Everyman 3378/26 June 2011
A clearly-clued and entertaining entry-level puzzle from Everyman. I was particularly taken with some clever anagrams this week. cd cryptic definition dd double definition (xxxx)* anagram anagrind = anagram … Read more >>
Independent 7,704 by Nestor (Saturday Prize Puzzle, 25/06/11)
I must admit that this seemed to be about the toughest Nestor puzzle I’ve ever come across. As a result, I was picking away at it all week. One final entry, 17dn, remained … Read more >>
Guardian Prize Puzzle No 25,358 by Araucaria
Another entertaining outing from the Master, although I do take exception to a couple of his definitions. I took this puzzle with me to the Sloggers and Betters meeting in Birmingham last Saturday, … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No.972 – Extraction by Oxymoron
Ah, forgive me. Once again, the days run away from me and you are left without your due, a run down of EV972. I read somewhere that Oxymoron was considered “scrupulously fair”. I … Read more >>
Photos of Sloggers & Betters in Birmingham
Lots of photos of last Saturday’s meeting to be found at: S&B Brum As usual, apologies if I have misindentified anyone. Just let me know and I’ll correct
Financial Times 13,734 / Falcon
Generally easy though the definition in 18ac might have confused some solvers, as might the wordplay in 20dn for those who haven’t met this usage before. I rather liked the two long anagrams … Read more >>
Guardian 25,363 / Boatman
I have written this blog fairly early as I will be travelling for most of the day. If the wi-fi on East Coast Mainline works well, I should be able to read comments … Read more >>
Independent 7709/Phi
As usual a good crossword from Phi. If anything the clues are even better-constructed than usual: they can all be explained easily after the event, although they are not necessarily always easy. One … Read more >>
Independent 7708 by Quaiteaux
I had the pleasure of meeting Quaiteaux at the last London S&B. Found this pretty difficult in places and some bits still evade me. There seems to loads of Cryptic Double definitions … Read more >>
Financial Times No. 13,733 by SLEUTH
Rattled through this without too much difficulty. Was brought up short once or twice by some pretty baroque clueing, but, on the whole, nothing too 29ac. ACROSS 1. COWPAT Cryptic definition of the … Read more >>
Guardian 25,362 / Chifonie
An easy but enjoyable puzzle from Chifonie – and for once I have a time-zone difference that makes it easy to get the post done in time 🙂 Across 1. ALLOWED ALL = “Everything” … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,723 by Cinephile
Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of June 18 I found this puzzle to be tough. In particular, 4A, 14D and 18D all stumped me for a while. I still do not completely … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,732 by Cinephile
Classic fare from Cinephile – inventive, witty and good fun. There are the usual vagueries, I have pointed out the ones that annoyed me. These seem as though they would easy to fix for … Read more >>
Independent 7,707 / Crosophile
Tackling a puzzle by a compiler/pseudonym that is new to one is always an exciting and somewhat daunting prospect, and especially daunting on a day when one has been scheduled to produce a … Read more >>
Guardian 25,361 / Brendan
I was thinking it was a while since we had a Brendan puzzle, so I was very pleased to see his name on this one. Unusually, his last offering told us, ‘There is … Read more >>