Private Eye/Cyclops

I am writing this blog while feeling a touch 4d after Friday evening and Saturday spent having fun with other Sloggers & Betters in York. It was great to see so many people … Read more >>

I had the impression this was Cyclops coasting along. Yes, there were a couple of references to a recent political event – the Scottish Referendum – but nothing that could be classed as … Read more >>

Some nice clues from Cyclops this week, with the usual scattering of scurrilous and misleading surface reading. I completed it in the course a a not-very-long bus journey, which indicates that it wasn’t … Read more >>

One of those solves where half the grid was filled on the first pass, and for a change there wasn’t anything hugely troubling at the end. The last couple took a bit of thought but … Read more >>

This crossword must be on the easy side of average for an Eye crossword because I completed it at one sitting with only 8 left to go after the “all clues read” first … Read more >>

I finally got round to solving this on the train from York to Cornwall, having moved last week to live in York. People in the seats behind us were solving a quick crossword … Read more >>

Enjoyable stuff from Mr C this time. Over half answered on the first pass meant that there were enough crossing letters to facilitate solving those pesky final few tricky clues.  Indeed there were some novel clue methods … Read more >>

It feels a bit as if Cyclops was when he compiled this — the divine Mr Farage and his ‘party’ make three appearances. For some reason, probably because my mind has been on … Read more >>

Solving proceeded at a pace … Several answers entered on first reading, thus I had more than half the grid filled at “first pass” (all clues attempted). Another pass left me with just … Read more >>

As I blog this Cyclops puzzle, I find myself in the company of some very unsavoury characters, not to mention deeply unpleasant military hardware. What a way to spend Monday morning (yes, I … Read more >>

Read through at least 10 clues before spotting the first answer.  Not sure why as most of the puzzle filled in on “first pass” (when all clues read) – only about 10 to go. … Read more >>

A puzzle with some imaginative clues — I think 4d gets my vote for best initially-deceptive wordplay, though that perhaps depends on what team you support. 19d also gets a mention. Across 7 … Read more >>

At the start of solving this I was absolutely racing through, slapping in answer after answer covering top left down to bottom right.  Then I slowed right down and had to grind out … Read more >>

I intended to post this blog yesterday, before I went to Lord’s for the afternoon, but the broadband service went on the blink. And somehow it didn’t get done when I arrived home, … Read more >>