Private Eye/Cyclops

Cyclops getting in early with his opinion of Xmas at 1 Across? Across 1 HUMBUG HUM (stink) BUG (infection) Had me foxed till I got that first U. 5 FEROCITY (OF, ER)* AInd: … Read more >>

The theme this time is the recent 25A perpetrated by 5A/21 and 15A/8 which 8D and embarrassed the 11A. One of them has jumped ship before he 1D. The other has been suspended … Read more >>

If there is a theme to this crossword it is that Cyclops has used “Balls” in many clues in several different senses. Ed Balls naturally gets a thorough workout, and there are clues … Read more >>

Some particularly nice anagram clues this time. Across 7 ROOST ROO,ST 9 SCAPEGOAT S,CAPE,GOAT 10 MASTER-KEY (MEERKAT’S)* Y AInd: screwed Favourite clue: Penetrator of more than one hole, meerkat’s screwed an unknown quantity … Read more >>

There are a couple of questions arising in the chat below that I’d be obliged if someone can answer. Across 1 SPACED AC inside SPED Yet again 1A is the last I fill in … Read more >>

  Across 6 EURO-MP [th]E U (socially superior) ROMP (junket) 9 HEADWIND HEAD (sexual practice), WIND (bollocks) 10 UNSHAKEN (SUN)* Anagrind: misplaced, HA (exclamation), KEN (one coming before Boris) 11 LUNACY (AN)* Anagrind: … Read more >>

An enjoyable romp through this until the end when I was struggling over Laura for far too long (if you see what I mean). Across 1 LET GO (L[abourit]E GOT)* 4 CHELSEA (LECH)* … Read more >>

An entertaining puzzle in more than one sense – I enjoyed it – and there are clues using “entertained by” as “container and contents” indicator more than once, but I only point this out … Read more >>

I don’t note solving times but maybe I ought to start as I’m pretty sure I must’ve had a Personal Best for this one. Must’ve been about 15 minutes. There was nothing here … Read more >>

… of the one-armed pedant Across 1 KOWTOW K[ens] O[ffice] WOW around T[ime] 1 Across is last to go in again.  I think it must be that my brain cell is not warmed … Read more >>

The crossword that dared to cross Beelzebub with Ann Widdecombe … Across 8 CLARA CLAR[e] A That clue felt a bit cheeky. It spells out the wordplay so clearly that it misleads.  I … Read more >>

There seemed to me to be a lot of question mark ended clues this time, at least they were the ones I had most trouble with, probably just me then.  In truth this … Read more >>

Another crossword where the last answer (correctly) written in is the first clue you look at, i.e. 1A or equivalent. This seems to have been happening to me a lot recently. Is it … Read more >>

Solving time : 3 pints Blogging time: 1 pint (just to make up the half, like) Currently drinking: Marston’s Pedigree Across 1 BUSH BABY Yo Pres! Did Telly Savalas ever meet GWB or … Read more >>

This was most enjoyable. Across 6 NOAH NO-AH “Flood survivor” I had a real blank on this one. I expect it was just me. It ended up being the last in. I left … Read more >>