Independent

Dac just goes on producing crosswords with clues that run so smoothly you think he must have been lucky. Well the only way he may have been lucky is in having the ability … Read more >>

Yet another example of why Virgilius really is the undisputed master of the themed daily. In puzzles such as this, you’ll often find that there are one or two obscure words in the … Read more >>

*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, CD=cryptic def, DD=double def, sp=spoonerism I couldn’t get into this at all and gave up with about half the grid completed. The theme was evidently pi and I think … Read more >>

I found this very hard, as we come to expect from Scorpion. After I had about 10 answers I came to a complete halt, totally stuck. Restarting the next day I made a … Read more >>

As usual a pleasing efficient crossword from Phi. Not much to say really — it all fits together very well. Across 9 HER(M)ITAGE  — this museum 10 Y(E)ARN 11 ALGE(B)R{I}A 12 DATA SET … Read more >>

Took me a while to break the back of this one even though I got the long clue at 1/21/4 early doors. There are some good deceptive clues in here and I’ve learnt … Read more >>

Enjoyable puzzle as always, solving time, 25 mins * = anagram 6 BEDSORE    Said bore (Spoonerism) 7 OUT POST 10 ROLLNECK SWEATER   (Let cleaners work)* 11 S(second) ENTRY 12 RE BUFFS 14 SO … Read more >>

Solving time,  18 mins.     Excellent, as ever, from Dac. * = anagram  < = reversed ACROSS 1 HO SEA(of Galilee)    Prophet from the Bible 4 WADES INTO   ad = notice in (townies)* 9 … Read more >>

*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, cd=cryptic definition, dd=double definition. My patchy records suggest that I’ve never blogged a Tyrus before, so this was an interesting experience for me. The theme is clubs of one … Read more >>

*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, CD=cryptic def, DD=double def, sp=spoonerism This was quite tough but ultimately enjoyable.  Across 1 Intellectual: Tell in (clue at n I)*. 9 Gyp: Hidden in “dodgy patella”. 10 Crenellate: … Read more >>

Solving time: about 23 minutes I found this a challenging puzzle despite getting the long answer on first look. I hope most other solvers got it without too much trouble – if not, … Read more >>

*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, cd=cryptic definition, dd=double definition. The usual high-quality Friday puzzle, as we tend to expect these days. I got through this pretty quickly, though with a slight diversion in the … Read more >>

Extremely enjoyable puzzle from Nestor, not too difficult, with the 4 14-letter entries yielding reasonably quickly.   Solving time, 21 mins.      And as always I find with Nestor, fresh approaches to clueing. * … Read more >>

Solving time, 15 mins, so I found it fairly easy. * = anagram     <  = reversed ACROSS 1 CHAP(ters)      This was my last entry 3 A Fellow FAIR 7 GRAP(e) HIC 9 CHOW … Read more >>

Yet another fine offering from Dac, though he got the better of me with 4A and 6D! Across 1 DEPUTY – PUT in YE’D rev. 4 HESPERUS – PERU in [-c]HESS – I … Read more >>