Azed

I’m feeling even more well disposed towards Azed (and the Observer) this week than usual, having been fortunate enough to win a prize in one of the weekly competitions recently (still waiting to … Read more >>

You know what you are going to get with Azed – a puzzle that is clued scrupulously with surfaces that make a good deal of sense.    Virtually every word in each clue … Read more >>

Almost finished. Solved in the tranquility of Zurich and Geneva – where I’m finding it harder and harder to overcome my urges to constantly break the rules. I started by crossing against red … Read more >>

Azed produces these specials on non-competition days from time to time. This is one of his regulars, none the worse for that. I found that it was possible to get started by solving … Read more >>

This was a fairly typical Azed for me, in that I solved about three-quarters of it fairly quickly and without aids (though with plenty of educated guesswork) but took a bit longer on … Read more >>

Nick:  Typical Azed competition crossword this week, being a tad more difficult than normal plain puzzles; 7½/10 on the Azedian hardness scale for me. I am not impressed (my own personal view, being a … Read more >>

A very enjoyable puzzle this week, which I polished off on Sunday afternoon.  There are two splendid & lit clues,  as well as two hidden answers, both for rather longer words than usual.  … Read more >>

AZED has been compiling the Sunday barred crossword in The Observer for nearly 40 years and he continues to create a consistently challenging standard of puzzle.         This was another … Read more >>

A fairly straightforward Azed — relatively speaking.  The usual frequent excursions to the BRB.  But must be said, Azed is rarely if ever unfair and this is no exception.   Across 1 S(LACK … Read more >>

The usual thing: utterly sound clues and much struggling with words that one suspects will not for ever be retained by the Chambers Dictionary. Across 1 WALDRAPP — (law)rev. drapp{ie} — a drappie … Read more >>

“Wrong Number” is one of the older types of “special”, dating back at least to Ximenes. These puzzles can be hard to get started on, because you have to solve a lot of … Read more >>

Nick:   I found this quite a toughy this week, giving my rating of 8/10 on the Azedian hardness scale. I got tied up in the bottom half of the grid trying to correctly … Read more >>

An exceptionally tough Azed this week, with a very high proportion of unfamiliar and downright obscure words.   A knowledge of French was required for a couple of clues as well.  I confess to … Read more >>

It seemed to me that this puzzle had more than the usual helping of everyday words, or words I have met in crosswords before such that I was able to solve a good deal … Read more >>

Solved intermittently at my desk at work while waiting for something or other.  Needed the BRB more than usual it seemed but maybe I have a short memory. Across 1 S(CREW,T)OPPED 11 CA,ECA … Read more >>