Guardian 26,025 – Tramp
Found this very slow going, and had to come back to it twice in the end. Lovely cluing throughout, my favourites were 14ac and 22dn. Thanks for the comments re: 9dn, and (especially … Read more >>
Guardian 26,024 – Rufus
A pretty standard Rufus again, with only one of the clues giving me any difficulty, though not helped by a horrible grid with poor connectivity and cross-checking. Across … Read more >>
Independent 8370 by Quixote
A fairly standard Quixote puzzle with lots of well-written clues, generally on the easier end of the spectrum. There were only one use of an archaic word (although this was signposted in the … Read more >>
Guardian Quiptic 717 / Orlando
Greetings from a newcomer to 15^2, where I am joining the Quiptic team. I’m delighted to be here, since the Quiptic is a splendid institution, and doubly so to be starting with this … Read more >>
Independent on Sunday, 1,224 – Kairos
Enjoyable stuff as we’ve come to expect from Kairos. Nothing too difficult, but absolutely no complaints either, with every clue very well constructed. Across 1 CO-STARRED – (Ringo) STARR in CO-ED 6 SUMAC … Read more >>
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 >>