Guardian 25,659 / Rufus
I’m a last-minute call-up from the bench today. Fortunately, not too challenging a blog to do in a hurry – not too many links to look up – but lots of nice clues … Read more >>
Guardian Quiptic 656/Hectence
It’s a Quiptic, Jim, but not as we know it … It might have just been a bad day at the office for me, but this was harder than many a Guardian cryptic … Read more >>
Independent 8005/Quixote
It’s Monday, it’s Quixote, and it’s the usual mix of fine surfaces, clear definitions, and polished wordplay. Quixote was mentioned in nms’s recent survey as being one of the ‘easier’ Indy setters, and … Read more >>
Private Eye / Cyclops 470 – Up Yours, Lobster
There was no obvious Jubilee theme from Cyclops – I assume he compiled it whilst wearing his union jack bowtie. Solving initially seemed a little slow, but once a few answers delivered some … Read more >>
Beelzebub 1,161
A fairly swift solve this week. I had to reach for a thesaurus to fully grasp 23dn, and neither the pasta nor the Italian family at 27ac were familiar, so that one required … Read more >>
Independent on Sunday 1,163 by Poins
Nothing too challenging, or indeed thematic, for the Jubilee weekend. Rather we have a quality Sunday cryptic from Poins. The only potential sticking points for me were caused by my own wilful ignorance … Read more >>
AZED No. 2,087 Plain COMPETITION PUZZLE
Nick 7/10 for me today, due to the second/third definitions of certain words given in Chambers. I expected some sort of Royal theme with trickery today, so was a bit surprised just to see … Read more >>
Everyman No. 3426 (3rd June)
Lorraine: Good morning all, lots of very well rounded clues this week. I didn’t have my crossword head on this week though as I needed Nicks help with one or two of the clues. … Read more >>
Independent 7998 (Sat 02-Jun 2012) Anax
That Anax, he is a “One” isn’t he …. … and he can take that any way he likes (we had to). Thank God for the long weekend – despite which I … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No. 1020: Loss by Samuel
There are several devices going on in LOSS – answers altered before entry; extra letters in wordplay; clashing across and down entries; and lines to be drawn in the completed grid. All probably … Read more >>
Guardian Prize Puzzle 25,652 by Araucaria
Another great crossword from Araucaria. In my paper copy of the Saturday Guardian the wrong crossword was printed (yet again) so I got this one from the Guardian website. I’ve said this before, but … Read more >>
Financial Times 14,025 by Gaff
This certainly gave me the run around – all over the place – very clever ACROSS 8 CAULKING stuffing (boat) CAUL hood KING royal 9 JAPAN CEDAR tree D moved … Read more >>
Independent 8003 / Phi
It’s Friday – it’s Phi – so all’s well with the Independent crossword world. Another good sound puzzle with only a couple entries that were unfamiliar to me. I think … Read more >>
Guardian 25,657 – Araucaria
Most of the clueing here was fairly straightforward, without any outrageous liberties, but the theme (and another mini-theme) made it more of a challenge. It was quite a test of my botanical knowledge … Read more >>
Financial Times no.14,024 by FALCON
I’m not allowed to say that this was pretty much a doddle, because I’ll be accused of being a strutting peacock and Lord knows what all else… but (whisper it) it was pretty much … Read more >>