Guardian

Solving time: 33 mins (one mistake, a misspelling of BREECHES) I found this ‘Araubetical’ (© Muck) very difficult, mostly because of the high number of unchecked initial letters – in fact, after 20 … Read more >>

Is is just me being dense, or was this rather difficult today? I could do with some help with explaining 18d (HACKSAW). That said, there are lots of marvellous surface readings here (too … Read more >>

Across 1 FORGERY: ER in F ORGY 5 RUSSIFY: reversed and hidden in rockY FISSURe 10 VICE: double definition 11 CARCINOGEN: anagram of CIGaR ONE CAN without an ‘a’ (wanting) 12 GANNET: ANN … Read more >>

Boatman is a name I’m not familiar with – maybe a new addition to the Guardian stable? As a result I had no idea what to expect from this puzzle, but it turned … Read more >>

dd = double definition cd = cryptic definition rev = reversed or reversal ins = insertion cha = charade ha = hidden answer *(fodder) = anagram I am so fortunate to have landed … Read more >>

Not much to say about today’s, fairly straightforward with a couple of niggles. * = anagram cd = cryptic definition Across 1. FISHWIFE. FISH + W(IF)E.  I’ve never been sure why this is … Read more >>

Solving time: 28:59 My times this week have been dreadful, and this was no exception – I really don’t think this was particularly harder than normal, but after 5 minutes I’d solved only … Read more >>

Later than normal, due to me spending an hour or so on the Genius before realising I’d clicked on the wrong puzzle! dd = double definition cd = cryptic definition * = anagram … Read more >>

This was quite a fast puzzle to do, despite some of the vocabulary or meanings being unfamiliar to me, particularly in the north-east corner. There are couple of clues I wasn’t wild about, … Read more >>

I think I’m fortunate to have been allocated a reasonable puzzle for my first blog – straightforward and fair without being too easy to be interesting. A couple of old crossword favourites, 12ac … Read more >>

dd = double definition cd = cryptic definition rev = reversed or reversal ins = insertion cha = charade ha = hidden answer *(fodder) = anagram An enjoyable set of clues which were … Read more >>

I found this harder than the average Rufus, with the SE corner (especially the 24s) causing some delays. Key: dd = double definition cd = cryptic definition * = anagram < = reverse … Read more >>

Solving time: 10:10 Not too difficult a puzzle this week, with few obscurities and some moments of brilliance. * = anagram, “X” = sounds like ‘X’. Across 1 PRE + C-IN-C + T … Read more >>

Quite a tough one from Brendan today, I thought. I was lucky to guess the two long, cleverly cross-referenced, downs early on from some crossing letters, which was a big help, but it … Read more >>