Independent 7965 / Crosophile
This looks like a fairly standard crossword from Crosophile. The clues are not too difficult, the wordplay is not too complex and the vocabulary of the entries comprises words I would expect to … Read more >>
Inquisitor 1225: One Down by Schadenfreude
This puzzle had quite a long preamble, as follows: ‘Initially the filled grid will contain seven consecutive empty cells. One letter must be removed from the answers to 20 clues and the residue … Read more >>
Guardian 25,619 – Gordius
Another rather horrible grid, with four semi-isolated quadrants. There were a couple of these last week, where the setters had helpfully split some answers around the quadrants. No such luck here, but instead … Read more >>
Independent 7964/Anax
A quite excellent crossword from Anax. He seems to be a frequent contributor to the Independent (or perhaps it’s just that he always seems to get me) and although his crosswords are on the … Read more >>
Financial Times 13986 Armonie
A first pass got me worried, until I got a foothold in the SE corner, and things then went okay. Thanks Armonie for an enjoyable puzzle, perhaps a little harder than usual. Definitions … Read more >>
Guardian 25618 – Paul
I really enjoyed myself this morning . This has got to be one of the best Paul puzzles … there is sex, there is religion, there is intrigue and there is royalty. Did … Read more >>
Independent 7963 by Mordred
A puzzle which I enjoyed, solving time 32 mins. I found the top half very easy but the bottom half far more difficult. Mordred often has themes/Ninas, sometimes quite subtle ones. … Read more >>
Guardian 25,617 – Orlando
Excellent, challenging puzzle from Orlando today. Favourites were 13ac, 24ac and 20dn. Across 1 VANDAL =”Old German” tribe VANDA=”V and A”=Victoria and Albert museum, + L=”fifty” in roman numerals 4 LILY PAD =”FLOATER” … Read more >>
Guardian Quiptic N° 649 by Pan
I found this slow going at first, because of the lack of answers which leapt out at me, but it came out handily in the end. Across 1. Attack garden pest with empty … Read more >>
IoS 1,156/Radian
This was a tour de force from Radian, with about as much thematic material as you could hope for. Having solved the puzzle mid-week, the significance of the date of publication was lost … Read more >>
Azed 2,080
An unusual grid construction in this week’s Azed gave us rather more 4-letter words than usual, as well as the usual quotient of obsolete, foreign (particularly French) and downright obscure words. The 4-letter … Read more >>
Everyman 3419/ 15 April 2012
Another pleasing Sunday morning solve from Everyman, with a wide range of references. Fewer anagrams than usual from this setter, but still an accessible puzzle with a nice range of cluing devices. And … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations 1013: Essentials by Rustic
A seemingly straightforward puzzle this week, but I was sure it wouldn’t turn out to be free of a trick or two. There were no extra/missing letters/words or misprints in the clues, just … Read more >>
Guardian Prize No 25610 by Paul
This is the second prize puzzle by Paul that has fallen to me to blog in succession, and there are no complaints from me, although I do have a couple of quibbles. This … Read more >>
Independent 7956 by Monk (Saturday Prize Puzzle 14 April 2012)
A nice ‘straightforward’ puzzle here from Monk, with no obvious thematic links or complications, but some lovely surface readings, especially the two long across clues. I originally found myself wondering if this was ‘difficult’ enough … Read more >>