The first Sunday in February brings us the regular geographically themed puzzle. Find it to solve online or download and print at ft.com/crossword, or via the FT smartphone app.
Guardian Quiptic 1,315/Pasquale
A fine Quiptic from Pasquale this morning. If my blog appears terse, it’s because it’s all so clearly clued that there’s not much else to say other than bravo for a well-pitched puzzle. … Read more >>
Everyman 4,084 by Everyman
Generally sound clues this week, usually fairly straightforward, but Everyman hasn’t been able to resist making one or two of them a bit tricky to disentangle.
Independent on Sunday 1,823 by Liari
Liari’s fourth puzzle here I think
Azed No. 2,745 – Plain
Pleasant crossword from Azed this week. I didn’t think it was all that difficult by the usual standards, but would have appreciated a bit more guidance for words that are not in Chambers.
Genius No 259 by Picaroon
A reasonably straightforward Genius this month.
Independent 11,955 by Methuselah
The puzzle is available to solve online or download here.
Quick Cryptic 44 by Chandler
This is the forty-fourth Guardian Quick Cryptic, a series of 11 x 11 crosswords designed to support beginners learning cryptic crosswords. The whole point of these crosswords is support and encouragement of new solvers, so special rules for these crosswords apply – see here – those rules include not posting solving times. This puzzle can be found here.
Private Eye (Cyclops / 796) Saccharin Affability
A nice solid puzzle in this issue.
Not too hard, except for the last clue – funny how it’s always the last clue solved that’s tricksiest.
Most was filled in on the first pass, but a handful resisted till the end.
Guardian Saturday Prize Crossword 29,601 by Vlad (25 January 2025)
Vlad gives your correspondent a pretty tough mental workout this week…
Financial Times 17,963 by SOLOMON
A very late blog – sorry!
Listener No 4850, “Counterfeit” by Charybdis
Just over a year since the last Listener puzzle from Charybdis and that was based on the Necker cube. [As of writing, solver and setter blogs for Charybdis Listeners can still be seen … Read more >>
Listener No 4850 Counterfeit by Charybdis
Clashes in four cells, four unclued lights and a string of four letters to be changed after filling the grid. There was nothing too disconcerting there and, as the founder of the Listener … Read more >>
Guardian Cryptic 29,606 by Brockwell
A fun challenge with neat surfaces and some tricky parsing. My favourites were 8ac, 11ac, 12ac, 26ac, and 7dn. Thanks to Brockwell
Independent 11954 / Phi
We probably get a puzzle from Phi every 9 Fridays out of 10 in the Independent. Today is no exception