Private Eye/Cyclops

That is, surface reading not found. After doing a lot of crosswords I tend to read clues for their cryptic meaning without noticing, or should I say savouring, the surface reading. An example … Read more >>

What a cock-up – They repeated 402 in the magazine – Have they been taking on ex-Grauniad typesetters? So this crossword 403 was only available on the Eye’s website . I expect we … Read more >>

One of those where most went in easily but I had to put myself to bed before a couple in the top left corner, so they had to wait till the next morning. … Read more >>

Thomas and Riddle of course.  Who else would inhabit an Eye crossword … Not Tom Riddle, that would be … frightening.   Perhaps as frightening as … Cyclops himself  <Ta Da!>  who visited … Read more >>

Number 400 Eh! We only get 26 issues of this esteemed organ each year – if we’re lucky – so I reckon that’s 16 years that Cyclops has been working at the sharp … Read more >>

Am I alone in finding this not too hard this time? I was getting a bit worried as my subscription copy did not arrive till Friday – which is at least a day … Read more >>

Trouble with overconfidently putting in a couple of answers this time caused hold-ups but nothing that couldn’t be sorted out in the same solving session. Across 8 PRITHEE (HI PETER)* AInd: outed 9 … Read more >>

Lots of anagrams this time with one interesting reverse anagram.  That probably contributed to the feeling that nothing that was particularly difficult. I suspect I would have recorded a fast solve time if … Read more >>

A couple of topical answers to show the setting is reasonably up-to-date. From the moment it was announced I thought Antony Gormley’s 4th plinth effort was a nice idea, and he is one … Read more >>

Good stuff from Mr C in this issue.  Some tricky clues which I don’t think I could get without the crossing letters, but plenty pencilled in after a first pass to get going. … Read more >>

Solving this went in waves.  A smattering of easy clues were entered quickly (e.g. Louvre, Political Asylum) and I thought it would be an easy solve.  Then I came to a halt and … Read more >>

Across 7 ENVELOP ENV[y] (POLE)* AInd: dancing 8 SLIGHT DD 9/16 PUBLIC DEMONSTRATION (DOMINANT POLICE BRUTES – [justic]E)* AInd: As broken up. What an apt long anagram and &Lit clue this was.  Top … Read more >>

Judging by the scrawl on the crossy I’m blogging from I must’ve had a few when solving this.  So as I finished it, it was probably on the easy side for an Eye. … Read more >>

A particularly enjoyable offering in this issue. Not terribly hard, but with some cracking clues with the kind of surface readings we hope to see, for a laugh. Across 9 OFF-DAYS (DAFFY O … Read more >>