Never knowingly undersolved
I made heavy work of this one, I’m afraid. There remain a few that I still can’t explain. *=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, cd=cryptic definition, dd=double definition. Across 1 CONCAUSE – CONC + A … Read more >>
I have always thought crucible is a container used in the science laboratory and the name of a famous venue for snookers in Sheffield, Yorkshire. This morning, I looked up Chambers which told … Read more >>
An incredibly difficult offering from Tees today. Incredibly difficult, so far as I’m concerned, anyway. I can just imagine all those people logging on to this blog in the hope that they can … Read more >>
Pleasing puzzle which I found not too difficult, the 15-letter answers around the perimeter yielded quite quickly, solving time 18 mins. * = anagram ACROSS 1 MIDDLE-OF-THE-ROAD Double definition 9 SUSS OUT USS … Read more >>
Mostly straightforward, with a few less usual definitions, and a couple of more elaborate wordplays Across 1 BEEF UP Reversal (‘setback’) of FEE (“what’s earned’) in PUB (‘bar’). 5 AUBRETIA Charade of AUBRE[y] … Read more >>
I found this a bit harder to finish than the average Rufus, though looking back there’s nothing particularly difficult about it. There are fewer cryptic definitions than usual; generally lot of nice, if … Read more >>
Another excellent crossword from our resident setter with no depth to his vision – presumably that’s why he concentrates on the clue’s surface. Across 7 GOVERNMENT G (A large sum) OVER (surplus) [brow]N … Read more >>
A smooth and speedy solve this week, with only 24ac leaving us scratching our heads for a bit. The anagram at 15ac was enjoyable, as was the switch from the verb to the … Read more >>
I found this another reasonably easy Azed – I managed to finish all but a couple of clues in about an hour without using references. Lots of good stuff as always, with the … Read more >>
A pretty fair one this week with far fewer anagrams than the one I blogged last. I don’t like the stutter in 11ac as it seams a dull and obvious way to add … Read more >>
Hurrah! There are no extra letters or clashes to contend with in this puzzle, so thanks to Syd for that. It makes writing the blog so much easier. Instead there are three ‘Cluster’ … Read more >>
Very short on time so a rapid blog this week – apologies for the brevity. Solving time not taken as I used a dictionary and also interspersed solving with blogging to get the … Read more >>
I found this very difficult, I think – I didn’t manage to record my solving time. The grid has 6 15-letter answers, and most of these were used for phrases that you don’t … Read more >>
The confidence that the first two Across clues gave me soon vanished as I progressed with this crossword. This was a slow solve with aids needed to check on the slang and music … Read more >>
Pretty straightforward fare from Gordius, with just one or two quibbles, as usual with this setter. There is one explanation that eludes me: I’m ready to kick myself when enlightened! Across 8 ALBERICH: … Read more >>