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 >>
Enigmatic Variations 1073: Crowning Glories by Glow-worm
“Four musical CROWNING GLORIES are clued without definition.” So we were celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Queen’s coronation. That would explain why she popped up in so many of the clues. Sixteen … Read more >>
Guardian 25,975 / Puck
A witty and entertaining puzzle from Puck, one of my favourite setters whose puzzles we don’t see so often. There’s a theme here of the Puck Fair (“Ireland’s oldest fair”) which is having … Read more >>
Financial Times 14,345 by Bradman
One of those puzzles that looks easy when you see the answers but certainly not when attempting to solve – first-rate Across 1 CALAMITIES disasters A LAM (bash) in … Read more >>
Independent 8326 / Phi
After a few weeks of completing Phi’s puzzles and then wondering whether there was a hidden theme (and sometimes there was and sometimes there wasn’t), an openly themed puzzle this week. We don’t … Read more >>