FT

Prize puzzle from the weekend FT of April 10 Cincinnus keeps up his great style. My favourite clues here are 1A, 16&17A, 24A and 6D. Across 1. CAPONS – CAP (EU policy) + … Read more >>

A mixture today of some very easy clues and some that were a bit more tricky to parse. I was helped by having blogged an EV about a month ago where 22,12,24 and … Read more >>

A new setter, I believe. Welcome!  A very nice debut.  This was slow going for me, perhaps because I am unaccustomed to the setter’s style.  However, many of the clues struck me as … Read more >>

An elegant puzzle from Viking as always. Especially liked 1A, 27A and 1D, and 6D for its fun surface. Across 1 COURTING CO (company) URGING (insisting) + T (time) – G (Golf in … Read more >>

A fairly quick solving time, at least relative to the previous Alberich vs Smiffy head-to-head  form-book.  As usual, plenty of hallmark precision engineering (or should that be precision artistry?) in evidence.  3D, 8D, … Read more >>

Monday Prize Crossword on 5 April 2010 Once again, we get back our Monday mainstay, Dante who never fails to entertain us with his slick and smooth surfaces and his cryptic definitions (which … Read more >>

Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of April 3 I enjoyed this Cinephile puzzle, especially 23A and 1&2D. I do not fully understand 18D. Across 1. NOSE JOB – NOSE (snoop) + JOB … Read more >>

Some unusually easy clues in today’s puzzle from Cinephile, offset by a couple that needed something a bit more than general knowledge. I found it a relatively gentle start to the morning. The … Read more >>

There was a bit of a theme here with words for various kinds of frivolity. However, I’m afraid this puzzle was not as much of a “lark” or a “hoot” as it might … Read more >>

A wide spread of domains covered today – books, film, food, places, famous people. Harder than Falcon’s usual; fine clueing as always. Across 1 BRUTUS BRUT (very dry, used of wine) US. The … Read more >>

Not a particularly tricky (or satisfying) puzzle today. My main gripe being the inundation of mundane [Word A] + [Word B] = [Answer] constructions.  I can’t recall ever seeing another puzzle that contained … Read more >>

Monday Prize Crossword on 29 March 2010 What a pleasant surprise to have Mudd in this Monday slot. For the uninitiated, Mudd is John Halpern, said to be a libertarian setter who also … Read more >>

Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of March 27 Cincinnus has some very artfully fashioned clues here: 1A, 21A, 24A, 6D and 17D. Across 1. OPERATIC – ERA (long time) in OPTIC (viewer) … Read more >>

Nothing too difficult today so a very quick, though pleasant, solve. Only two clues required dictionary assistance to confirm the wordplay (the container in 10ac) or the answer (16dn) but both were entered … Read more >>

I thought this puzzle was very creative. Several of the definitions were particularly well-hidden or clever, e.g., 14 down. Across 1 SWASHBUCKLER S (“first: steam”) WASH (clean) BUCKLE (fold) R (“second: iron”).  Having … Read more >>