Inquisitor 1212: Dicta by Phi
Down answers are ‘affected’ before entry; Across clues are ‘affected’ before solving. Either I got lucky, or this was easy (or both). Started with the down clues, as they are normal – solved … Read more >>
Financial Times 13909 Dante
I said in yesterday’s blog that I was going to have the same again today. How true! Visiting family and friends, a blog, and then – a crossword in the same style by the same … Read more >>
Guardian 25,540 – Pasquale
Enter The Dragon. To those who are not aware, yesterday marked the first day of the Lunar New Year and ushered in the year of the dragon. Perhaps due to the revelry and … Read more >>
Independent 7886 by Eimi
Gah I hate insomnia but it means an early post. Slight surprise to see the editor again, but very welcome nonetheless. On seeing Eimi I was a little self duped into thinking this … Read more >>
Guardian Cryptic 25539 Rufus
Apologies for the later than usual posting. Thanks Rufus for a typical gentle start to the week, and to the New Year, the Lunar one, that is. Today’s the first day of the … Read more >>
Independent 7885 by Morph
*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, CD=cryptic def, DD=double def, sp=spoonerism An enjoyable puzzle by Morph with no particular theme that I could see. It was mostly fairly straightforward, but there were a couple I … Read more >>
Guardian Quiptic 636/Pan
A lovely Quiptic from Pan, I thought. Plenty of charades, anagrams and insertions, but all clearly signposted and just right for the improving solver. Abbreviations dd double definition cd cryptic … Read more >>
Private Eye/Cyclops 460 – Missionary hack
This surely rates as the gentlest start to a year yet, and the weather’s very mild for the time of year too. I had all but 4 answers filled in after the “first … Read more >>
Beelzebub 1,141
A good challenge this week, with plenty of unfamiliar terms. I’m at a bit of a loss to explain 10dn, unfortunately. *=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, cd=cryptic definition, dd=double definition. Across 1 THRANG – … Read more >>
Independent on Sunday 1,143 by Crosophile
I think it’s my turn to blog the IoS. The calendar says so, though the Christmas break threw the rota out of whack a little. Apologies if I’m stepping on anyone’s toes. Our … Read more >>
Everyman No. 3406 (15th January)
Nick: Sorry for the lateness of the blog this morning, but we have had a pretty poor week with bad colds/flu (and me working nightshift), Lorraine has to babysit her grandchildren, and what … Read more >>
Azed 2067 / 15 January 2012
This was a fairly typical plain Azed where the parsing is clear after a little bit of thought. I normally find the surfaces of Azed’s clues to be very smooth, but I did … Read more >>
Independent 7878 Bannsider (Sat 14-Jan-2012)
The man from the banks of the Bann gives us a characteristically tricky prize crossword challenge with several clues that had me foxed for quite a while. Several of them up to and … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No. 1,000: Dollars Also by Rustic
In a blaze of publicity, celebration, and razz-a-ma-tazz, the likes of which have not been seen since the Y2K celebrations of 1999/2000, the EV series has reached its own millennial milestone…congratulations to all … Read more >>
Guardian Prize Puzzle 25,532 by Brummie
Thanks to Brummie for a pleasing weekend crossword, not too difficult. The nine clues of a kind that lack definitions give dances, though in fact I can only find eight clues. This is either … Read more >>