This puzzle was published in the Observer on the first Sunday of October, so that means it is an Azed puzzle rather than a Gemelo puzzle.
Azed
Azed No. 2,783
Several clues where I’m not 100% sure, and one that at the time of writing quite defeats me. However, I’m sure that all will be explained.
My guess is that anyone who does these crosswords will have a copy of Chambers to hand and so won’t need everything to be spelled out. In the parsing I have confined myself to explaining when the wordplay is not immediately clear.
Azed 2782
Azed’s change to appearing only monthly and the vagaries of the schedule mean that I haven’t blogged one of his puzzles since January, so I feel rather out of practice. Quite a lot of unfamiliar in this one, I thought, but all fairly clued as ever, though there seems to be an error in 9 down, unless I’m misunderstanding (quite possible, of course). Thanks to Azed.
Azed No. 2,781
It is starting to feel like a privilege to have an Azed land on my rotation.
Azed No. 2,780
It’s the first Sunday of the month, so it’s Azed’s turn to provide our weekly barred puzzle.
Azed No. 2,779
A medium-difficulty crossword from Azed. There seemed to me to be lots of answers where the parsing involves an anagram, but now I count them it’s not so excessive (25%).
My guess is that anyone who does these crosswords will have a copy of Chambers to hand and so won’t need everything to be spelled out. In the parsing I have confined myself to explaining when the wordplay is not immediately clear.
Definitions in crimson, underlined. Anagrams indicated *(like this) or (like this)*
Azed No. 2,778
Not a typical Azed plain this week.
Azed No. 2,777 – Plain
How splendid to blog another Azed.
Azed and the future
Bridgesong has the honour of blogging the last Azed monthly competition puzzle. Please take a moment to read his review in the following blog:
Azed No. 2,776 – the end of an era
This is the first Azed puzzle to appear since the announcement last week of his retirement from the monthly clue-writing competition.
Azed Filming
We are making a special video about the Azed crossword to be screened at the puzzle centenary event on 19th March, and we would love for you to be part of it.
Azed No. 2,774 Plain – Christmas Competition
An unusual Christmas competition, in that there is nothing Christmassy about it.
Azed No. 2,773 Plain – Competition Puzzle
I feel privileged to have received an Azed puzzle for my turn at this blog.
Azed 2772
This Observer barred puzzle was published on the first Sunday of November, so under the new arrangements it is set by Azed as a plain competition offering.