Beelzebub 1,109 (22/05/11)
A very tough solve this week – I very quickly found myself reaching for various solving aids in attempt to get this one done. The explanations for couple of clues still elude me, … Read more >>
AZED No. 2,034 Plain
Great cluing from AZED this week. There are three ‘gotchas’ (mentioned below), and several other clue wordplays that are truly great. A joy to be able to complete it, which I think, after … Read more >>
Everyman No. 3373 (22nd May)
Lorraine: Good morning fellow solvers. This puzzle was not as easy to solve as in other weeks as I usually manage to crack the clues quite quickly, but this one seemed to take me … Read more >>
Independent on Sunday 1110, by Crosophile
Blogging from my sister’s dining room table today, up in the Lake District. An entertaining puzzle from Crosophile — relatively gentle on the solver, but with some nice twists. Across 1 AUTHENTIC Real … Read more >>
Independent 7,674 by Anax (Saturday Prize Puzzle, 21/05/11)
I had been thinking it was about time that Anax and I crossed paths, and here we are. No complaints from me: Anax is one of the very finest setters around, and no … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No 967 Suit by MynoT
Well all straight clues this week – apart from 4 with missing directions (N,E,W,S) to allow the correct quadrant of the carte-blanche grid to be completed – which means no clue numbers and … Read more >>
Guardian Prize 25,328 / Enigmatist
Enigmatist kindly dropped in to give us a start the day before this puzzle came out, by telling us that it was solvable but we might need a diary. This, together with the … Read more >>
New FT Blogger Required
A vacancy has arisen for someone to cover the Monday FT. As this is a prize puzzle there are virtually no time constraints, you will have nearly ten days in which to solve … Read more >>
Guardian 25,333 / Gordius
Apologies for the late post but for some reason the scheduled blogger hasn’t been able to make it today. This is just a simple clue analysis since I didn’t solve the puzzle but … Read more >>
Independent 7679 / Phi
I only head a short while ago that flashling is unwell, and unable to blog, so apologies for the delayed appearance of this post (which has been produced in somewhat of a hurry … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,704 / Sleuth
Half of the answers went in very quickly during my first pass through the clues, the other half took somewhat longer due to some intricate wordplay in places. I am unable to fully … Read more >>
Guardian 25,332 / Philistine
Philistine hasn’t yet got a profile on the Guardian website, let alone made it to Michael Curl’s ‘Who’s Who’, so I think we can take it that s/he is a new setter. This … Read more >>
Financial Times no. 13,703 by Flimsy
Enjoyable one, this, though not too challenging. If I were feeling crotchety, I’d say that a couple of the devices were a little hackneyed – but happily I’m not (today, at least), so … Read more >>
Independent 7,678 / Klingsor
For me, this puzzle was pitched at exactly the right level, offering me a manageable challenge and plenty of entertainment to start the day, as well as broadening my general knowledge – many … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,694 / Dante
Monday Prize Crossword from May 16 Apologies for the late posting. Unusually for Dante, I thought the best clues here were some of the anagrams, e.g. 19 across, rather than the cd’s. I … Read more >>