Financial Times 13,486 / Styx

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One of those strange puzzle that took longer than average to gain an initial toehold, but then offered decreasing levels of resistance thereafter as the answers seem to flow with continual acceleration.  A … Read more >>

Financial Times 13,477 – Dante

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Monday Prize Crossword on 30 August 2010 Another pleasant challenge from our slick Dante, entertaining us with his smooth surfaces and the inevitable cryptic definitions, which some people hate. Fortunately, I happen to … Read more >>

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Financial Times 13,476 by Cincinnus

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Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of August 28 Here’s another delightful and clever puzzle from Cincinnus. We have two very fine hidden-word clues (12A, RHONE and 17D, INAMORATA) but my favourites this … Read more >>

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Financial Times 13,485 / Gozo

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This was effectively four puzzles in one since the quadrants were only connected by a single square in the middle of the grid. The clues in this puzzle ranged from very easy to … Read more >>

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Independent 7456/Dac

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The usual excellent crossword from Dac. There is absolutely nothing (apart perhaps from 20dn) that I have any problem with, and all the clues have a deceptively simple and elegant surface. Across 1 HOPELESS … Read more >>

Guardian 25,110 – Arachne

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Found this pretty slow going. 13, 29 and the last part of 7 were unfamiliar but guessable, whereas 15dn went in almost immediately. Across 1 HOODING =the use of a hood in torture. … Read more >>

Independent 7455 by Phi

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Well, what have we here, Phi on a Tuesday, unusual. Still a mostly gentle ride today. 1 Repapered, REP + APE + RED 6 Sugar, Sweet. Don’t get the wordplay here, it’s probably … Read more >>

Financial Times 13,484 / Neo

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A straightforward puzzle today from Neo, nothing too difficult.  18 down made me smile and I liked 24 down, among others. Across 1 FIRST-CLASS MAIL *(RACIST SAM FILLS) 10 AMUSE AM (morning) USE … Read more >>

Guardian 25108 / Rufus

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As usual, a gentle but enjoyable start to the week from Rufus. I found the last two long down clues the only tougher bits here. For once I managed to resist putting in … Read more >>

Independent 7454 by Klingsor

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*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, CD=cryptic def, DD=double def, sp=spoonerism I think this was mostly up to the usual Independent standard and had a nice mixture of clues with some well-concealed definitions. A couple … Read more >>

Guardian Quiptic 564 / Rover

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The third Monday of Fifteensquared’s coverage of the Quiptic, with two super blogs already from Gaufrid and Stella. No pressure, then …   Before his death earlier this year, Rover was a regular setter … Read more >>