Guardian

No blog for this yesterday, doubtless due to unforeseen circumstances. This isn’t a blog, but I think Paul’s puzzle deserves a mention. Six of the clues were of a kind, with no further … Read more >>

Only fools would agree to blog a puzzle with such a parochial Britcom theme. Having said that, I’ve actually seen an episode or two here and there but I had to invoke the … Read more >>

Brummie seems to be becoming more regular, which is generally to be welcomed, though I don’t think this is one of his best, and several long clues seem to me to fall into the NCD (not cryptic … Read more >>

Solving Time: 10 minutes Nice, pleasant start to the week. Nothing too challenging.  5 down being my last entry. ACROSS  (* = ANAGRAM; (CD) =  Cryptic definition;  (R) REVERSAL 1   REVEAL              A … Read more >>

Solving time: 25 mins, two missing (26ac and 8dn). The ‘cloth hats’ referred to in the preamble were all reptiles (REP = ‘cloth’, TILES = ‘hats’), though unless KOMODO DRAGON at 19dn/29ac (my … Read more >>

Solving time : 22 minutes.  This is a fairly quick time for me, which is probably why I quite enjoyed this. I wonder about some of the assessments under the tab “Setters” above. Tees the … Read more >>

Solving time – about half an hour in two sessions. I started off quite quickly and had half of it done within 5 minutes, but then ground to a halt and had to … Read more >>

A typically challenging puzzle from the master himself.  There are a few mini-themes such as religion (NUNNERY, WHITED SEPULCHRE, LOURDES, EXCOMMUNICATION), the Crusades (GRAIL, BALDWIN), a couple of medical terms (FEMORAL, LUSTRAL) and … Read more >>

This was hard. Not easy. Some of the clues seem better suited to a weekend puzzle — not to the mention the fact that the online version didn’t indicate enumerations (word divisions) at … Read more >>

Just a quick post to get the ball rolling as I’m in a training course all day. Not sure why we have the treat of a Paul on a Monday – is Rufus … Read more >>

Solving time: 14:15 Not too difficult this week from Araucaria, with no monster phrases or multiple cross-references. The top right corner held me up at the end, as did the long down clue … Read more >>

It could be the toothache – I might have been more charitable if I’d waited for the co-codamol to take effect – but I found myself being rather picky today.  There are some nice touches here, … Read more >>

I was already in Brummie mode when I completed this, having just finished this week’s Cyclops. An entertaining puzzle, with the usual witty touch we’d expect from this setter. Across 1, 25 CONSPICUOUS … Read more >>

Solving time approx 16 mins. I spotted 10 winners of the Nobel Peace Prize – I think that’s all there are in it. And of course 8dn gives a strong hint to the … Read more >>