = anagram ACROSS 1 SEAMSTRESS Cryptic definition 6 SCAM(p) 14 SWIMMING POOL Which in crossword language could mean – make an anagram of it … Read more >>

The usual top quality puzzle from Phi, with all clear in the end. Held up a little by two musical clues (9 ac, 4 dn) crossing, but got there in the end. In … Read more >>

Across 1 R,(A DIPS)* 4 I,MIT(t) in SCAR – excellent &lit clue. 9 (A SLAVONIC VIRTUE)* 11 SHELLAC – tricky one this, and a guess for me. SHELLAC is a US word meaning … Read more >>

A very quick puzzle, for me, helped by the letter patterns of the long across answers and some obvious anagrams. Some very good cluing, as usual, but no noticeable theme. cd = cryptic … Read more >>

soLVING TIME:  1 hr  5 mins  (with a couple of hints). Whether it is the sandblasting doses of antibiotics I am mainlining or that I am being especially thick today, but I found … Read more >>

Superb but very tough puzzle from Monk. The bottom right-hand corner caused me all sorts of problems (especially 22A, 20D and 23D) and the top-left was any easier. I’m still not sure about … Read more >>

A little trickier than normally for Phi. Solving time: 22 mins ACROSS 1 B LOW 2 HIGH SEAS ON 10 RATS  Star reversed 11 ERUPTION   i in not pure – all reversed … Read more >>

No major problems with this. Solving time: 13 mins * = anagram ACROSS 7 T (OUCH) UP Put = set (reversed). Clever misleading context as the “improve slightly” in the definition has nothing … Read more >>

Across 10 ORATE – the muse for love poetry is Erato so you switch the E and O round to get ORATE. 12 EARLY BIRD – I didn’t know what an “archaeopteryx” was … Read more >>

A quickish and crossword and a quickish blog as I have to get back to finish some work! Not absolutely sure about 15 across so if anyone’s got a better answer or explanation … Read more >>

Another amazing themed puzzle by this masterly setter.   Every across answer contains two successive Os – except for the first and last, which contain another flourish – in the top one the clue … Read more >>

A fairly straightforward puzzle with generally good word play and some nice surface readings. I made a couple of silly errors in writing in answers which held me up on the last two … Read more >>

Harder than usual for Phi – especially because of the title above. Solving time: 34 mins * = anagram ACROSS 1 CUT BOTH WAYS 7 PHI Hidden 12 J zEALOUS 17 MA CU … Read more >>

Solving time 13:40 Overseas or younger solvers will have struggled with this, but for fans of 50s/60s British comedy, it was a very good solve and full of nostalgia as you’ll see. There … Read more >>