FT

The usual collection of clean and interesting clues from Neo. Across 1 ROCHDALE CH (church) +AD (after Christ) reversed, in ROLE.  “After Christ” should be read as after birth, not death   6 BUTTON … Read more >>

A nice mix of easy and tough clues in this entertaining puzzle. One or two parsings need help. Across 1 CONSTRUCTS CON (prisoner) STRUT (swagger) around C[ell] + S (suit) 7 PEST (TAPES)* … Read more >>

This was probably my most rapid completion of a Cinephile puzzle in donkey’s years.  Unfortunately, I ended up guessing incorrectly at 4D so I can’t claim a correct solution!  Plenty of double definition … Read more >>

Monday Prize Crossword on 14 September 2009 dd = double definition cd = cryptic definition rev = reversed or reversal ins = insertion cha = charade ha = hidden answer *(fodder) = anagram … Read more >>

Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of September 12 For the first time in a while I am faced with two clues that I cannot fully solve, 12A and 20D. I figure I … Read more >>

Nothing particularly difficult in today’s themed offering from Gozo. A few of the birds may not be familiar to some but they were easy enough to get from the wordplay. I think there … Read more >>

This enjoyable puzzle was a mix of straighforward clues and some tricky ones. It took me a while to unravel the wordplay for some of them, learning a few new words in the … Read more >>

A super-quick solve, with pauses to smile at some amusing wordplay. I have a few quibbles here and there, like the repetition of certain devices (VICE and firm=CO) but nothing too bad. Across … Read more >>

This is the first puzzle I’ve had a crack at, let alone blogged, in a little while so was relieved to be reintroduced into the shallow end of the pool.  While solving, there … Read more >>

Monday Prize Crossword on 7 September 2009 dd = double definition cd = cryptic definition rev = reversed or reversal ins = insertion cha = charade ha = hidden answer *(fodder) = anagram … Read more >>

Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of September 5 Another Cincinnus that, for me, is as impeccable as it is satisfying. Across 9. PATRIARCH – ATRIA (courts) + RC (Catholic) in PH (parish … Read more >>

Some good, misleading surfaces today with a few different anagram indicators, eg ‘building’, ‘created’, ‘rocking’ and ‘bumping’. There were two unfamiliar words, 13a and 14d, which unfortunately intersected, and the latter needed a … Read more >>

Some amusing clues from Neo today.  Across 1 AIR HOSTESS *(IS AS OTHERS) 7 PAVE P + AVE (prayer) 9 LYRA L (close to “lethal”) + *(RAY) 10 SECULARIST *(LETS ICARUS) 11 FLY-TIP … Read more >>

A delightful puzzle, the two long anagrams at 1D, 10D being the highlights. Quite tough too, had to pick up my dictionary several times. The top-right corner was especially tricky taking me double … Read more >>

Apologies for the tardiness of this post. It would seem that Smiffy’s holiday has gone on longer than he originally intended, or something else has prevented him from posting a blog, so here … Read more >>