Independent

It’s been three months since we last saw Mass but again he has come up with a themed puzzle that provided a great deal of enjoyment, at least once 8A/2 had been solved. … Read more >>

Once again, we did most of this in good time, but then needed a second session to get the last few. We filled this one out while sitting in Cleaver Square in Kennington … Read more >>

I found this very easy, solving time 13 mins. anagram = *  reversed = < ACROSS 1 SPECKS    Kid in SPECS 5 TELEMANN    German composer who I’d not heard of but managed to … Read more >>

Another themed puzzle from Virgilius. There didn’t seem to be anything too difficult here, especially as the theme was very clearly signposted in 15ac. I did, however, learn about a couple of previously … Read more >>

*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, CD=cryptic def, DD=double def, sp=spoonerism A solid rather than spectacular puzzle which I finished fairly quickly, although there were a couple that lost me completely and some others I … Read more >>

One of those grids that tells you there must be a theme – more black squares round the edge than usual, and a pair of black zigzags in the middle. It took a … Read more >>

A typically pleasant Phi offering. Rather a strange grid, which suggests to me that there is some Nina. But as usual I’m asking for help. Actually Phi may just be saving himself work. … Read more >>

Obvious from looking at the clues that this was a golf-based puzzle, timed to coincide with the start of the US Masters.     Made a lot of quick early progress but then it got … Read more >>

This was much more straightforward than last week and included one mention of the date (Easter Sunday). The grid suggested the possibility of a perimeter nina, but we couldn’t find anything. Perhaps rereading … Read more >>

Apologies for a bit of a late posting due to illness. As a result the post is a little rushed and mistakes may well have crept in. This seemed fairly tough in places … Read more >>

Nice to get a chance to blog a puzzle set by one of our own at last. This is Raich/Niall’s 3rd daily outing (I think) and continues his excellent form to date. There … Read more >>

*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, CD=cryptic def, DD=double def, sp=spoonerism As a fan of horror films, this was right up my street. Having said that, I wasn’t completely convinced by the cryptic def for … Read more >>

Themed puzzle, based on 6 across, solving time 23 mins.    A few words unfamiliar to me that I was able to work out from the clear and fair wordplay. * = anagram   < … Read more >>

Another solve of two halves for me, racing away to start with, then grinding to a halt on the last few. The SE gave me the most grief, with 22 and 24 defeating … Read more >>

One doesn’t tend to expect a Nimrod to be easy, but this was perhaps tougher than usual. Fortunately, the Nina on the top and bottom rows made itself evident fairly early on, and … Read more >>