Independent

Across 1 K in (PEARLS)*,R – SPARKLER. Got this straight off, and all of the other thematic answers followed soon after. 10/5 (LAND)* in ROMANCE – ROMAN CANDLE. The last thematic answer I … Read more >>

Across 1 hidden reversed in “BritiSH CASt” – Hans SACHS is a character in Wagner’s Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg and, I was surprised to discover, an actual real life person. 4 KEW,IS in … Read more >>

Across 8 PEN,PUS,HER – I don’t understand what “Caribbean estate” is and how it links to PEN, if at all. 9 NO,TED – “observed” is the definition, the rest of the clue is … Read more >>

Solving Time: 20 minutes The usual clever puzzle from Nimrod that was ejoyable to solve with some good laugh-out-loud clues. ACROSS  (* = ANAG  /   (cd) =  Cryptic definition  /  (R) = Reversal) … Read more >>

I found this easier than usual.   Solving time: 14 mins. Notes on some clues below – happy to explain others if asked. * = anagram ACROSS 11 TOAST    Double definition 13 APPLE … Read more >>

Usual high quality fare from Dac: excellent surfaces, good clear wordplay, and at least one I have failed to get. Across 1 FLIGHT CREW — F+LIGHT+CREW(e) — “Those serving in air” is an … Read more >>

More thematic wizardry from my favourite compiler: spot the colours in 6 across clues. Across 1 BROWN-NOSED – little bit of politics from Virgilius there. 6 PS,ST 10 TOT in LIES – LITOTES … Read more >>

I found this very tough indeed.   Usually where there is a theme with interlinked answers, it’s slower but I thought this might be different when I found 16 across etc after just 12 … Read more >>

Solving Time:  26 minutes Lots of F’s around in today’s Phi puzzle (including four block shapes in the corners of the grid).  The usual mix of cryptic defs and good sound clue construction … Read more >>

I think I made very heavy weather of this as, looking back at the answers now, there’s not too much there that should have given me problems; the notable exceptions being 12A and … Read more >>

Solving time : well over an hour. Lots of difficult clues, as one would expect with Scorpion, but some lovely ones and most of them could eventually be explained. I think. Across 1 … Read more >>

A pleasing offering from Quixote – will comment on a small number of what I found the trickier or best clues, but happy to explain others if asked. Solving time: 21 mins * … Read more >>

An excellent puzzle from Dac, one of the top setters. Solving time: 21 mins * = anagram ACROSS 8 GNAR (L) ED This has to be right, I think, esp with the L … Read more >>

Cryptic crossword setters often borrow terminology from the world of 2D so a bridge-themed puzzle seems very appropriate. This cleverly constructed grid contains NORTH SOUTH EAST WEST in the places you would expect … Read more >>

Across 6 EVA< in STS – “Mrs Peron” made this a very easy clue but “bars” was an ambiguous definition in the phrase “street’s bars”. 9 REC,(PIE)* 10 U,N in NEARED 11 IF … Read more >>