Guardian – Page 387 – Fifteensquared

Guardian 25,437 / Rufus

Mon September 26, 2011 at 12:22 pmMon September 26, 2011 at 8:54 am by Eileen

It’s Monday, it’s Rufus and I’m saying no more today, except,’Thank you, Rufus’! Across 7 SOFT PEDAL: cryptic definition Edit: I completely missed the anagram [‘regulating’] of ADOPT SELF [thanks, Neil and Geoff] … Read more >>

Guardian Prize 25,430 / Araucaria

Sat September 24, 2011 at 11:39 amSat September 24, 2011 at 12:02 am by Eileen

If I hadn’t seen the name on this puzzle, I think I’d have been rather hard put to it to guess that it was an Araucaria, let alone a Prize [though the appearance … Read more >>

Guardian 25,435 / Araucaria

Fri September 23, 2011 at 10:30 am by Gaufrid

When I agreed to stand in today I was hoping that I would be solving a puzzle that I could get my teeth into and I have not been disappointed. My progress was … Read more >>

Guardian Cryptic 25434 Chifonie

Thu September 22, 2011 at 1:15 pmThu September 22, 2011 at 10:08 am by scchua

Thanks Chifonie for a not too difficult, but nevertheless enjoyable, puzzle. I liked 14A, 2D and 20D for their surfaces. Definitions are underlined in the clues. Hidden connections are in 2 of the … Read more >>

Guardian 25,433 / Gordius

Wed September 21, 2011 at 11:25 amWed September 21, 2011 at 9:53 am by Eileen

My second blog of a Gordius puzzle in less than two weeks – and it’s another rather mixed bag … Across 1 REPEATING: REP [agent] EATING [having lunch] 6 EACH: contained in tEACHing … Read more >>

Guardian 25,432 – Bonxie

Tue September 20, 2011 at 5:35 amTue September 20, 2011 at 2:19 am by Uncle Yap

This is very much an alcoholic puzzle centred around the pub and various drinks which can make you feel quite thirsty. Bonxie has taken some minor liberties with his clues but then they … Read more >>

Guardian Quiptic 618 / Beale

Mon September 19, 2011 at 4:12 pmMon September 19, 2011 at 10:37 am by Big Dave

A pleasant puzzle which was made more difficult by the incorrect enumeration of 14 down. Most of the definitions given are from Chambers 11th Edition. Most of the standard abbreviations used in the … Read more >>

Guardian 25,431 – Rufus

Mon September 19, 2011 at 12:36 am by Andrew

A very quick and easy one from Rufus today, with plenty of cryptic definitions (of varying degrees of crypticity) for those that like them, and the usual smooth surface readings. Only 3dn had … Read more >>

Guardian 25424 / Crucible

Sat September 17, 2011 at 12:01 am by mhl

This was a delightful crossword, with a theme of Last Night of the Proms (which was in the evening of the day the crossword came out) and every clue having a musical theme. … Read more >>

Guardian Cryptic crossword No 25,429, by Brendan

Fri September 16, 2011 at 5:08 pmFri September 16, 2011 at 9:18 am by Stella

A pleasantly intricate puzzle, the rather mixed theme being presented at 16ac, and with some more straightfoward clues to set the ball rolling. Other than 21d, all theme people are also common words. … Read more >>

Guardian 25,428 / Orlando

Thu September 15, 2011 at 9:50 pmThu September 15, 2011 at 9:45 am by Eileen

An Orlando puzzle with the usual good variety of clues and some brilliantly misleading surfaces, with a number of smiles to boot. ‘Wit’ and ‘elegance’ are the epithets that most naturally spring to … Read more >>

Guardian 25,427 – Paul

Wed September 14, 2011 at 10:16 amWed September 14, 2011 at 9:23 am by Andrew

I found it quite hard to get started on this one, and things didn’t get much easier even after getting a few answers in. There are two themes, based on 9+16ac and on … Read more >>

Guardian 25,426 – Brummie

Tue September 13, 2011 at 3:26 am by Uncle Yap

Sorry if this blog comes out later than normal. I was watching the enthralling final of the US Open between Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal when the daily puzzles became available on-line. In … Read more >>

Guardian 25,425 – Rufus

Mon September 12, 2011 at 1:39 pmMon September 12, 2011 at 12:59 pm by manehi

The usual gentle but pleasant start to the week from Rufus. Favourite was 15 Across 1 GRATIFY =Please. (Ray gift)* 5 APOSTLE = a missionary who may appear on a spoon handle 10 … Read more >>

Guardian Quiptic N° 617 by Nutmeg

Mon September 12, 2011 at 11:42 am by PeterO

I have blogged a couple of Quiptics by Nutmeg before, and they each have their own character. In this one, I think she has hit the Quiptic target squarely, with clues going for concision rather than elaborate storytelling, seamless surfaces, and a wide variety of cryptic devices.