FT

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 >>

Monday Prize Crossword on 31 August 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 August 29 I have been a big fan of Cinephile for many, many years — although all these years amount to only a minority of those … Read more >>

Another one of Cinephile’s ‘X has the same meaning …..’, this time it was ‘P’ for ‘peaks’, made easier for me having climbed all but one of them in my youth. Some typical Cinephile … Read more >>

A new setter (I think).  If so, welcome!  An enjoyable puzzle. Across 1, 4, 26 EASIER SAID THAN DONE cd 10 COLLAGE COLLEGE (Academy), removing E (English) and substituting A (amateur). 11 TICKLED … Read more >>

A stimulating, challenging puzzle from Satori. This is the first Satori puzzle I’m blogging about; it is sad that he is no more. For those who missed it, tributes to the fine compiler … Read more >>