FT

My brain isn’t working. Even the Guardian Quick – my customary waker-upper, while the coffee brews – was a struggle this morning. Still, I made it through this sound offering from Cinephile with … Read more >>

Monday Prize Crossword/Nov 19 Good to see, once more, another setter than Rufus or Crux on a Monday. Armonie’s puzzles for the FT usually appear on a Tuesday (as do the crosswords by … Read more >>

Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of November 17, 2012 Here we have another splendid, and fairly easy, Cincinnus. I applaud especially 9A (REVEL), 17A (NOSEBAG), 8A (ABSTAINER) and 18D (GAUCHOS). Across 1. … Read more >>

A great thematic puzzle from Gozo, a mid-week treat! All the undefined clues are writers.  I thought this was a very well executed theme as discovering the theme did not turn the clues … Read more >>

Absolutely brilliant       Across 1 BUTTERSCOTCH (sweet) BUTTER (goat) SCOTCH (drink) 10 RECITAL (performance) (CLEAR IT)* 11 TORONTO (Canadian city) OR (gold) in TONTO (Lone Ranger brave) 12 WHIRR (turn) first … Read more >>

I’m going to be accused of peacocking again if I say that this was a doddle… so instead I’ll say that it was an enjoyable, playful puzzle, with a nice mix of mechanisms; … Read more >>

Monday Prize Crossword/Nov 12 After two Monday Prize Crosswords that got me on the edge of my seat, this Dante puzzle was really plain sailing. As always, definitions are underlined wherever possible and/or … Read more >>

Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of November 10, 2012 I found this to be a somewhat mediocre and lacklustre Mudd (which is fine; not every one has to be a gem). The … Read more >>

A tough puzzle from Monk as always, but everything is there waiting to be found once one figures out where to look.   Very enjoyable, thank you Monk. BURNS NIGHT is hidden down the sides of the grid.  … Read more >>

A tricky puzzle, with clues requiring the solver to break them in the appropriate places, eg. 17a, 19a, 24a, and 5d.  But all fair and enjoyable.  Thanks to Phssthpok.  Definitions are underlined in … Read more >>

Highly recommended       Across 1 BLACKCAP (bird) black cap worn by judge giving death sentence 6 PLACID (composed) P (piano) C[oncerto] I in LAD (youth) 9 COSMOS (world) COSMO[politan] S (second) … Read more >>

My commitments to a girlfriend in California and a Test Match in India mean that I’m either up late or up early, depending on your perspective. In any event, I’m here and blogging … Read more >>

Monday Prize Crossword/Nov 5 Monday a week ago,  I found Dante’s prize puzzle one of his more difficult crosswords. This time Crux made me work very hard. But let’s face it, what is … Read more >>

Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of November 3, 2012 I believe that Dogberry is new to Weekend crosswords and he is completely new to me although he is a well known compiler … Read more >>