Azed 2148
Another high-quality set of clues in a Plain Azed – overall about middling in difficulty, I think, with nothing particularly devious this time, though I’m not entirely convinced by my explanation of 26d. … Read more >>
Everyman 3487/4 August
Another fine puzzle from Everyman to accompany the Sunday morning coffee. Not so many anagrams as normal, and no old films today; but a nod to the cinema nonetheless. Abbreviations … Read more >>
Independent 8,363 by Tyrus (Saturday Prize Puzzle, 03/08/13)
If this post is a little on the late side, I’m fairly sure anyone who has tried to solve the puzzle will forgive me. This was what one can only describe as hopelessly … Read more >>
Guardian Prize Puzzle 26017 by Pasquale
It was with some trepidation that I approached this puzzle. I don’t always find Pasquale’s puzzles that easy to solve, and what’s more I know that the Don reads blogs on this site. … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No. 1080: ATOL by Owzat
In ‘ATOL’, the preamble tells us that a ‘specific’ 10D of nine letters is formed by the addition of seven letters to answers to seven clues which are not ‘fully clued’. Each addition … Read more >>
Sloggers and Betters – Sheffield – a message from John Henderson
I’d like to invite you all to a party that I’m organising at the Sheffield Tap on Saturday, October 26th. The excuse (who really needs one?) is that I shall be celebrating the … Read more >>
Guardian 26,022 – Brummie
This started off looking quite tricky, but I was lucky to guess the theme involved in the cross-references at 11a early. This let me fill in quite a lot of the grid, after … Read more >>
Beelzebub No. 1222
Tough and a pleasure Across 1 One damaged pair I observed in Washington area, resembling pierced rocks DIAPIRIC I (one) (PAIR)* I in DC (District of Columbia) 7 Expel … Read more >>
Financial Times 14,387 by Wanderer
Some unresolved details at 3d and 5d and 7a/27a have same solution Across 1 DRAW STUMPS end play STUMP (defeat) in DRAWS (games without winners) 7 CONE figure [bato]N … Read more >>
Independent 8,368 / Phi
It is Friday today and Phi is occupying his usual slot. I made steady progress through this one, which I consider to be of about average difficulty for Phi. I hesitated for a … Read more >>
Financial Times no.14,386 by Falcon
I’m late, I’m late, I’m late… so no time for small-talk, except to say that this was was enjoyable puzzle that I would have been done with in half the time had it … Read more >>
Guardian Cryptic 26021 Paul
This was an enjoyable challenge from Paul, perhaps not his most taxing, but as with his puzzles, I just had to chip away at it. The most difficult task for me was to … Read more >>
Independent 8367 / Tees
Tees appears about once a month in The Independent and his puzzles are always entertaining. This puzzle had a good mix of clue types and required a good general knowledge … Read more >>
Financial Times 14,377 – Dante
Monday Prize Crossword/Jul 29 One might say the usual mix of cryptic and double definitions plus some very easy anagrams ….. ….. at 12ac, 25ac and 26ac, for example. A lot went in … Read more >>
Financial Times 14,376 by Mudd
Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of July 27, 2013 This is the first puzzle I have done in a while that I would say is truly hard. I especially had a difficult … Read more >>