Never knowingly undersolved
Almost an unaided finish this week, albeit with a couple of slips, and I wasn’t quite brave enough to guess 24dn without a bit of research. *=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, cd=cryptic definition, dd=double … Read more >>
Solving time: 8½ mins This puzzle was themed on the nursery rhyme about little boys being made of frogs and snails and puppy-dogs’ tails and little girls of sugar and spice and all … Read more >>
Unless I have missed something, always a possibility, I think there is a (minor) flaw in one of the thematic groups (see below). The initial (clued) grid fill was relatively quick and straightforward thanks to … Read more >>
I solved most of this on a long car journey and didn’t find it too difficult once the long answer at 14/29/1D had fallen. I liked the surface for TRAVAIL and TREATMENT, and … Read more >>
As usual, an utterly satisfactory crossword from Phi. There are some less than A-list place names, but before anyone complains they should remember that Phi lives in New Zealand, so he has as … Read more >>
A transportation-themed crossword from Orense, with clues as well as solutions covering the spectrum from airplanes to bicycles. Nice and gentle to solve. No obscure vocabulary – a commendable feat for a themed … Read more >>
Many happy returns, Gordius. I got into this quickly then struggled with the last few clues. Still unsure about some wordplay, and 24dn was a new word for me. 8 and 25 made … Read more >>
Well I suppose I was due a tough one and in my view this was hard with several I can’t justify. There is a perimeter Nina whose significance I can’t see either. All … Read more >>
Much of this flowed pretty readily from an instantly-solved 1A. Ended up with a slight lack of “20-20” vision, as I was unfamiliar with the answers at 20A and 20D; both were generously … Read more >>
It’s been a good Guardian week so far, and Paul continues the pattern with this entertaining puzzle. There were a few particularly easy clues to give a good start, and the rest weren’t … Read more >>
Monday Prize Crossword on 13 September 2010 Welcome back, Dante to this familiar spot. As expected, a fun-filled easy stroll to start off the FT week; except possibly for a couple of hard-boiled … Read more >>
Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of September 11 Here’s another clever Cincinnus puzzle. Some of the clues seem so easy (to construct, that is), even fairly obvious clues for the words in … Read more >>
It’s never a hardship to blog a Dac, but I thought this one in particular was a bit of a classic. There’s some really inspired stuff in there. *=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, cd=cryptic … Read more >>
I’m not sure what to say about this one. I have been unable to justify 7dn and have a few minor quibbles elsewhere. On balance, I don’t think I enjoyed this puzzle as … Read more >>
A challenging but rewarding workout from Enigmatist, as is to be expected, with one or two really straightforward clues to give a bit of a foothold. I’ve learned another new word today at … Read more >>