Independent 7996 / Nimrod
When we saw that it was Nimrod we knew we were in for a challenge. We particularly enjoy his Inquisitor puzzles which demand even more head-scratching than his daily offerings but all his … Read more >>
Financial Times 14,009 – Crux
Monday Prize Crossword/May 21 By now, readers of my blogs will know that I like Crux crosswords very much. This one was no exception, but for some reason I’m always hoping that Crux … Read more >>
Financial Times 14,008 by Mudd
Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of May 19, 2012 Here’s another somewhat tricky puzzle from Mudd. Clue 8A (POOL CUE) took me a while; it’s a difficult one because pool is more … Read more >>
Financial Times 14,017 by Dogberry
Enjoyable and straightforward with a broad range of devices but nothing too obscure. Hold the mouse pointer over any clue number to read the clue. Across 1 TRIPPY I (one, roman numeral) Popping Pills … Read more >>
Guardian Cryptic 25649 Pasquale
Not too difficult a Pasquale today. Some nice surfaces, abundant use of the containment device, some religious references here and there, reference to a not obscure but raunchy person, and the last one for … Read more >>
Independent 7,995 / Crosophile
As it is the last Wednesday of the month, one would expect to find Crosophile standing in for Dac. I found this puzzle hard to get into, perhaps because, as I realised today, … Read more >>
Inquisitor 1230 – UNION AMUSEMENT by Kruger
Baffling rubric until the penny eventually dropped after four days of cogitation. This difficult crossword concerned a “meeting” between A Crosse and D Owen. The difficulty arose from a number of sources. There … Read more >>
Financial Times 14016 Mudd
In a break from the usual, Mudd, almost always, if not always, an FT Prize puzzle setter, takes the Tuesday spot to bring a message for a worthy cause. The standard of difficulty … Read more >>
Independent 7994 / Monk
As a straight crossword puzzle this was a fairly standard Independent offering. One or two of the entries were words not in everyday use, but generally it was populated … Read more >>
Guardian 25,648 by Crucible
Well my first ever blog at the Guardian, and I get Crucible who I know rather better as Radian. Used to a theme, but let’s see if I get the picture… Well 9d … Read more >>
Guardian Quiptic 654 / Pan
Not a puzzle that I can say I enjoyed, and it wasn’t helped by a couple of errors and a typo. I look forward to your comments. Most of the definitions given are … Read more >>
Independent 7993 by Quixote
*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, CD=cryptic def, DD=double def, sp=spoonerism A fairly straightforward Monday puzzle. It was very accessible today with only 14 down containing a slightly unusual word. Across 1 Joseph: J + … Read more >>
Guardian 25,647 – Rufus
I found this a bit harder to get going on than usual for Rufus, but after getting a few answers in it all fell into place quite quickly. I have to say I … Read more >>
Cyclops 469: Going to the dogs
An entertaining Cyclops puzzle this fortnight, with some clever wordplay. I think the very first clue, 8a, has to be my favourite. Across 8 UNDERDOG Don’t spy on park shaggers enough to be … Read more >>
Beelzebub 1,159
A tough puzzle that had me plugging away at it all week, only just finishing in time to crack on with the following week’s Beelzebub! *=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, cd=cryptic definition, dd=double definition. … Read more >>