Never knowingly undersolved
There are some clever clues here, mixed in with some rather tired ones. Nothing too taxing for a Bank Holiday and several to raise a smile. Thank you, Rufus. Across 1 PACIFIC: double … Read more >>
*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, CD=cryptic def, DD=double def, sp=spoonerism An excellent but very tough Leveson themed puzzle. I found the top half of the puzzle a lot easier than the bottom half. There … Read more >>
The only Moley Quiptic I have blogged was also my first on 15sq. I don’t recall the details of the first, except that it was quite straightforward, and today’s is the same. Thanks … Read more >>
I have not been able to polish this blog as intended, as I am coming off a bout of flu, but I think its is all there.
My sense is that the Independent on Sunday puzzle is one that’s pitched at a reasonably accessible level so that ‘lesser mortals’ (and I have deliberately used the inverted commas) can have a … Read more >>
This was very much a puzzle of two halves for me. I rattled off the left-hand side very quickly, helped by the easy anagram-based clues at 1ac and 1dn, but then stalled somewhat … Read more >>
There’s a lot going on in the preamble: a partial quotation, CLASHes ‘contributing to’ a further CLASH, those involved in the CLASH and – just for good measure – a final CLASH to … Read more >>
Nimrod has been lurking around the restricted section of the etymological library again and half-inched the special dictionary of obscure words. I had only very few answers after the first pass of the … Read more >>
A rather more straightforward puzzle than usual from Shed, I thought, particularly for a Prize, although there seems to be a consensus that the Saturday puzzles are generally less of a challenge these … Read more >>
Smashing puzzle with shed loads of wit and ingenuity ACROSS 1 GENDARME low-down GEN (DREAM)* 5 DECAMP de Camptown ladies sing this .. 9 UNDERAGE too tender (U GRANDEE)* 10 … Read more >>
A typically satisfactory puzzle from Phi, with so far as I can see no controversial clues. Everything is of a high standard. There is a gentle Nina — hardly a Nina, more … Read more >>
Usual rich smorgasbord ACROSS 1 Opinion dismissing love as sin VICE V[o]ICE 4 Disentangle second hint about condition SIMPLIFY IF condition in S IMPLY hint 9 Old creature touchy … Read more >>
Arachne is becoming one of the most eagerly-awaited setters in the Guardian stable…
This was one of those rare puzzles that was both a doddle and a complete pleasure to complete. ACROSS 1. ACUMEN Cu [copper] within A [area] + men [team] 4. STOCKING Double definition; I seem to … Read more >>
This was an enjoyable puzzle, not too difficult, with a new word for me, so it was a 14A (which is a word I dislike!). A lot of help from the 3 related clues, … Read more >>