Guardian

In my opinion, a mixture of brilliant clues (5, 10, 20) and some of the things I don’t like so much in puzzles (14, 24) and a couple of clues where I’m not … Read more >>

A typical balanced Rufus opus with sensible surfaces and no cryptic definition overdose. And pleasantly not a rugby reference in sight. My last clue was 24A since my only exposure to opera so … Read more >>

Solving time: 15 mins, one missing (3dn) Another puzzle with an epic answer, this time 14 words long (perhaps certain compilers at the Guardian are having a bit of a competition?), and beautifully … Read more >>

I suspect that much of England has rugby on its mind even though it’s being played in France (conveniently beaten by the English last week or so). It appears that Brendan does as … Read more >>

Solving time: 9 minutes Sometimes when I encounter what I believe to be a less than adequate puzzle, I tell myself that it’s aimed at the easier end of the scale and solvers … Read more >>

Across: 1. F(L)AB BY. Liver’s heading is L, and times is BY, (as in 15 by 15) which took me a moment to spot. 4. MUSCAT. I feel conviced there are half a dozen other possible … Read more >>

Solving time – approx. 35 mins. I managed to find some time at lunchtime to have a look at this, and was pleased to finish it without resorting to a dictionary (with three … Read more >>

Didn’t realise it was my turn to do the Grauniad; my apologies for the late post. A nice easy start to the week.  I am normally one of Rufus’s harshest critics, but this … Read more >>

Solving time: 17:17, one mistake (4dn/P) The clues for this puzzle were presented in order of their first letters (specified), with each letter used once (and D and J twice). Probably quite a … Read more >>

A clever themed crossword which shows the ambiguity of the English language. Most of the across clues and some of the down clues lead to words which have two conflicting definitions.  Time taken: … Read more >>

Not for the first time a couple of clues for which I don’t understand the wordplay: e.g 26A, 4A, and a few others in which I can imagine what the answer must be. … Read more >>

Solving time : 54 minutes, with one or two not understood and a little bit of reference book and electronic nudging towards the end. I’m not very familiar with Paul, since I avoid … Read more >>

Good stuff – one of two 3 downs for me in the other downs, but lots of decent clues too.   ACROSS: 9.  DER RING DO. Very nice – Bayreuth made me think Wagner … Read more >>

Solving time 15:33 I was racing through this in the usual quickish time of about 6 or 7 minutes, when I finally got to 24A/D and ground to a halt. It must have … Read more >>

Solving time: 11:11 Lots of cryptic definitions today, a couple of which I don’t quite get, and a monster anagram at 2dn/7dn which I solved fairly late in proceedings. Music (3dn): The Box … Read more >>