Independent 8355 / Nestor
It’s Thursday so we expected a tricky solve……. There was some really good clueing which was not surprising, given that the setter was Nestor. However we were and still are, completely stumped by … Read more >>
Financial Times 14,365 – Dante
Monday Prize Crossword/Jul 15 Gentle start of the FT week, this Dante puzzle. Although over all too soon, still enjoyable enough. Definitions are underlined wherever possible and/or appropriate. Across 1 ASH BIN Refuse-collector maybe … Read more >>
Financial Times 14,364 by Mudd
Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of July 13, 2013 I found this puzzle fairly easy and very satisfying. My favourite clue is 23A (DEFINITION) with runners up 28A (RELAY RACE), 29A (BEFUDDLE), … Read more >>
Financial Times 14,373 / Cinephile
Apologies for the late appearance of this post. PeeDee asked me to cover for him on the 10th and 16th but he should have been back today. Unfortunately I had some problems with my … Read more >>
Guardian 26,008 / Brendan
A pleasant surprise to find Brendan’s name on this puzzle, with another ingenious theme, succinctly indicated at 19 ac. I found the solving of this rather easier than usual for a Brendan but … Read more >>
Independent 8,354 / Dac
Dac is occupying the Wednesday slot again this week, as you might expect. Speaking to a fellow solver about Dac’s puzzles last week, he said that he always comes back to a puzzle … Read more >>
Inquisitor 1290: As the 1 Across Said by Wiglaf
The preamble stated “Each of 22 clues contains one word superfluous to the solving. The initial letters of these words form, in clue order, part of a quotation and its author. The other … Read more >>
Financial Times 14372 Armonie
This was tricky in parts – quite a few red-herrings posing as indicators. Got it in the end, and thanks to Tuesday regular Armonie. Definitions are underlined in the clues. [[The pictures at … Read more >>
Independent 8353 / Scorpion
This was a puzzle with a theme. The theme may not be common knowledge to everyone, especially those solvers from outside the United Kingdom. The wordplay however is fairly … Read more >>
Guardian 26,007 by Gordius
I always approach Gordius with a great deal of trepidation as he makes up for the lack of wit and humour with bits and pieces of obscurity that will tax the most patient … Read more >>
Guardian Quiptic 714 / Pan
A very pleasant puzzle from Pan, just right for a Quiptic. Most of the definitions given are from Chambers 12th Edition. Most of the standard abbreviations used in the wordplay are shown with … Read more >>
Independent 8352 by Alchemi
In terms of difficulty, this was somewhat akin to beating Australia at cricket – occasional bits of resistance but mostly a pushover. Having said that, there were some nicely written clues – I … Read more >>
Guardian 26,006 – Rufus
A very quick solve for me today, with Rufus’s characteristic abundance of double and cryptic definitions; and, as far as I can see, one completely non-cryptic definition. Across … Read more >>
Private Eye / Cyclops 499 – ID
How did I end up on a Sunday night an hour from the usual midnight deadline scrubbling together a blog for a puzzle I solved, and made notes for(!), over a week ago. … Read more >>
Beelzebub 1,219
Whilst I’d hesitate to ever use the word “easy” about a Beelzebub puzzle, this one certainly seemed to reside at the more tractable end of the spectrum. I managed to finish unaided in … Read more >>