Guardian

A typically enjoyable Paul puzzle, with several witty clues and a couple of cheeky ones. 4ac is a nice reference to his Marathon run – well done, Paul! cd: cryptic definition dd: double … Read more >>

This was an easy, but enjoyable, start to a wet and windy Bank Holiday Monday, just the thing to relax with whilst having a coffee after breakfast. As usual for a Rufus puzzle, … Read more >>

Solving time: 32:35 Wow, that was difficult – and that despite me knowing (for once) a few of the many literary references. I nearly reached for the dictionary / Google on a few … Read more >>

An unfamiliar setter to me, but seems quite fond of anagrams.  In fact once I started to assume every answer was going to be an anagram, the second half went a lot quicker. … Read more >>

A typically difficult puzzle from Araucaria, but with some very pleasing clues. Across 1. TRAVESTY T + RAVE + STY 5. THAMES HAM in SET reversed 9. MIA FARROW AIM reversed + FARROW, … Read more >>

I really enjoyed this one; quite easy on the whole and only a few quibbles. Across 9. REDUNDANT (UNDER)* + D = “German” + ANT = “worker” 10. LEACH Homonym of “leech”; I … Read more >>

dd = double definition cd = cryptic definition rev = reversed or reversal ins = insertion cha = charade ha = hidden answer *(fodder) = anagram After that Monday puzzle yesterday, this one … Read more >>

A non-Rufus Monday with a puzzle from Arachne that I found quite hard going, with some very involved wordplay. There are a couple of clues that I still don’t understand, but I’m sure … Read more >>

Solving time: 6 minutes for most of the puzzle and the same again on 19dn. Paul is running the London Marathon tomorrow in support of the deafblind charity Sense. There’s more information at … Read more >>

A very enjoyable and typically witty puzzle from Paul, based around his participation in the London Marathon this weekend. Key: * = anagram dd = double definition < = reverse Across 1. POTASSIUM … Read more >>

Medium difficulty today, I’d say.  No obvious theme aside from maybe 11ac and 1dn! I like Shed normally, and this was no exception – the unknown words all seem to somehow be etymologically … Read more >>

dd = double definitioncd = cryptic definitionrev = reversed or reversalins = insertioncha = charadeha = hidden answer*(fodder) = anagram Thank you, Eileen,  for chipping in yesterday while I was away on a … Read more >>

Apologies for the delay: I’m a late substitute, so apologies, too,  for any typos, etc.I thought this was a delight, though I’m quite prepared for some to say it was more appropriate for … Read more >>

A very large number of double definitions and &Lits. It’s Monday; it’s Rufus. Across 1 SHOW UP: double definition 5 LONDONER: DON (fellow) in LONER, with fellow being used also in the definition … Read more >>

Solving time: 32:30 (1dn and 9dn wrong) This Bank Holiday special from Araucaria had a special feature in the across clues: the wordplay indicated the answer using a subsidiary word which ended in … Read more >>