Financial Times 13,494 by Mudd
Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of September 18 This puzzle took me longer than most. In particular, 24A (TOILET ROLL) and 6D (APOSTROPHE) stumped me for a while. At first I did … Read more >>
Independent – 7474 by DAC
A lot of double definitions today it seems. Usual good stuff from Dac but I don’t get the wordplay for 21d Across 1 Booth – DD 4 Maquisard – QUI in (DRAMAS)* ; … Read more >>
Guardian 25128 / Pasquale
This was a very high quality puzzle from Pasquale, but unfortunately too tough for me complete in the time I have available on a weekday. There are several new words or phrases for … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,503 / Cinephile
An easy (by Cinephile standards) but enjoyable solve today. No particularly outstanding clues but equally none of the customary liberties, though I rather liked the definition in 17dn. Across 1 BOBCAT BC (former … Read more >>
Inquisitor 1144, Pairs at play by Raich
Interesting theme and an entertaining solve. My first reaction was that there seemed an awful lot to keep track of in the extensive rubric! There were three types of clues, and four unclued … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,502 / Armonie
A few new words for me today: 19 across and 20 down. Fortunately for me the wordplay was straightforward in both cases. Favourite clue of the day was 4 across. 12 across is … Read more >>
Guardian 25,127 / Paul
Another mastery offering from one of my favourite setters who is a deft hand at combining devilry and humour with a touch of risque in most of his puzzles. However challenging his clues … Read more >>
Independent 7,473 by Raich
Always nice to see a Raich puzzle. This one seemed really quite straighforward, though the NE corner held me up for a bit while the final few entries fell into place. *=anag, []=dropped, … Read more >>
Independent 7472 by Nitsy
Nice puzzle by Nitsy which varied from quite easy in places to quite tricky, solving time 32 mins. * = anagram ACROSS 1 LAMP M (master) in LAP (drink) lamp = punch (hit) … Read more >>
Guardian Quiptic 567 / Don Putnam
I thought this was a sound puzzle for those at the start of their cryptic solving careers. Some straightforward solves to get you going with some crossing letters, and then the rest falling … Read more >>
Guardian 25,126 / Brendan
It’s always rather disorientating not to start the week with Rufus but even more so to see Brendan’s name on a Monday puzzle. However, this was more straightforward than many of his, since … Read more >>
Private Eye/Cyclops 426 – Crabby diddle
I got one wrong. And I even sent in my entry for the prize competition with it wrong. So I’m expecting my entry to be picked from the gazillions – and then rejected. … Read more >>
Independent on Sunday 1075 by Quixote – 19th September 2010
A much easier outing this week than last, which H did comfortably over his lunch hour. Some very nice touches (16ac and 21ac were our favourites) together with unexotic vocabulary would make this … Read more >>
Everyman 3338 (19 Sept.)
Arthur is having problems with his computer so I am standing in this week. For me this was a gentle Sunday morning warm-up prior to the stiffer challenges of Azed. The only clue … Read more >>
Azed 1999
With the exception of one or two answers that are still beyond me, I found this very much the usual Azed, with good sound wordplay. Much wading through Chambers: Azed always seems to … Read more >>