Guardian 24,803 (Sat 12 Sep)/Araucaria – Chekh mate
Solving time: about 15 mins A while ago I was playing Articulate! when the name Anton Chekhov came up. This was described to my team as “a Russian chess player”. Easy, we thought. … Read more >>
Independent 7,153/Phi
Apologies for the lateness and brevity. Busy day. A fairly stiff challenge today I thought, with the NW corner proving a tough nut to crack. Excellent clueing as always from Phi. Across 1 … Read more >>
Independent 7,148 by Radian (Saturday Prize Puzzle, 12/09/09)
First impressions are that this is a funny-looking grid, I'll expect a Nina or two here. Aha, but it's Radian, who favours quality over quantity in clueing if I remember correctly, hence the … Read more >>
Guardian 24808 / Gordius
Not too tricky for a Gordius puzzle, but with a few that needed some time to work out the wordplay. [Links to the puzzle as HTML, PDF and Java Applet] Across 1. LANCELOT … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,185 / Orense
A super-quick solve, with pauses to smile at some amusing wordplay. I have a few quibbles here and there, like the repetition of certain devices (VICE and firm=CO) but nothing too bad. Across … Read more >>
Independent 7152 by Nimrod
Not too difficult a puzzle from Nimrod which I solved in under 30 minutes. However, there are a few clues where I think the answer is right, but I am not entirely sure … Read more >>
Guardian 24,807 – Araucaria
Quite a challenge today, mainly due to the problems with getting started in such an interlocking grid. Once 15dn was cracked the rest became easier, however. Across 7. SCARLET. A reference to Will … Read more >>
Independent on Sunday 1022 by Quixote (13 Sep 2009)
Not too hard, I found, solving time 17 mins * = anagram < = reversed ACROSS 6 ANDREI SAKHAROV (a risk a handover)* Nobel Prize winner (1921-1989) 9 S PINE L 10 G … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,184/Falcon
This is the first puzzle I’ve had a crack at, let alone blogged, in a little while so was relieved to be reintroduced into the shallow end of the pool. While solving, there … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,175 – Crux
Monday Prize Crossword on 7 September 2009 dd = double definition cd = cryptic definition rev = reversed or reversal ins = insertion cha = charade ha = hidden answer *(fodder) = anagram … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,174 by Cincinnus
Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of September 5 Another Cincinnus that, for me, is as impeccable as it is satisfying. Across 9. PATRIARCH – ATRIA (courts) + RC (Catholic) in PH (parish … Read more >>
Independent 7151 by Dac
Dac’s weekly crossword always looked forward to as a delight. This I found quite easy, solving time 16 mins. * = anagram < = reversed ACROSS 1 GI(GOT)S 4 MI XER TA P … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,183 / Aardvark
Some good, misleading surfaces today with a few different anagram indicators, eg ‘building’, ‘created’, ‘rocking’ and ‘bumping’. There were two unfamiliar words, 13a and 14d, which unfortunately intersected, and the latter needed a … Read more >>
Guardian 24,806 / Chifonie
I found this mostly very easy, with just a few clues preventing a complete walkover. I have quibbles about 12ac, 18ac and 3dn, but generally it was all pretty sound, if not terribly … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,182 / Neo
Some amusing clues from Neo today. Across 1 AIR HOSTESS *(IS AS OTHERS) 7 PAVE P + AVE (prayer) 9 LYRA L (close to “lethal”) + *(RAY) 10 SECULARIST *(LETS ICARUS) 11 FLY-TIP … Read more >>