Archive

Cracking challenge       Across 3 Promising mischief beside Luxembourg border IMPLEDGING (promising) IMP (mischief) L (Luxembourg) EDGING (border) 9 Head away from frightening light AIRY (light) [h]AIRY (frightening) 10 Subdued question … Read more >>

A slightly rushed post as I’m fairly late with this. One that I’m not sure about at 1dn. *=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, cd=cryptic definition, dd=double definition. Across 1 DABBLER – A B[i]BLE in … Read more >>

Worthy adversary provides a light touch of wit       Across 1 Wood a problem for golfer, mostly limiting success SHITTIM (wood) HIT (success) in STIM[y] (golfing problem on putting green, almost) … Read more >>

This felt like a relatively mid-paced week, but a handful took quite some effort to explain. 10ac still has me beaten, so I’ve reproduced the clue in the hope that a passing reader … Read more >>

Ingenious and inventive       Across 1 Fruit is back with rest, without question SILIQUE (fruit) IS< QU (question) in LIE (rest) 6 Apparently son is determining orbital point APSIS (point in … Read more >>

This generally went quite smoothly, though I did have to check 29ac and 8dn before being confident enough to write them in. A careless slip at 30ac made 27dn unsolvable until my mistake … Read more >>

Slick and smooth like a well-oiled machine       Across 1 Questioning who in French zone will have spirit QUIZZING (questioning) QUI (French for who?) Z (zone) ZING (spirit) 8 Government lawyers … Read more >>

A fair bit tougher than the previous Beelzebub I blogged, and it was quite a wait before the first answer slotted in. There’s quite a lot of anagrammatic material here, which I don’t … Read more >>

Sharp and fiendish fare – can anyone explain 1across?         Across 1 False notions in French article pushing international language IDOLA (fallacies, pl of idolum) 5 English cricketer avoiding an … Read more >>

This was one of those rare occasions where I get to feel smug for finishing an entire Beelzebub without recourse to reference materials or other aids, so it must have been towards the … Read more >>

Satisfying challenge       Across 1 Exemplified corruption of tainted saint INSTANTIATED (TAINTED SAINT)* 10 I settled into army training, becoming this MILITARY I LIT (I settled) in (ARMY)* 11 Imposter’s endless … Read more >>

Pretty much a mid-paced week in terms of difficulty, I think. Lots of unfamiliar terms to work out, so very satisfying to polish off. I think everything made sense, though I’m not 100% … Read more >>

Satisfyingly difficult       Across 1 Solo musical performance secured, involving what? SINGLEHANDED (solo) EH (what) in SING (musical performance) LANDED (secured) 10 Cheerfully melodious’ though not initially involving grand composer UNGRAVELY … Read more >>

The usual high quality Beelzebub puzzle, of medium difficulty I think. Just the one at 28ac that I can’t fully explain. *=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, cd=cryptic definition, dd=double definition. Across 1 ASSIST – … Read more >>

Satisfying cerebral exercise         Across 2 First whiskey? Drap curiously put in porridge – odd    STIRRUP DRAM (DRAP)* in STIR (porridge) RUM (odd) 9 Used axe cut centre, note    HEED … Read more >>