Guardian 25,488 / Araucaria
Since I’m only a substitute today, I count myself very lucky to have drawn this fun puzzle from Araucaria. I really enjoyed it, for its amusing, whimsical cluing and some clever linking between … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,850 – Crux
Monday Prize Crossword/Nov 14 Crux is one of those setters whose crosswords I am always looking forward to. Many lovely touches and thoughtful cluing along the way. However, sometimes I seem to expect a … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,849 by Mudd
Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of November 12 I found some challenging clues in this puzzle, especially 1D (WOMANISH), 3D (EDEN) and 8D (REEFER). My favourite is 26D (SAGA) and I also … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,858 by Cinephile
A relatively straightforward puzzle from Cinephile, and nothing contentious that I can see. Thank you Cinephile for an enjoyable puzzle. Hold mouse over clue number to see clue. Across 1 LEBANESE BANES (troubles) … Read more >>
Guardian Cryptic crossword No 25,487, by Arachne
There’s always a lot of fun in the Spider Woman’s puzzles, and this one was no exception, though I did find it rather full of “pick out the letters” clues. Also there are … Read more >>
Independent 7833 by Dac
Half expected Crosophile as I’ve got him a few months running on Wednesdays, but always a pleasure to get a Dac as ever little contentious with a couple of &lits. Few anagrams and … Read more >>
Inquisitor 1203: Caveat by Hypnos
The title is “CAVEAT”, which means a notice or a warning! According to the preamble, the wordplay, in thirty clues, generates an extra letter giving a variant of a quotation. There are four … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,857 / Armonie
One for newcomers to cryptic puzzles today, with nothing particularly difficult nor any rare or unusual answers. I have a minor query regarding part of the wordplay in 18dn but apart from that … Read more >>
Independent 7,832 / Scorpion – to coin a phrase
This was a puzzle to be savoured, a treasure trove for word lovers, and so perhaps not the ideal puzzle to have to zip through to write a blog. Nor was it the … Read more >>
Guardian 25,486 – Paul
Another very entertaining morning, courtesy of Master Paul with his challenging but very fair clues, witty and original. ACROSS 1 FLAT CAP Rev of PACT (agreement) ALF (from Alfred the Great) for a … Read more >>
Guardian 25,485 / Rufus
Apologies for the rather later posting today: I’ve been whiling away two hours at the surgery between glucose-tolerance blood tests. It’s a pretty straightforward Rufus for a grey morning, with perhaps even more … Read more >>
Guardian Quiptic 627 by Beale
I have not blogged a Quiptic before, so this was interesting, and not all that easy. Thank you to Beale. Hold mouse over clue number to see clue. Across 1 SMOKESCREEN SMOKE (have … Read more >>
Independent 7831 by Morph
*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, CD=cryptic def, DD=double def, sp=spoonerism I’m not entirely sure I follow this one. I think the theme is words said in a Northern accent, although I’d never thought of … Read more >>
Cyclops 456: Willy or won’t he?
I’m not sure why, but I found this a rather more challenging Cyclops than many recent ones, and all the better for it. There certainly seems to be a plethora of male genitalia … Read more >>
Beelzebub 1134
Straightforward puzzle this week with some smashing, previously unknown words – 5a, 30a and 1d in particular ACROSS 5 Old miser fine during botched stick-up PUCKFIST (F STICK UP)* 10 … Read more >>