PLEASE READ
Observer
Everyman 4,014
Auracaria caused me a real headache solving this
Azed No. 2,675 Plain
A couple of unsatisfactory parsings.
Azed 2674
Please excuse a rather terse blog – I’ve been away and had to write it in a bit of a hurry. I hope anything I haven’t said is verifiable in Chambers. Thanks to … Read more >>
Everyman 4,013/17 September
Another pleasing and well-constructed crossword from Everyman. Plenty here for the less experienced solver to get their teeth into. Abbreviations cd cryptic definition dd double definition cad clue as definition (xxxx)* anagram anagrind … Read more >>
Everyman 4,012
The usual good crossword from Everyman, all sound so far as I can see, and the usual rhyming pair, the self-referential clue, and the first letters one. Quite a task to produce these grids every time. You’d think he’d run out of rhyming pairs eventually.
Definitions in crimson, underlined. Indicators (homophone, anagram, reversal etc) in italics, Anagrams shown (like this)* or *(like this), depending on where the indicator comes. Link-w0rds in green.
Azed No. 2,673 Plain
The usual display of words which are either completely unknown or have a sense that is hidden away in the depths of the entry in Chambers, but all of which seem to be explicable. How on earth Azed produces them without electronic aids (as I think is the case) always amazes me.
I think six of the clues are of the form ‘xxxx? yyyy’, an Azed characteristic. Usually (but not always) the xxxx is the definition.
Definitions in italics, underlined in crimson. Anagrams indicated *(like this) or (like this)*, depending on whether the anagram indicator precedes or follows.
Azed No. 2,672 ‘Carte Blanche’ – Competition Puzzle
The first Carte Blanche for 18 months.
Everyman 4,011
The puzzle may be found at https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/everyman/4011.
Everyman 4,010
Everyman doing what Everyman does
Azed 2671
Azed 2671 is a plain puzzle I am defeated by the word play for CABLET at 4 down. In fact, I’m not a hundred percent sure of the definition. I … Read more >>
Everyman 4,009/20 August
Another sound and pleasing cryptic from Everyman this week, with all the trademark clues present and correct. Abbreviations cd cryptic definition dd double definition cad clue as definition (xxxx)* anagram anagrind = … Read more >>
Azed No. 2,670 Plain
Solving this puzzle seemed a bit harder-going than some recent Plain offerings, and I went to bed with four in the SE still unsolved.
Everyman 4,008
Generally an enjoyable crossword, with one or two very nice clues, but in more places than usual I was a bit doubtful of the parsing. However, this may well be my own failing and no doubt I shall be corrected. I can’t find any rhyming answers but possibly 4dn and 7dn are related since they both refer to parts of the body. One might argue that six double definitions is too many.
Definitions underlined, in crimson. Indicators (reversal, anagram, containment, etc.) in italics. Anagrams shown (like this)* or *(like this). Link-words in green.
Azed No. 2,669 Plain
A plain puzzle from Azed this week.