Independent 8396 / Dac
This was another crossword showing the high standards we have come to expect from Dac. I thiught there were lots of good clues today, too many for me to mention … Read more >>
Guardian Cryptic N° 26,050 by Arachne
The puzzle may be found at http://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/cryptic/26050. Arachne has been submitting just one puzzle a month, so I was happy to see her name when it came my turn to blog. Then I … Read more >>
Inquisitor 1297: Adaptation by Shark
After three weeks of relatively gentle Inquisitors, we got a much more challenging one from Shark! (Chambers has challenge as : a task, undertaking, etc to test one’s powers and capabilities to the full.) Quite complex … Read more >>
Independent 8,395 by Radian
Puzzles with a lot of cross-referencing are not my favourite, but in this case the gateway clue was very easily solved. Then it was simply a matter of Googling this person and getting … Read more >>
Financial Times 14,414 – Magwitch
I’m standing in as an FT locum for the first time, and I seem to have coincided with the debut of a new setter. Whether Magwitch is an ex-convict from whom I can … Read more >>
Guardian 26,049 / Gordius
Yet another mixed bag from Gordius, with several examples of what I would call loose or vague cluing / definitions. Regular readers will know that seeing Gordius’ name on a puzzle does not … Read more >>
Guardian 26,048 / Rufus
It appears scheduled blogger has gone AWOL today so here is a simple analysis of the clues. I will leave it to others to comment on the crossword in general or in detail. … Read more >>
Guardian Quiptic 721 / Hectence
Rather tricky for a Quiptic, wasn’t it? In addition Hectence makes very free use throughout of two devices that even moderate purists will not approve of. The first is freely running words together … Read more >>
Independent 8,394 by Quixote
Back home in the Indy with regular Monday man Quixote, feels rather like Autumn this morning. Some nice long anagrams in a generally accessable crossword. Across 1 HEADSMAN Fellow to give others the … Read more >>
Independent on Sunday 1,228 – Crosophile
I’ve not blogged a themed Sunday puzzle for a while, so this was a nice surprise. Despite solving 1A immediately though, it took me a while to cotton on to the references to … Read more >>
Everyman 3491/1 September
Another fine Sunday crossword from Everyman. Just one clue this morning where I had to rack my brains a bit to discover the parsing. Abbreviations cd cryptic definition dd … Read more >>
AZED Puzzle 2,152
My first blog of an AZED as bridgesong is away at the moment. I guess it must be at the easier end of the AZED spectrum as I completed the puzzle in a single … Read more >>
Guardian Saturday Prize 31/08/13 / Boatman
We normally blog Indy puzzles and so this is only our third Guardian blog after a weekday puzzle and a Quiptic. We were really pleased to have the opportunity to blog this offering … Read more >>
Independent 8387 (Sat 31-Aug-2013) Tyrus
I know many Tyrus puzzles that I’ve tackled were heavily themed or contained a Nina. Sometimes the theme was football which I did not fully appreciate and missed half the references. This grid … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No. 1084: Means by Chalicea
What does it all ‘mean’? Do I have the ‘means’ to solve this puzzle? The preamble is fairly clear to start with – 1A and 41A are thematic, with 41A being a description of … Read more >>