Observer

Everyman 3,845

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Everyman’s recent run of slightly harder puzzles continues – but it’s an enjoyable one. As usual some of the definitions involve a bit of lateral thinking, and the wordplay in 25a is not … Read more >>

Azed No. 2,506 Plain

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Fewer gratuitously obscure words than usual. Azed in a gentle mood perhaps? Thank you Azed ACROSS 1 WIGHTLY German, height short, taken in by cunning swiftly (7) G (German) HT (height, short=abbrev) inside … Read more >>

Azed No. 2,505 Plain

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A relatively straightforward plain puzzle this week. It actually took me less time to solve this puzzle than it did to solve the previous day’s prize puzzle in The Guardian (by Enigmatist), but … Read more >>

Everyman 3,844

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The puzzle may be found at https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/everyman/3844. Mostly simple basic clue types this week, with 16A FRIAR TUCK being conspicuous as the only real exception. Have we come to expect the ‘primarily’ clue … Read more >>

Everyman 3,843

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The Observer crossword from Jun 7, 2020. Another enjoyable Sunday offering from Everyman, perhaps a bit more demanding than usual (especially in the SE)? First one in: 6dacross (that’s a surprise!), last one … Read more >>

Azed 2504

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Azed gives us our weekly trawl through some of the little-used words in Chambers Dictionary.       I found this puzzle a bit harder than many Azeds I have blogged, but I … Read more >>

Everyman 3,842/31 May

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Another Sunday, another Everyman. Lots to like in this one, as well as some stuff that might grate with some solvers. It’s been nice to see some new contributors to the blog in … Read more >>

Azed No. 2,503 Plain

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Another fine collection of words, with one clue I can’t explain. Thank you Azed. ACROSS 1 ESCRIBANOS Foreign notaries prohibit nothing in breaking crises (10) BAN (prohibit) O (nothing) inside anagram (breaking) of … Read more >>

Everyman 3,841

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Everyman’s distinctive style continues with another reasonably straightforward crossword. A good range of different clue constructions here, including a few examples of clue-as-definition (though I thought these were somewhat contrived; perhaps Everyman did … Read more >>

Azed 2501

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After the rigours of the 2500 special, a reasonably straightforward Plain puzzle, in which the NE corner gave me the most trouble (for no very good reason, in retrospect). A minor point of … Read more >>

Everyman 3,840

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The puzzle may be found at https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/everyman/3840. This week we have a vestige of paired long clues, in Bed and Breakfast, bottom and top, with perhaps EARLY DAY linking them (although the full … Read more >>

Everyman 3,839

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The Observer crossword from May 10, 2020 I don’t think there was much to frighten the horses in this Everyman crossword. But, yes, below there is a lot of discussion about the 24ac/21d … Read more >>

Everyman 3,838/3 May

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My fellow blogger Quirister described last week’s Everyman as ‘quirky’. I think that’s not far off the mark for this one too. Whether you are a fan of such quirkiness is, I suppose, … Read more >>