Guardian

dd = double definition cd = cryptic definition rev = reversed or reversal ins = insertion cha = charade ha = hidden answer *(fodder) = anagram For once, I did not enjoy a … Read more >>

Another great crossword from The Don. I find he pitches them just right for daily cryptics – this wasn’t really tough but did require switching on the rusty old brain cells for some … Read more >>

Across 1 IGNITION KEY: & Lit 9 OCTOBER: O + (TO BE in CR) 10 ERASURE: ERA + anagram of USER 11 WHIRLWIND: HIRL (sounds like ‘hurl’) in W-WIND 12 SISAL: anagram of … Read more >>

A bit later than normal today sorry, I had noticed I was meant to be solving on Tuesday but had internalised this as ‘the second day of the week’, which the Bank Holiday … Read more >>

Solving time: Forgot to write down, but about 8 minutes I think This is my first blog for a few weeks, so thank you very much to bridgesong and Uncle Yap who have … Read more >>

A straightforward Rufus for Bank Holiday Monday. A couple of nice cryptic definitions, and a couple more I’m not so keen on. Key: dd = double definition cd = cryptic definition * = … Read more >>

I don’t much like this grid, with its four almost-isolated corners. Luckily there were enough easyish clues in each corner to get me going, though the SE corner held me up for a … Read more >>

dd = double definition cd = cryptic definition rev = reversed or reversal ins = insertion cha = charade ha = hidden answer *(fodder) = anagram Another delightful assigment as I get to … Read more >>

A fairly enjoyable puzzle. The wording of some of the clues seemed a little odd to me. Across 7 BANDAGES  BAND(AGE)S 9 OPORTO  O(PORT)O 10 SKIN  S+KIN = HIDE 11 ELEMENTARY  cryptic def. … Read more >>

This was a difficult puzzle today, I thought, although I tend to find Araucaria’s crosswords harder than the other Guardian setters. As usual, there are some really satisfying clues here and great surface … Read more >>

I found this fairly easy going, even for a Monday. Mainly composed of a few anagrams, double-definitions and more than the usual amount of cryptic definitions, it was a nice distraction but not … Read more >>

From Prize Crossword 24,463 – 9 August 2008 dd = double definition cd = cryptic definition rev = reversed or reversal ins = insertion cha = charade ha = hidden answer *(fodder) = … Read more >>

A very entertaining crossword, with two strong interconnected themes and a very neat trick of having three famous people’s names sitting in the grid (17 21 7, 2 23 7 and 17 6), … Read more >>

Yet another very enjoyable offering from Araucaria. I got 25/26ac immediately and the various types of pear followed quickly. Several clues involved bits of what is perhaps slightly obscure general knowledge (e.g. 18ac, … Read more >>

dd = double definition cd = cryptic definition rev = reversed or reversal ins = insertion cha = charade ha = hidden answer *(fodder) = anagram Another challenging puzzle which was also amusing … Read more >>