Guardian

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 >>

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 >>