Financial Times 13,863 / Jason
This was a sound crossword where the wordplay was clear and the definitions were fairly unambiguous. There were very few surplus link words in the clues. The only clue I … Read more >>
Guardian 25,492 – Araucaria
After Paul last week, I get The Master today. My cup runneth over 🙂 Today’s offering is another potpourri of delightful wordplay (some of which eluded me) It is, as to be expected, … Read more >>
Independent 7837 by Quixote
Gentle, pleasing, puzzle from Quixote, solved very fast for me, 16 mins. A few words that I did not know or had forgotten but was able to get them quite quickly from the … Read more >>
Guardian Quiptic 628 / Arachne
This is the first Quiptic I have blogged – as a one-off stand-in for Pierre today — and I was delighted to discover it was an Arachne. This puzzle is exactly what a … Read more >>
Guardian 25,491 by Orlando
A lovely crossword to start the week, with some very elegant clues. Trickier than the usual monday Rufus, but still with enough easy starters to get a beginner going, so just right methinks. Unfortunately … Read more >>
Beelzebub 1,135
Perhaps a medium-paced week for Beelzebub, so not the easiest of puzzles by any means. Still, with a bit of persistence, I managed all but a couple of answers without resorting to aids. … Read more >>
Photos from Derby
I arrived rather late, because I am suffering with a dental abscess (don’t try it at home), but still managed to take a few photos: Sloggers & Betters, Derby, 26 November 2011
Independent on Sunday 1,136 by Hypnos
I find Hypnos tends to be one of the tougher of the IoS setters, but thankfully – from a blogger’s point of view, at least – this one was quite manageable. The North-East … Read more >>
Everyman No. 3399 (20th November)
Lorraine: Good morning one and all, I truly enjoyed this crossword, so many favourites. 3, 14 ,17 and 21ac; 23ac comes up all the time, a bit of an old favourite. My favourite … Read more >>
Azed 2060 — Eightsome Reels
Azed produces these specials on non-competition days from time to time. This is one of his regulars, none the worse for that. I found that it was possible to get started by solving … Read more >>
Tips For Solving Alphabetical Jigsaw Crosswords
The following is a copy of a blog written by PeeDee for an Araucaria puzzle that appeared in the Guardian on 19/11/2011. It contains useful tips for those who have not met this … Read more >>
Independent 7830 / Punk – Saturday Prize Puzzle 19 November 2011
If there is a theme in this puzzle, I can’t spot it. The puzzle is not a pangram. This was simply a soundly constructed crossword with only a couple of words or phrases … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No. 993: Mind the Gap by Ifor
For a long while, the ‘gap’ causing the most problems for me with this puzzle was the one between my ears… I can just about get my head round those ‘alphabetical jigsaws’, like … Read more >>
Guardian Prize Puzzle 25,484 by Araucaria
To me this is absolutely classic Araucaria – an alphabetical jigsaw with great clues cutting a swathe through general knowlegde, and taking some Araucarian liberties in the process. Not an easy solve but a very satisfying one. A … Read more >>
Independent 7,835/Phi
For anyone who has navigated here directly and/or solved this online, your attention is drawn to this note on the main page. I had no idea that this puzzle was used for the … Read more >>