Independent

Only done one Poins crossword before, so wasn’t sure quite what to expect. In the end it’s a mostly straightforward Sunday Indy. * indicates anagram. No obvious themes or ninas as we’ve come … Read more >>

Bit of a quick last-minute post, so apologies for any typos or missed nuances. My first Phi blog, and I was a bit wary as I have enjoyed solving/attempting many difficult Independent cryptics and Inquisitors … Read more >>

The usual good puzzle from Raich. I found it a bit harder than usual, but no doubt that was because of my failure to recognise the theme, and the long answer in the … Read more >>

I sit down on the train, open up the paper and what do I find, something to strike terror into the heart of bloggers, well this blogger  – it’s a Nimrod. After 30 … Read more >>

It looks as if something has prevented RatkojaRiku from being with us today so here is an analysis of the clues. In the interest of having something posted without too much further delay … Read more >>

Phi has been shifted around the schedule a couple of times recently, although I suspect we find him on Tuesday this week not because of the Bank Holiday, but because this was a … Read more >>

Pleasing puzzle in the Quixote style, solving time 25 mins * = anagram ACROSS 1  AGHA’S   losT 4 O  LEANDER    Hero and Leander from Greek mythology 9 SUSSED    Sussex with d for x … Read more >>

This was perhaps at the more challenging end of the spectrum for Independent on Sunday puzzles, but nevertheless reasonably straightforward. Across 1 HOPELESS Henry slopes off without sweetheart, dejected H = Henry (SI … Read more >>

Nimrod is one of the most prolific compilers at the moment, under a variety of pseudonyms.  He is also Enigmatist in the Guardian, Io in the Financial Times and Elgar in the Daily … Read more >>

Another Bank Holiday? They’re like buses at the moment. Well what could be happening today? Phi moves over for Morph. A week with neither Phi or DAC, very odd. Edit Phi did saturday’s … Read more >>

This is my first attempt at blogging a Mordred crossword and I have to say that it has been a real struggle, first to solve and above all to blog. I fear that … Read more >>

My first time blogging a Crosophile puzzle, and a very nice one it was too. There was nothing too tricky here, but plenty of excellent cryptic defs and elegant surfaces. I particularly liked … Read more >>

Poor old Anax keeps on getting me at the moment. This wasn’t nearly so hard as his offering last week; the theme, which became clear when the long clue at 16ac was solved, … Read more >>

A generally straightforward puzzle though I needed on-line assistance to work out part of the parsing in 6dn and 14ac had me completely beaten but I think I have now worked out the … Read more >>

I have always found Quixote to be scrupulously fair and Ximenean so when I approached this first non-Quixote puzzle in this series, I was filled with a bit of trepidation. My fear, alas, … Read more >>