Observer

Azed 2372

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A normal plain puzzle from Azed this week, but one that I found quite difficult       I think I have got the parsing right for all the clues, but I am … Read more >>

Everyman 3710/19 November

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A puzzle from Everyman with his usual sprinkling of multi-part clues. Some less than pleasing surface readings (if those are important to you) but otherwise, as usual, all sound and tractable.     … Read more >>

AZED 2,371

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I bought a Chambers Dictionary app for my phone last week so I could solve puzzles in the coffee shop without having to cart the Big Red Book around.  So  I tried using it for Azed this week.  It was clearly more efficient than using the paper copy but made me realize how much of the pleasure of solving Azed is not just in the words I look up but in all those other words I come across on the way.  I spend as much time off on tangents as I do solving the puzzle.  An efficient app that takes me directly to the entry in question free of distractions sounds good in principle but I don’t think I will be using it as first choice in future.  Thanks to Azed for a super puzzle, as always.

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Azed 2369 – Jigsaw

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Presumably just by coincidence, this jigsaw puzzle appeared the day after an alphabetical jigsaw by Paul as the Guardian prize puzzle. I see that, also by coincidence, I blogged the two previous examples, … Read more >>

Everyman 3,707

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For once I do have something to say about an Everyman cryptic other than the usual comments about smooth surfaces etc. I was rather surprised by the definition in 9ac when there are other … Read more >>

Everyman 3706/22 October

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Another exemplary puzzle from Everyman for the less-experienced, improving solver. There were two anagrams which I particularly liked in this one.         Abbreviations cd cryptic definition dd double definition (xxxx)* … Read more >>

Azed 2366

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A standard plain puzzle from Azed this week.       I think this would be a good introduction to Azed for anyone who has been hesitant in the past.  Yes, many of … Read more >>

AZED 2,365

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I don’t find as high a proportion of obscure words in Azed puzzles as I used to.  I wonder if Azed is getting more accessible over the years or if I have done so many puzzles that I have seen them before.  Can anyone comment on their own experience?

I will be away when this post is published and may not be able to respond to queries in a timely manner.  Please feel free to chip in and help out in the comments section.

Thank you Azed.

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