FT

Good start to the day       Across 1 PLAINTIFF (litigant) sounds like (say) PLANE TIFF 6 STICK (criticism) S[kinhead] TICK (credit) 9 LOCUM (doctor) sounds like (rumours) LOW COME (depression, arrive) … Read more >>

I enjoyed this morning’s not-too-tough offering from Styx, although I found the odd clue surprisingly knotty (like discovering ball-bearings in your candy-floss). My main cavil would be that I think an anagram is … Read more >>

Monday Prize Crossword/Oct 8 While expecting another Crux, we got an enjoyable crossword from Falcon instead (which can be found here). I had a flying start, but just like in this setter’s recent … Read more >>

Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of October 6, 2012 Ah, a Cincinnus puzzle with a theme, the TV program “Frasier”! I like a themed puzzle occasionally but this one proved difficult for … Read more >>

More difficult than the previous puzzles by Aardvark that I have blogged.  I ejoyed this very much, thank you Aardvark. I started in the top-left corner and after a few solutions went in at first glance … Read more >>

The NE corner took me longer than usual for a Phssthpok.  Thanks for the challenge, Phssthpok.  Definitions are underlined in the clues.  [[The pictures at the bottom have unidentified links with the puzzle.]] Across … Read more >>

This was another excellent crossword by Redshank full of nice twists and turns, including the inevitable subtraction anagrams. After today’s FT blooper one cannot expect Jed to write another blog. Therefore I am happy to … Read more >>

Masterly polychromic strokes       Across 9 ONE ACROSS (not in this puzzle) (OCEAN)* ROSS (sea) 10 AZURE (heraldic colour) sounds like HAS YOUR (common) 11 PURPURE (heraldic colour) PUR[e] PURE (clean) … Read more >>

Monday Prize Crossword/Oct 1 Last Monday, in the Guardian’s blogosphere, some solvers found it – once more – necessary to heavily criticise Dante’s alter ego Rufus for setting puzzles that are too easy (or … Read more >>

Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of September 29, 2012 I typically find Bradman’s puzzles more difficult than most and this one was no exception. In particular, it took me a good while … Read more >>

A colourful crossword from Cinephile today.   From what I can see Cinephile is missing only SABLE to complete the set of heraldic metals and colours (as defined by Wikipedia).  Thank you Cinephile. … Read more >>

Another enjoyable one from Tuesday regular Jason.  Plain sailing until the last one 19A. I got the answer, but it was one of the usually short ones that I can’t explain.  Called a friend, … Read more >>

A mixed challenge       Across 9 HEARTACHE (anguish) HE (man) ART (skill) ACHE (longing) 10 GRIPE (complain) G[eorge] RIPE (ready) 11 UNCANNY (mysterious) UNC[le] (relative cut short) ANN (girl) [holida]Y 12 … Read more >>

A soggy pink ‘un – thanks to the newsagent’s unmopped floor – and varied and enjoyable, if not particularly difficult, puzzle from Peto. I don’t know if I’ve blogged this setter before (or, … Read more >>