Private Eye/Cyclops 403 – Hate Figures
What a cock-up – They repeated 402 in the magazine – Have they been taking on ex-Grauniad typesetters? So this crossword 403 was only available on the Eye’s website . I expect we … Read more >>
Azed 1953
Due to the postal strike the closing date for entries has been put back to Saturday 14/11/2009 so today’s blog has been rescheduled for next Sunday.
Independent on Sunday 1029 by Quixote – 1 November 2009
Unusual crossword in that it said “For ATS, remembering particularly those clued across without definition” It turned out that every across answer was the first name of a person. I guess ATS refers … Read more >>
Everyman 3292
Sorry for the brevity of this post – I was busy all last weekend so it’s all been slightly last minute… Fortunately not too difficult – if it had been I probably wouldn’t … Read more >>
Beelzebub 1,028 (01/11/09)
I was rather proud of how well I did here, managing all answers but one before even opening the dictionary. I won't tell which one defeated me as it's one of the easier … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations 886: Toss Up by Warbler
A relatively simple preamble: eight answers require modification based on a quotation and author running round the perimeter. Although some parts of the puzzle were a bit tricky, it helped seeing ?IRS?????LB? in … Read more >>
Guardian 24,845 (Sat 31 Oct)/Paul – Poppy culture
Solving time: 14 mins, about half of which on 7dn (TOMATO PUREE) and 10ac (GROOM). I enjoyed this as much as any Guardian puzzle of recent times. The highlight is probably the remarkable … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,227 / Hamilton
Hamilton’s second puzzle in FT, I believe. More adventurous in wordplay than the debut puzzle a few weeks ago. I had a good time solving it. One or two words (18a,14d) that needed … Read more >>
Guardian 24,850 / Rover
A rather mixed bag today, with one or two nice clues but also several doubtful double / cryptic definitions and a couple of unusual anagram indicators. Across ! SANDWICH COURSE: double / cryptic … Read more >>
Independent 7195/Phi
The usual very pleasant offering from Phi. One or two I’m not quite clear about, but that will be me not him I’m pretty sure. Across 7 BI(R)D LIME 9 appaREL IS Hard … Read more >>
Inquisitor 148 – POST-MORTEM by Dysart
Four unclued entries, two clued entries and one hidden name are thematically linked, and these last three have to be highlighted (16 cells). Then we have to swap two letters in the grid, … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,226 / Styx
What’s happened to smiffy?! This setter appears to be a new addition to the FT stable so it is a pity that a few errors crept into the puzzle along the way as … Read more >>
Independent 7,194/Eimi
I suspected we might get a Bonfire Night theme today, and this didn’t disappoint. There were plenty of long across answers and anagrams to open up the grid, though I did struggle a … Read more >>
Guardian 24,849 / Crucible
At first I thought Crucible was a new setter, but I see he (?) has appeared a few times, most recently in September this year. Not surprisingly, Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,216 by Cincinnus
Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of October 24 Don’t you love 4D? How about 21 and 24D? Thank you, Cincinnus. Across 1. DABCHICK – BAD backwards + CHICK (young one) 5. WALLOP … Read more >>