FT

Monday Prize Crossword on 23 March 2009 dd = double definition cd = cryptic definition rev = reversed or reversal ins = insertion cha = charade ha = hidden answer *(fodder) = anagram … Read more >>

A mix of easy and slightly less easy clues today with some good surfaces. I rather liked 25a which can be a dd or a cd depending on whether one separates the ‘light’ … Read more >>

Apologies for the late-ish blog.  I was hoping to do this last night before going to bed but the puzzle was not posted on the website at the usual time. Across 1 FAREWELL … Read more >>

I found this puzzle tough to start with but it got better when then the anagrams fell into place. 9A and 21A were my favourites, also enjoyed the reversals at 28A and 31A. … Read more >>

A well-balanced smattering of general knowledge categories (and at the Trivial Pursuit, rather than Mastermind, level). A couple of Oxbridge college names cropped up early on while solving, which lured me briefly into … Read more >>

Monday Prize Crossword on 16 March 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 March 14 Cincinnus gives us some particularly splendid double definitions this week (20D, 24D) and a generally excellent puzzle as usual. Across 1. DOCTOR – CT … Read more >>

A belligerent puzzle from Cinephile today or, perhaps, not so much a puzzle as a lesson in military history. This post is a little later than usual because I have been trying, unsuccessfully, … Read more >>

Although these clues were not difficult, a number of them had admirably smooth surfaces.   Dumas and Shakespeare turn up a few different times, but probably not enough to count as a theme. Across … Read more >>

What can I say!? For me an almost perfect crossword with excellent surfaces for virtually all the clues, a pleasing degree of variety and a good balance between ‘starter’ clues and the more … Read more >>

I hope that my appraisal of this puzzle is not jaundiced by having solved it in something of an already bleary-eyed mood. I found this to be an balanced  blend of innovative ideas, … Read more >>

Monday Prize Crossword 9th March 2009 dd = double definition cd = cryptic definition rev = reversed or reversal ins = insertion cha = charade ha = hidden answer *(fodder) = anagram Quite … Read more >>

FT Weekend prize puzzle from March 7 Cinephile brings us a mix of some clever clues (23A, 25A, 26A, 15D), some pedestrian ones (1D), a couple of familiar ones (15A, 17D) and a … Read more >>

A pleasing challenge from Aardvark today with some nicely misleading clues and a few interesting indicators, for example ‘aperitifs’ and ‘evolution’. 6d had me looking for an anagram of ‘at her holiday inn’ … Read more >>

Two slightly tricky clues exploiting the is=’s=s ambiguity.  I am unsure of the parsing of two others–any assistance is welcome! Thanks to Phi and Paul B for their help, noted below Across 1 LANDLORD … Read more >>