Independent

An interesting themed puzzle today, with the themed items generally forming part of the wordplay rather than the answers themselves. This made it a bit trickier than other themed puzzles where you can … Read more >>

*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, CD=cryptic def, DD=double def, sp=spoonerism This was just the right level to be fairly challenging to less experienced solvers, although unlikely to cause problems for the more experienced. As … Read more >>

Great stuff as always from Raich. I found a couple of terms slightly unfamiliar, such as at 10ac and 5dn, but in all cases the wordplay was unambiguous. I didn’t spot any themes … Read more >>

So my first blog of an Anax puzzle – should be fun and hopefully have a theme, or even two and a good few chuckles along the way? Indeed it was fun (and … Read more >>

Phi ‘s puzzles often show that he has different leisure and reading interests to me – today we have reference to films, history, art, poetry, religion and birds.  I have only a superficial … Read more >>

So far as I know Rorschach is a new name to crosswords, although I suppose it might be an amalgam of other setters. At first sight, with its references to Bob Marley and a … Read more >>

When we saw that we had a Dac puzzle to blog we were pleased – his surface readings are always good. There are a few new terms to indicate word play that we … Read more >>

It is a while since I have solved or blogged a Radian, so I was relishing the challenge this morning. In light of my recent failures to spot Ninas, I was on my … Read more >>

Bonjour!  Punk and I cross swords again on a Monday – in a friendly sort of way, of course.  I loved this one, but I’m not sure everyone will be quite so keen … Read more >>

You know that stuff about buses?  You wait ages for one to come along, and then two come one after another?  I blogged my first Tyrus when he had the Monday slot a … Read more >>

It’s Saturday, it’s my turn to blog…and it is yet another Bannsider! Not that I’m complaining – excellent clueing, as usual, although I would say this was possibly at the ‘easier’ end of … Read more >>

One of those themed crosswords that takes a long time to start if you don’t immediately see the gateway clue (as I have discovered it’s called; in this case 5dn). Then much of … Read more >>

A suitably tricky Thursday puzzle from Klingsor, which took quite a bit of sorting out!   As expected, there were some excellent surface readings and cryptic definitions, a fair bit of crafty misdirection … Read more >>

As it is the last Wednesday of the month, it is Dac’s day off, so I have crossed swords with Crosophile today. Since I am not yet that familiar with Crosophile’s work, I … Read more >>

Nimrod always keeps you on your toes, even if the theme becomes obvious fairly early on.       I solved the puzzle without too much difficulty given that twelve of the entries … Read more >>