Independent 8,330 / Crosophile
It is the last Wednesday of the month and so Crosophile’s time to tease us with his latest puzzle. I made fairly swift progress through this puzzle, helped to no small extent by … Read more >>
Guardian 25,984 / Brendan
Another delightful puzzle from Brendan this morning, with a panoply of inventive constructions and witty, story-telling surfaces, with lots of smiles and ahas along the way, revealing an ingenious theme. It’s too difficult … Read more >>
Inquisitor 1286: Main Entry by Ferret
Ferret is becoming a regular setter of Inquisitors now. This is the fifth appearance of a Ferret puzzle. Hihoba is on holiday, so I am writing two Inquisitor blogs in a row. There … Read more >>
Financial Times 14348 Gaff
Another puzzle with the Gaff trademark of commemorating an event, given in 8,9 across. But I did it in reverse, with 18 across giving me the E word in full before then getting 1 … Read more >>
Independent 8329 / Scorpion
I think the speed of solving today’s Scorpion puzzle will depend a lot on your knowledge of the TV show that forms the theme. It is quite likely that Countdown is … Read more >>
Guardian 25983 by Gordius
Malaysia is engulfed in a smoky haze of such intensity that schools have been closed and a state of emergency declared in certain areas adjacent to Indonesia whose open burning of forest to … Read more >>
Guardian Quiptic 710 / Nutmeg
My third Nutmeg puzzle in a row! I must be getting used to her style as I found this one to be fairly easy. Most of the definitions given are from Chambers 12th … Read more >>
Guardian 25,982 – Rufus
Slightly more variation in clue styles here than the last one I blogged, but still generous helpings of double and cryptic definitions. Not really to my taste, but I’m sure Rufus fans will … Read more >>
Independent 8328/Alchemi
I’m not sure what to make of this one. It’s not a bad puzzle by any means, but it didn’t really hit the spot for me. Some of the cluing is pretty complicated … Read more >>
Private Eye / Cyclops 497 – Murky custom
As usual Cyclops sprinkles the Grid and clues with a set of politicians of varying murkiness. The long 6-word answer had me stumped at the first sitting. I had started solving the grid … Read more >>
Beelzebub 1,215
A good tough week, I found, though everything fell into place in the end. *=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, cd=cryptic definition, dd=double definition. Across 1 SECONAL – CON in SEAL. 6 NAPPA – NAP … Read more >>
AZED No. 2,141 Plain
Nick: Straight Azed this week with no real difficulty – 6/10. Two slight queries at 33ac and 6dn. Across 2. Sober duke, festal possibly, ready to set off with hunt? (10) … Read more >>
Everyman No. 3480 (16th June)
Lorraine: Good morning to you all. Very straight forward crossword this week I feel, plenty of my favourite anagrams 🙂 Most enjoyable clues for me this week were, 15 and 18ac, 2, 4, and … Read more >>
Independent on Sunday 1217 Poins
An enjoyable Sunday puzzle. Not much trouble, though a couple in the NE corner were the last ones in, after a while. Thanks to Poins. Definitions are underlined in the clues. [[The pictures … Read more >>
Independent Crossword 8321 by Klingsor (Saturday prize puzzle 15-06-2013)
Saturday the 15th June – and a tussle with Klingsor. And quite a tussle it proved to be – some unfamiliar words certainly were in use, and some devious cluing. Chitter, Dolce, Mediant, … Read more >>