Beelzebub 1,111 (05/06/11)
This week we have an auspicious puzzle number of 1,111, and a helpfully Ninafied grid to match. At 1ac we have FOUR-EYES followed by, well, four Is, while along the bottom row we … Read more >>
Independent on Sunday 1,112 by Poins
I don’t think I’ve ever blogged a Poins before, which always makes for a slightly daunting solve. In the event, I seemed to manage a lot of this on the first pass through…and … Read more >>
Everyman No. 3375 (5th June)
Lorraine: Good morning to you all. This weeks offering took me quite some time to get going, but once I was up and running they started to come to me quickly. I was slightly … Read more >>
Azed 2036
What one expects: only a handful of clues were solvable without a sometimes protracted wade through Chambers. Someone somewhere may know enough words to solve these things without dictionary help, but I certainly … Read more >>
Independent 7686 by Nimrod (Saturday Prize Puzzle 4 June 2011)
NB. For some reason, this is not the puzzle posted on the Indy website today – which is an old Nimrod…The thematic preamble states: “Nine related answers lack a definition in the clues. … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No. 969 – Prestissimo by Samson
What a preamble?! An author and one of his works to be found in the grid. Another thematic phrase to be resolved from clashing entries in the grid. And there’s more… Wow. Educational…eventually…once the … Read more >>
Guardian Prize Puzzle No 25340 by Puck
Given the structure of the grid I was expecting to find a nina in the letters that form the circumference of the puzzle but it soon became apparent that the final destination referred … Read more >>
Independent 7,691/Phi
Smashing stuff as ever from Phi. Lovely surfaces and some great anagrams, particularly the &lit. at 6D. Clue of the day for me is 22A, which had one of those ‘ah, very good’ … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,716 / Gurney
My first blog for Gurney. I found this very easy to solve, ideal for a beginner as a start into the world of cryptics (but not equally easy to annotate – the explanations … Read more >>
Guardian 25,345 – Chifonie
I’ve been a bit harsh on Chifonie in the past because of his very straightforward and sometimes unchallenging style, usually involving lots of simple charades, but there’s no reason why we shouldn’t have … Read more >>
Financial Times no. 13,715 by Monk
Took me a little while, this, but that may say more about me than about the puzzle. I had to look up a couple of the trickier words, but the wordplay was mostly … Read more >>
Independent 7690/Punk
A good crossword as usual from Punk. The long down clue in the middle I thought told us the theme, which was confirmed by 19ac and 27ac, but there weren’t many more answers … Read more >>
Guardian 25,344 / Gordius
Rather surprisingly, it’s me for the second time this week. I was asked to stand in – it’s not that I put in a special request for a Gordius! 😉 Across 8 BEDSTRAW: … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,705 by Cincinnus
Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of May 28 More gems from Cincinnus this week. I especially like 1A (APPENDICES), 7A (FADO) and 8D (DETOURS). Then there is one of his brilliant long … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,714 by Gozo
A nice crossword today from Gozo with a good range of clues, some quite easy and some more tricky. Something for everybody I thought. I also learned quite a few interesting facts researching the solutions for … Read more >>