An enjoyable puzzle with some tricky surfaces. My favourites were 27ac, 4dn, 5dn, 6dn, 14dn, and 18dn. Thanks to Tramp.
Financial Times 18,040 by MONK
Fewer clues, no less fun from Monk
Inquisitor 1904: Hotpot by Tack
A warm welcome to Tack. (That may of course get warmer or cooler as the puzzle progresses.)
Preamble: Solutions are to be entered jigsaw fashion, wherever they will go. A word of at least three letters must be removed from clues before solving. Omitted words hint at a series of successful plays first performed in the theatre in 1983, forming a pattern which the clue order must follow. Otherwise, clues are ordered alphabetically by their solutions.
Guardian 29,681 – Philistine
Thanks to Philistine for another quality puzzle. I got through this quite quickly, but some of the wordplay took a bit of working out.
Independent 12,029 by Twin
Twin fills the Tuesday slot this week.
Financial Times 18,039 by SLORMGORM
I am filling in for scchua today, on a tricky-in-places assignment from Slormgorm.
Financial Times 18,038 by MOO
MOO kicks off the week…
Independent 12,028/Coot
A pleasing and reasonably accessible puzzle from Coot to start the Indy crosswording week.
Cryptic crossword No 29,680 by Carpathian
A typical Monday puzzle from Carpathian.
Financial Times 18,037 by Rosa Klebb
Puzzle from the Weekend FT of April 26, 2025
Independent on Sunday 1,835 by Filbert
Some really deft cluing here, with the smoothest of surfaces and some cunningly disguised definitions.
Guardian Quiptic 1,327/Pasquale
One of the editor’s best decisions since he took over the role a few years ago now was to give Pasquale a regular Quiptic slot. He always hits the mark, I find.
Financial Times Sunday 90 – News by Julius
The monthly puzzle based on the news. Find it to solve online at ft.com/crossword
Azed/Everyman
Follow these links for today’s puzzles Azed interactive Azed print Everyman interactive Everyman print
Azed No. 2,757 plain
This will be the last Azed for The Observer under present management, a plain that is probably on the easier side. Let’s hope that his crosswords can continue in their present form.
Definitions underlined in crimson. Anagram indicators in italics.