Never knowingly undersolved
I do hope new solvers will not get discouraged when a puzzle is described as “easy” which is a relative term. When I first started out doing cryptic crosswords as a student in … Read more >>
The scheduled blogger appears to have been unable to post today so here is a parsing of the clues. I cannot comment on the puzzle as I didn’t solve it but merely analysed … Read more >>
A rather rude awakening here from Donk in places, I found this rather tricky and can’t explain 17ac. Seems ages since I last wrote a blog here, with Uncle Yap kindly taking over … Read more >>
The puzzle may be found at http://www.guardian.co.uk/crosswords/quiptic/697.
My second outing with an Alechemi puzzle, but this was just as good as the first. I raced through this one pretty quickly, but that was largely due to the neat clueing which … Read more >>
A reasonably straightforward plain puzzle this week, but I do have a couple of quibbles about the cluing, and one where I may not have understood the wordplay at all, so suggestions are … Read more >>
Another well-constructed crossword in the Everyman style with plenty of variety in the clueing. Just one new meaning of a word for me this morning. Abbreviations cd cryptic definition dd double … Read more >>
A year or two ago I seemed to draw an Anax every time it was my turn to blog a Saturday Indy. Like female flatmates, it seemed that our cycles had synchronised. Strangely, … Read more >>
As might be expected from a puzzle set by Enigmatist , this proved to be a challenge and although I did eventually manage to solve it on the day of publication, it took … Read more >>
An intriguing preamble: As ‘instructed’ by the grid, solvers must make a choice in the case of eleven clashes; and a further ten clues omit a letter in the subsidiary indications – these … Read more >>
It is Friday today, so we have Phi’s latest puzzle to contend with. This puzzle has something of a musical theme to it and was trickier in terms of its vocabulary for me … Read more >>
Clever stuff – 6 down still a mystery Across 8 CARAFE some wine RA[c] (service mostly) in CAFÉ (restaurant) 9 STOPOVER break for driver ST (road) OP (work) OVER … Read more >>
Typical Araucaria fare today, with familiar ploys which will tickle or exasperate, depending on your predilections. Needless to say, I loved it. Across 1 Call boy’s takeover HIJACK HI [call ] + JACK … Read more >>
Excellent as usual Across 1 Chance instant, mostly noticed by touch HAPTIC HAP (chance) TIC[K] (instant mostly) 5 Crazy officer brought into plan MADCAP DC (officer – detective constable) … Read more >>
Sorry I’m so late. I awoke with a headache and – on seeing that it was once again a Hamilton Thursday – an agonised groan. For some odd reason I always find Hamilton … Read more >>