My first Azed puzzle as a regular blogger entailing a very enjoyable trawl though Chambers. The great thing about blogging an Azed puzzle is that it gives me the perfect excuse to spend the afternoon reading the dictionary without attracting unwelcome comments about ‘needing to get a life’ etc. Thank you Azed.
Observer
AZED 2,200
A plain competition puzzle this month after the intricacies of July’s competition.
Everyman 3539/3 August
Everyman on good form this morning. One or two definitions which I thought were a bit imprecise, but otherwise all sound, with some clever anagrams. Abbreviations cd cryptic definition … Read more >>
Everyman No 3,538
My first Everyman blog, alas the normal blogging software is not available to post this so it’s a bit old school today. Not overly difficult, recent ones have been more so I gather. … Read more >>
Azed 2199
A plain competition Azed this week. I enjoyed this, especially the two clues where there were two sets of wordplay leading to the entry – SCANDAL SHEETS (34 across) and LIND … Read more >>
Everyman N° 3,537 (20 July)
The puzzle may be found at http://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/everyman/3537.
Azed 2198/this and this and this and thus
I found this quite hard. Lots of “indirect” clues — where the wordplay requires solving for this. A good example is 33A. Across 1 Twangy instrument I am, bass, kept in box? GU(I’M,B)ARD … Read more >>
Everyman 3,536
The first Everyman I have done in quite some time. This was where I cut my solving teeth a few years ago, and it was fun to go back. If the purpose of … Read more >>
AZED 2,197
How Azed produces these grids I just don’t know. He doesn’t so far as I know use technology but compiles them neatly in an exercise book, something that I would find virtually impossible. He sticks comfortably to the Ximenean advice about unchecked letters in words and both grid and clues are full of words that require a close examination of Chambers. Amazing, week after week.
Definitions underlined.
Azed 2196 – “Overlaps”
I knew something special was coming up for this month’s competition, because Azed had mentioned in a previous Slip that constructing this one had caused him some trouble. Not surprising, with what are … Read more >>
Everyman 3535/6 July
Everyman has been a bit trickier over the last few weeks, in my opinion. But he’s back this morning to give us a sound and pretty straightforward crossword, which should suit those who … Read more >>
AZED No. 2,195 Plain
Nick: A game of two halves this week. The top half of the grid flew in, but then I ground to a halt on the bottom half, taking a few hours to complete it. … Read more >>
Everyman No. 3534 (29th June)
Lorraine: Good morning to you all, for the last time. A big thank you to Gaufrid and everyone involved in fifteen squared. A big thank you to all of you who follow the Everyman … Read more >>
AZED 2,194
A routine plain Azed this week, made a little harder if you were using the online version.
Everyman No. 3,533 (22 June)
The puzzle may be found at http://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/everyman/3533. I got the impression in the last several weeks that Everyman was ratcheting up the difficulty level a notch; butI though this one by comparison a pleasant … Read more >>