Guardian

Some very characteristic Paulian clues today — 26ac, 8d and (especially) 23d are the sort we have learnt to expect from him and no-one else! Across     1 LAID BACK — ‘Dial’ … Read more >>

A Rufus puzzle with a few less of his trademark cryptic definitions than usual.  A quick blog today because it’s Monday morning, the puzzle wasn’t overly difficult, except for one clue I don’t … Read more >>

This is the first time I have blogged an Auster puzzle. This one has a real mix of very clever and very easy clues, as well as one or two that don’t pass … Read more >>

Solving Time:  68 minutes Probably the toughest Guardian crossword I have encountered in a very long time.  I made a good start with the big anagram but it just went backwards with unfamiliar … Read more >>

The last time I blogged a Gordius puzzle was just a couple of weeks ago (10th July anyway), and it was memorable for a few things. I had to rush my cat to … Read more >>

Yes, as JFK said, I truly am a doughnut – I’ve been waiting for someone else to post, when all along it was me – d’oh! A nice Pauline puzzle anyway, mit einem Deutschen Thema … Read more >>

Across 1 COQUET 4ALNMOUTH This was my start point. It looked like an anagram, and that gave me 21 across. 10 AND OR RAN 11 IN DISC R IM IN ATE 12 PRE … Read more >>

Quite a few cryptic definitions again this week – some are good, some less so. But that judgment all depends on your mood I suppose. When I don’t like a CD, I suspect … Read more >>

Solving time: 30 minutes, but needed to look up 17ac, made a mistake (4dn) and can’t fathom 18ac. I found this pretty difficult, and took a long time to work out what ‘5ac … Read more >>

I think the theme might be music since 26 clues out of 26 are related to music. Typical fine Brendanian surfaces: sensible and consistent. In order to understand themes, PeterB always recommends taking … Read more >>

A typical Araucaria crossword, which hinges on being able to solve one key clue.  In this case the key answer was the one at 19ac.  Once you have that worked out, the rest … Read more >>

Solving time approx. 20 mins. Another excellent offering from Orlando, with some very subtle definitions that had me struggling in places. I particularly liked 6A (a subject close to my heart) and 7D. … Read more >>

I enjoyed this puzzle a lot, though it may not have been to everyone’s taste. My enjoyment of crosswords starts from the same kind of wordplay employed in puns, which often, though not … Read more >>

SOLVING TIME:  11 MINUTES Normal Monday fare, a gentle warm-up in the cryptic company of Rufus with the usual large quantity of Cryptic definitions and anagrams to encourage  solvers.  Ideal for the new … Read more >>

Solving time: 10 mins, one mistake (14ac) I liked this, lots of inventive wordplay without being too complex or convoluted like some Guardian crosswords. * = anagram, “X” = sounds like ‘X’. Across … Read more >>