Guardian 26,168 / Gordius
Regular readers will know that seeing Gordius’ name on a puzzle does not make my heart leap and this did little, for me, to lift the gloom of a wet morning. I thought … Read more >>
Financial Times 14531 Jason
Thanks Jason, for an enjoyable puzzle. Definitions are underlined in the clues. [[The pictures at the bottom have unidentified links to the puzzle. Please enclose any comments on them in double brackets. Thank … Read more >>
Independent 8513 by Punk
A very enjoyable puzzle with a huge amount of wit and inventiveness. 18 and 22 could perhaps be described as classic “saucy postcard” Punk clues. Across 7. Put one’s foot down on fraud, … Read more >>
Guardian 26,167 by Rufus
The usual gentle start to the week from Rufus, with some fun clues especially at 25ac, 3dn and 7dn. Across 1 On the rocks, in the sun and air (9) INSOLVENT =”On the … Read more >>
Guardian Quiptic 741 / Moley
Perhaps the setters are cycling in sync with the bloggers, since I’ve got Moley again. This one seemed just right for a Quiptic, the clues straightforward as they should be and a good … Read more >>
Beelzebub 1,246
Lovely stuff from Beelzebub once again, though a very challenging week compared to the last two, I found. As is becoming traditional, just the one bit of help needed from readers, at 25 … Read more >>
Independent on Sunday, 1,248 – Raich
It’s been a while since I blogged a Raich puzzle on a Sunday, so this was a pleasant surprise. And a very pleasant puzzle it was too. It looks as though we have … Read more >>
Azed 2172
This was in the “not too difficult” category of Azed puzzles, at least as far as completing the grid was concerned. As often happens, confirming all the details to complete the blog took … Read more >>
Everyman 3511/19 January
Another fine Sunday puzzle from Everyman. Plenty of charades today and some characteristically clever anagrams. Abbreviations cd cryptic definition dd double definition (xxxx)* anagram anagrind = anagram indicator [x] letter(s) … Read more >>
Guardian Prize Puzzle 26,160 by Picaroon
Nice to see Picaroon, as a relatively new setter, given the prize slot. I made relatively rapid inroads into this (particularly the northwest corner) but then ground to a halt. My solving partner … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No. 1104: Nice by Ferret
The preamble tells us that twelve answers need to be substituted with a ‘thematically associated’ word before entry. And the one unclued entry can be ‘similarly’ associated with a word which must be … Read more >>
Independent 8506 (Sat 18-Jan-2014) Tyrus
First Indy Prize blog of the year brings me a Tyrus that is maybe not as hard as a traditional Tyrus puzzle. Solving this was quite fun, the answers falling in gradually, and a … Read more >>
Financial Times 14,528 by MAGWITCH
The second time I am covering Magwitch and just as pleasurable as the first. Thanks Magwitch for a grid that was just within reach, and not having any alien words. Quite a few … Read more >>
Guardian 26,165 by Chifonie
Not difficult, but a pleasant solve – all very neatly and fairly done. Favourites were 24ac, 1dn and 5dn. Across 1 Woman gets marble put back in wrapping (6) SWATHE =”wrapping”. SHE=”Woman”, around … Read more >>
Independent 8,511 / Phi
This is my first Friday blog of 2014, so it is my first encounter of the year with Phi. I found this a medium-difficulty Phi puzzle, with three unfamiliar words at 4, 11 … Read more >>