Never knowingly undersolved
Another carefully compiled puzzle from Everyman this week. All the usual elements are there: the primary letters clue, the rhyming couplet, the self-reference. Some original clueing as well in a couple of places, … Read more >>
A 13 by 11 grid this week, although Azed has chosen to use a grid which only allows him one 13 letter word.
Apart from one or two small criticisms that appear in the blog, this is a good well-constructed crossword. Everyman seems to be paying more attention to the surfaces of his clues nowadays. It’s quite impressive that he manages to produce a pleasant crossword week after week, with all the restrictions that he imposes on himself (the rhyming pairs, the first letters clue, the self-reference).
Definitions in crimson, underlined. Indicators (anagram, homophone, hidden, juxtaposition, etc) in italics. Anagrams shown (like this)* or *(like this). Link-words in green.
We have a plain puzzle from Azed this week. There didn’t seem to be as many really obscure entries this week compared to some others. However the 1 across and … Read more >>
Azed is in classic form.
The puzzle may be found at https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/everyman/4063.
Final Bank Holiday of the summer and it’s time to blog the Everyman
A plain Azed.
A long answer at 1 across can be helpful in getting into a puzzle, but in this case I needed a lot of crossing letters to work it out. Apart from that it … Read more >>
Another pleasing and sound cryptic from Everyman. Abbreviations cd cryptic definition dd double definition cad clue as definition (xxxx)* anagram anagrind = anagram indicator [x] letter(s) removed definitions are underlined Across 1 When … Read more >>
Maybe I’ve only just noticed, but Azed’s crosswords nowadays frequently have two or three subtraction clues, as here. These are often quite difficult, and I didn’t find this crossword all that easy, with so many crazy words that had to be looked up in Chambers. But otherwise it was much as usual, with its sound clueing. The doubts I have expressed below may well be down to me, not to Azed.
Definitions in blue, underlined (the rest of the clues are in crimson). Anagram indicators in italics. Anagrams indicated (like this)* or *(this).
What we have come to expect: not perhaps the most exciting surfaces (except for some, particularly 22dn), but plenty of ingenuity shown, and sound clues.
Definitions in crimson, underlined. Indicators (anagram, homophone, hidden, inclusion, etc) in italics. Anagrams indicated (like this)* or *(like this). Link-words in green.
A plain puzzle for this month’s competition.
The puzzle may be found at https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/everyman/4059.
If it’s Sunday it must be Everyman, so down the pub with the dog…