Independent

I’m always happy to tackle a Nestor crossword.  Solving was similar to my previous experience of his work: A few accessible clues to get started. Several novel wordplay techniques to delight. A few … Read more >>

The usual pleasant solve from Phi today. I found it all fairly straightforward and have no major questions, except that the unchecked letters round the sides suggest that there is a Nina here, which … Read more >>

We’ve not blogged a Tees puzzle before so we approached today’s offering with a degree of trepidation although we always enjoy his puzzles. There were a number of clues that we solved but … Read more >>

Dac is appearing today in his regular Wednesday slot, although it has not fallen to me to blog one of his puzzles for quite a while. As is customary for me when solving … Read more >>

I have blogged Samuel puzzles in the Saturday Independent Magazine Inquisitor series, but I don’t remember even seeing, let alone blogging a Samuel in the Independent daily series.       This was … Read more >>

*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, CD=cryptic def, DD=double def, sp=spoonerism I thought this was a slightly harder Quixote with a stronger than normal use of proper nouns, not all of them very topical (e.g. … Read more >>

My first blog of a Nitsy.  Enjoyable experience, thanks Nitsy.  Definitions are underlined in the clues.  [[Each picture at the bottom of the blog has an unidentified link to the puzzle.]] Across 1 … Read more >>

Having agreed to swap blogging slots, one often wonders what one has let oneself in for, and I must admit there was an “oh crikey” moment when I discovered I’d drawn Tyrus again. … Read more >>

It’s the end of another week – and what a week of crosswords in the Indy! We really like the range of puzzles that the paper has to offer – from the easy … Read more >>

When you are allocated the Thursday slot as a blogger, you never quite know which compiler you will have to cross swords with, since the editor seems to draw on a wider range … Read more >>

Dac seems to be a fixture in the Independent on a Wednesday, like Phi on a Friday, with only a few days off for each setter every year. Once more Dac produces an … Read more >>

As I’ve come to expect from Nimrod, some very clever clues, but several whose explanation defeats me, something that I trust will be remedied. He has done very well to get in so … Read more >>

It looks like the blogger for Sunday’s Indy puzzle hasn’t been able to post, so here’s a no bells and whistles blog of a pleasing puzzle from Raich.       Abbreviations cd  … Read more >>

We’ve had a wide variety of ‘guest’ setters in the Monday slot, and today it’s Morph, whose puzzles always seem to have a contemporary feel.  A fine crossword, which it took me a … Read more >>

Looks like a themed crossword this week – always a good sign.   So what of the theme   The key to it lies with 1 and 4 across.   The answers yielding … Read more >>