This is the first Azed puzzle to appear since the announcement last week of his retirement from the monthly clue-writing competition.
Observer
Everyman 4,136
The usual trademarks of Everyman are in this crossword, which was largely good I think and the one or two places where I am in doubt may be down to me not to Everyman.
Definitions in crimson, underlined. Indicators (homophone, hidden, containment, anagram, juxtaposition, etc) in italics. Anagrams indicated *(like this) or (like this)*. Link-words in green.
Gemelo 22
Gemelo is settling down into an Observer routine and I am getting onto his wavelength a bit more.
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.
Gemelo No. 21 – Half & Half
This is the first Gemelo “special” that calls upon the solver to manipulate the solutions in some unconventional fashion. The puzzle opens with these instructions:
Everyman 4,135
The puzzle may be found at https://observer.co.uk/puzzles/everyman/article/everyman-no-4135 in the interactive form, or at https://cdn.slowdownwiseup.co.uk/media/documents/obs.everyman.20260118.pdf as a pdf.
Everyman 4,134, 11 January 2026
An enjoyable challenge from Everyman, which can be found here.
Gemelo No. 20 – plain
I found this one on the tougher side.
Everyman 4,133/4 January
A sound and pleasing puzzle from Everyman, with all the usual trademark inclusions.
Gemelo No. 19 – first things first
I’m writing this here with no fear that passers-by will get information that detracts from their enjoyment of the puzzle, because it is all quite open: nothing has to be discovered (except perhaps the hint from the first clue). Gemelo has quite brilliantly used the first letters in the words of a well-known poem (until there are no more clues) to restrict the words in the clues and he has achieved this with the minimum of strain, although it must have been incredibly difficult. In fact I solved it all before bothering to look at the preamble. It wouldn’t have helped me in my solving. No doubt because of the restrictions I found this rather harder than Gemelo’s usual.
Why Gemelo makes it so difficult for himself I’m not sure. I eagerly await the day when he produces a puzzle like one of Azed’s excellent Specials, where the solver has to discover something. He seems quite capable of doing so.
Everyman 4,132
A pleasantly accessible crossword from Everyman this week. There is nothing so far as I can see that is controversial.
Definitions in crimson, underlined. Indicators (homophone, hidden, containment, anagram, juxtaposition, etc) in italics. Anagrams indicated *(like this) or (like this)*. Link-words in green.
Observer Jumbo Cryptic: 2025 by Calypso
Happy Mummers’ Day!
Azed No. 2,774 Plain – Christmas Competition
An unusual Christmas competition, in that there is nothing Christmassy about it.
Everyman 4,131
The puzzle may be found at https://observer.co.uk/puzzles/everyman/article/everyman-no-4131 in the interactive form and at https://cdn.slowdownwiseup.co.uk/media/documents/obs.everyman.20251221.pdf as a pdf.