Independent 7972 / Morph
A good Thursday work-out from Morph with some topical references, excellent surface readings and great attention to detail (see 5d). 23a and 25a are new to us but they were readily solvable from … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,985 – Dante
Monday Prize Crossword/Apr 23 After a one-off Tuesday appearance Dante is back on the familiar Monday spot. With the quality we have come to expect from, in a way, the Setter of Setters. Thanks … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,984 by Mudd
Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of April 21, 2012 I found this to be another very satisfying Mudd puzzle. My favourite clues are 18A (THE RIVALS), 17D (INTRICATE) and 24D (ELDER). Across … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,993 by Aardvark
Very enjoyable, I found a few of these clues quite tricky. The clue writing is watertight. There were several places where I thought that some of the clues were a bit iffy, but each … Read more >>
Guardian25,625 / Paul
Another fun puzzle from Paul, with amusing surfaces and ingenious cluing – several laugh out loud moments, especially at 11ac. Many thanks, Paul, for the entertainment! Across 1 SHIATSU: anagram [difficult] of THIS … Read more >>
Independent 7,971 / Dac
It’s Wednesday today, and not the last Wednesday in the month, so it ought to be a Dac puzzle today, and indeed it is! I struggled more with this one than I normally … Read more >>
Cyclops 467: Copious or lavish trousers
First, further apologies — I promised to post this, already late, yesterday, but didn’t get home to my office (where this almost finished blog was waiting for me) until late. This was a pretty … Read more >>
Inquisitor 1226 – SIX CHARACTERS IN SEARCH OF AN AUTHOR by Samuel
A relatively straightforward offering by Samuel, whose last puzzle in this series was on Christmas Eve 2011. Five characters filled five of the eight unclued entries. The sixth character was to have a … Read more >>
Financial Times 13992 Phssthpok
This was one of the more difficult Phssthpoks I’ve completed. Without the help of the anagrams, I think I would have found it even harder. Some tricky clues to be had here. Thanks Phssthpok. … Read more >>
Independent 7970 / Raich
Raich is a regular contributor to puzzles in the Independent, Inquisitor and Listener series. I think also that I have seen him once in the Guardian. His clues are generally clear and not too … Read more >>
Guardian 25624 – Boatman
I cannot really say I enjoyed myself this morning . On my first pass, I only managed 15A in a puzzle mini-themed on something which can be animate or inanimate. Tough and not … Read more >>
Guardian Quiptic 650 / Hectence
One of the harder Quiptics that I have reviewed, but there are plenty of different types of clue utilised. I look forward to your comments. Most of the definitions given are from Chambers … Read more >>
Independent 7969/i 381 Quixote
Another sound and enjoyable Monday morning puzzle from Quixote, but one which I found more difficult than some in the past. However, once I got my way into it, it fell out nicely. … Read more >>
Guardian 25,623 – Rufus
Perhaps not as many cryptic definitions as usual from Rufus today, but lots of double definitions, and quite a few easy anagrams that helped me to get the grid started. 22ac is perhaps … Read more >>
Beelzebub 1,155
Quite a tough week, though I think I’ve at least managed to expain everything. There seem to be relatively few anagrams this week, along with a great deal of abbreviations in the subsidiary … Read more >>