Fifteensquared – Page 1380 – Never knowingly undersolved

Guardian 25,413 / Orlando

Mon August 29, 2011 at 9:47 am by Eileen

After Araucaria’s Bank Holiday double challenge, a very pleasant diversion from Orlando for the holiday itself. I didn’t find this too taxing but there’s much to admire here: the usual wit, elegance and … Read more >>

Independent 7759 by Morph

Tue August 30, 2011 at 9:58 amMon August 29, 2011 at 9:00 am by NealH

*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, CD=cryptic def, DD=double def, sp=spoonerism Morph is becoming almost as regular on Mondays as Quixote and the clues are always of a high standard with good, often very topical … Read more >>

Cyclops 450: The Empire does not strike back

Mon August 29, 2011 at 12:01 am by jetdoc

As usual when I blog a Cyclops, I was held up by the wordplay of just one clue — in this case, 2/11d. Otherwise, all pretty straightforward. And I am on time this … Read more >>

Beelzebub 1122

Sun August 28, 2011 at 8:00 am by Jed

Could not have got poet at 23a without recourse to google. Indian word in 3d is spelt differently in Chambers. 8d was a very hard nut to crack. ACROSS 4 Bard’s not … Read more >>

Azed 2047 – “Cherchez la Femme”

Sun August 28, 2011 at 9:07 amSun August 28, 2011 at 12:05 am by Andrew

Azed last (and I think first) set a special of this kind in June 2008. Tilsit reported finding it very difficult (and I see from the comments that I did too), and I … Read more >>

Everyman N° 3,386 (21 August 2011)

Sun August 28, 2011 at 5:25 pmSun August 28, 2011 at 12:01 am by PeterO

A pleasant solve, with a good variety of clue types. A certain amount of general knowledge is required, but nothing seems to me to be too obscure, although in 11A we have the … Read more >>

Guardian Prize 25,406 / Brummie

Sat August 27, 2011 at 1:17 pmSat August 27, 2011 at 1:00 am by Eileen

I was away for the weekend and took my Guardian with me. I was, naturally, amazed and disappointed to find the previous day’s Araucaria’s puzzle when I opened it to solve the crossword! … Read more >>

Independent 7752 by Nestor (Saturday prize puzzle 20th August 2011)

Sat August 27, 2011 at 12:12 am by twencelas

A tricky one this week from Nestor, with a good use of different vocabulary to direct or mis-direct the solver. I found this quite a slog – an enjoyable 27 clues, picked off … Read more >>

Enigmatic Variations No.980 – Balancing Acts by Nudd

Sat August 27, 2011 at 12:00 am by Mister Sting

Balancing Acts, eh? What sort of acrobatics does Nudd have in store? He/She/It tells us to highlight “the work in which the quotation was originally attributed”. That’s an odd instruction – what can … Read more >>

Guardian N° 25,411 by Gordius

Fri August 26, 2011 at 3:46 pm by PeterO

Once I had dug out the answer to 1A, this puzzle gave me little trouble. Gordius comes up with several ingenious misdirections, and a smile at 24A; but there are also some clues (10A, 13A, 17A) where he seems to be waving his arms about furiously to indicate the answer. I submitted this blog first to Gaufrid, who had a few useful comments; my thanks to him.

Guardian 25,413 / Orlando

Independent 7759 by Morph

Cyclops 450: The Empire does not strike back

Beelzebub 1122

Azed 2047 – “Cherchez la Femme”

Everyman N° 3,386 (21 August 2011)

Guardian Prize 25,406 / Brummie

Independent 7752 by Nestor (Saturday prize puzzle 20th August 2011)

Enigmatic Variations No.980 – Balancing Acts by Nudd

Guardian N° 25,411 by Gordius

Independent 7757/Phi

Financial Times 13,782 / Falcon

Guardian Cryptic 25410 Bonxie

Independent 7756 by Tees

Financial Times no.13,781 by GAFF