Independent Saturday Prize Puzzle 8339 / Nestor
It seems a while since we last blogged a Saturday Prize puzzle. We were away last month and mc_rapper67 kindly stepped in for us. Many thanks to him! We thought this was a tricky … Read more >>
Guardian Prize Puzzle No 25,993 by Crucible
This is the first outing for Crucible in the prize slot for some while now, although this setter’s puzzles often feature in the Genius series. The feature of this puzzle was the omission … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No. 1076: Equivalence by Samuel
All the hallmarks of a classic EV in the preamble: misprints in the definitions of fourteen clues leading to a ‘suggestion’ as to how to enter eight answers ‘thematically’ – with three other … Read more >>
Financial Times 14,363 by Bradman
Have not completely resolved all – need suggestions for 26A and 13D Across 1 BURNOUSE cape BURN (stream) OUSE (river) 5 SQUEAL sing QU (queen) in SEAL (close up) … Read more >>
Beelzebub 1218
Highest quality as usual Across 1 Irritation about good dog pinching my waste disposal device BILGE PUMP G (good) in BILE (irritation) M (my) in PUP (dog) 7 Complexity … Read more >>
Guardian 25,998 / Gordius
I don’t know how many times I [and others] have described a Gordius puzzle as ‘a mixed bag’. Well, here’s another. Those who found Paul’s puzzle yesterday a bit of a struggle will … Read more >>
Independent 8,344 / Phi
It’s Friday today, so not surprising to find Phi occupying the slot this morning. I found that I got about three quarters of the way through this one before grinding to a halt, … Read more >>
Financial Times no.14,362 by Dogberry
A fun puzzle, this, from Dogberry, though an easy, breezy solve. A lot of original word selections, which I approve of (perhaps Dogberry was seeking to balance the novelty of, say, 12dn by … Read more >>
Independent 8343 / Anax
Thursday is traditionally the day for the more difficult Independent daily crossword. Some solvers may feel that today’s crossword touches or crosses the bounds of acceptability for a daily crossword. Clearly … Read more >>
Guardian 25,997 – Paul
No “smut” that I noticed, but the usual quota of witty and well-constructed (though mostly quite easy, I thought) clues. Thanks to Paul Across 1. MATADOR A TAD … Read more >>
Financial Times 14,353 – Dante
Monday Prize Crossword/Jul 1 Sometimes I struggle to finish Dante puzzles but not ‘today’ (which was Monday a week ago). I found this crossword actually very easy, yet a pleasant solve. Definitions are … Read more >>
Financial Times 14,352 by Mudd
Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of June 29, 2013 I found this puzzle to be a mixture of very easy clues (4A, 19A, 25A, 30A, 5D, etc.) and very tricky ones (10A, … Read more >>
Independent 8342/Dac
What does one ever say about Dac’s crosswords except that they are as always quite delightful? He endlessly manages to produce clues that are pithy and smooth (an adjective that is often used in … Read more >>
Financial Times 14,361 / Cinephile
PeeDee is off on his hols so I am standing in for a couple of weeks. It has been over a month now since we last had the pleasure of seeing Cinephile and this … Read more >>
Guardian Cryptic N° 25,996 by Brendan
The puzzle may be found at http://www.guardian.co.uk/crosswords/cryptic/25996. A puzzle with distinctly straightforward clues, and a theme announced in 21A, of writers.There are so many in the crossword, not all of them very well … Read more >>