Independent

Spot the Nina time – take a peek down the left- and right-hand sides of the grid. Across 1 VEND – I hope I’ve understand this correctly: SALSA appears in the completed grid … Read more >>

The usual excellent, accessible, entertaining, fare. Solving time: 19 mins * = anagram ACROSS 1 BLOOMS BURY   Not a container and contents! 6 C (A) MP 12 LIST-LESS 21 MAIN STAY    … Read more >>

Not too difficult. Solving time: 19 mins * = anagram ACROSS 1 S (TRAP PAD) O Pad = tread = tramp thus = so 9 AM OUR AM = “after which PM” electorate … Read more >>

I think this is an easier crossword than Morph’s previous Independent crosswords, it’s certainly the quickest I’ve solved a Morph! That’s not a criticism though as it’s thoroughly fair and characteristically entertaining. Anyway, … Read more >>

Last Saturday’s Monk puzzle was difficult enough but I thought this offering from Merlin was even tougher. This was mainly due to the theme of the puzzle – all but two of the … Read more >>

I remembered slightly late in the day that it was my blog today and dashed out for the paper. I’m not sure Bannsider sits well with having had a few drinks at lunchtime! … Read more >>

The usual excellent fare. Solving time: 13 mins * = anagram ACROSS 1 SEAMSTRESS Cryptic definition 6 SCAM(p) 14 SWIMMING POOL Which in crossword language could mean – make an anagram of it … Read more >>

The usual top quality puzzle from Phi, with all clear in the end. Held up a little by two musical clues (9 ac, 4 dn) crossing, but got there in the end. In … Read more >>

Across 1 R,(A DIPS)* 4 I,MIT(t) in SCAR – excellent &lit clue. 9 (A SLAVONIC VIRTUE)* 11 SHELLAC – tricky one this, and a guess for me. SHELLAC is a US word meaning … Read more >>

A very quick puzzle, for me, helped by the letter patterns of the long across answers and some obvious anagrams. Some very good cluing, as usual, but no noticeable theme. cd = cryptic … Read more >>

soLVING TIME:  1 hr  5 mins  (with a couple of hints). Whether it is the sandblasting doses of antibiotics I am mainlining or that I am being especially thick today, but I found … Read more >>

Superb but very tough puzzle from Monk. The bottom right-hand corner caused me all sorts of problems (especially 22A, 20D and 23D) and the top-left was any easier. I’m still not sure about … Read more >>

A little trickier than normally for Phi. Solving time: 22 mins ACROSS 1 B LOW 2 HIGH SEAS ON 10 RATS  Star reversed 11 ERUPTION   i in not pure – all reversed … Read more >>

No major problems with this. Solving time: 13 mins * = anagram ACROSS 7 T (OUCH) UP Put = set (reversed). Clever misleading context as the “improve slightly” in the definition has nothing … Read more >>

Across 10 ORATE – the muse for love poetry is Erato so you switch the E and O round to get ORATE. 12 EARLY BIRD – I didn’t know what an “archaeopteryx” was … Read more >>