Beelzebub No 1230
Cracking stuff Across 1 Italian author dull, penning one declaration appreciating the environment ECOLOGICALLY ECO (Umberto) I (one) CALL (declaration) in LOGY (dull) 10 Votes against introducing new day … Read more >>
Independent 8,416 / Phi
Phi is occupying this week’s Friday slot, as is to be expected. I found this one to be an easier-than-average Phi solve and made fairly swift progress through it. Bizarrely, 25 held me … Read more >>
Guardian Cryptic 26,070 / Chifonie
A limpid and perfectly judged crossword from Chifonie. I found the clues kept me working very hard throughout without ever leaving me really stuck for long – just at the level where I … Read more >>
Financial Times no.14,434 by Falcon
A very gentle (though mildly Shakespeare-flavoured) offering this morning from Falcon, which is just fine by this blogger, as no-one, least of all me, needs to have their brain over-taxed before breakfast on … Read more >>
Guardian 26,069 by Pasquale
A little gentler than usual from Pasquale, but very enjoyable – I really liked 11ac, 23ac and 10dn. Across 1 Severely punish, making someone accept work forcibly? (5,3,4,2) THROW THE BOOK AT Literally … Read more >>
Independent 8415 / Klingsor
Klingsor gave us an enjoyable commuter’s crossword today Although I enjoyed the puzzle, I found the clues to be a bit of a mixed bag ranging from t I was a … Read more >>
Financial Times 14,425 – Dante
Monday Prize Crossword/Sep 23 I did not find this the easiest of Dante puzzles (one that can be found here) because of all these cryptic and double definitions – which were at times … Read more >>
Financial Times 14,424 by Cincinnus
Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of September 21, 2013 I found this Cincinnus puzzle very much like his last one in this space. That is, trickier than usual with a couple of … Read more >>
Independent 8,414 by Dac
The usual perfect offering from Dac. His anagram indicators are often very cleverly disguised, and in this crossword a certain amount of general knowledge is necessary. Definitions in italics. Across 1 Measure piece of … Read more >>
Guardian 26,068 – Paul
The usual good (mostly) clean fun from Paul, though with an unusually large number of double definitions. I can’t explain 14a – as always I’m probably missing something obvious … Read more >>
Financial Times 14,433 by Cinephile
This is a super puzzle, varied and interesting all the way through. I would hesitate to say whether this was easy or difficult. I suspect that if you are on Cinephile’s wavelength today … Read more >>
Inquisitor 1300: Alphanumerics by Schadenfreude
Inquisitor 1300 … setter Schadenfreude … are we in for a treat? I paraphrase the preamble: Ten clues with an extra letter in the wordplay, and eleven with a … Read more >>
Reminder: The All-England RNIB 3D Crosswords Cup 2013
Hoping to see you at this event on 12 October, at Penderel’s Oak in High Holborn, London: 3D Crosswords Cup Don’t worry if you aren’t yet an advanced solver — all ability levels … Read more >>
Financial Times 14432 Sayang
A gentle puzzle to start the FT week with. An FT debut for this pseudonym, which I don’t think anyone has come across before, here or in the other UK dailies. I suspect some … Read more >>
Independent Cryptic 8413 / Hob
An extremely clever and tortuous crossword from Hob, but a bit too much for me on a Tuesday morning. The theme revealed its secrets only slowly, and even then the puzzle didn’t become … Read more >>