Everyman 3278
Pretty standard with a couple of neat tricks here and there, but nothing to tax Everyman regulars. Across 1 CICELY – (ICYCLE)* 4 SPROUTED – R in SPOUTED = sounded off 9 MUSCLE … Read more >>
Beelzebub 1,014 (26/07/09)
The usual flawless clueing and a good handful of new words for me. Clarification would be appreciated at 24dn – I assume it’s a combination of two of the many soldier-related acronyms, but … Read more >>
Guardian 24,761 (Sat 25 Jul)/Araucaria – Darn good
Solving time: 15:50 Perhaps one of Araucaria’s easier puzzles, although the last couple of clues, HATCHERIES and DARNLEY, stumped me for a good while. I thought 9ac (SOPRANO) was the best clue. Music … Read more >>
Guardian 24766 – Araucaria
As often with Araucaria, I’m still a little puzzled but thoroughly entertained. Across 9 ALBATROSS There’s a lake ALO in Nigeria, and SS presumably comes from “southern sea”, but I can’t get the … Read more >>
Independent 7,111 by Phi
*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, cd=cryptic definition, dd=double definition. All fairly straightforward, I think, with everything fitting together nicely. Across 7 BOOR – BOO + R. 8 OBSEQUIOUS – 0 + BISQUE* + OUS[ted]. … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,143 / Bradman
Usual great stuff from Bradman. In particular I liked PRONOUNCE, COLORADO, LOTUS-EATER. The left of the grid came together slower than the right. APOGEE was not so familiar, and the incomplete 13a in … Read more >>
Inquisitor 134 MICKEY MOUSE by Charybdis
Excellent puzzle from Charybdis – no extra words or letters in the clues, just a nice conceit in his letter from the editor. This was most confusing at first, but the meaning fell … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No. 872 – Spinneroosms by Salamanca
In the asterisked clues the wordplay for the grid entry gave a Spoonerism of the answer suggested by the definition. The normal clues were for the most part (too) easy, though some (presumably) … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,142 / Sleuth
Smiffy has been sidetracked by some unforeseen commitments so apologies for the lateness of this post. A straightforward solve today with all but about four answers being entered on the first pass through … Read more >>
Independent 7,110/Bannsider
Given the general tendency for Thursday’s puzzle to be on the tough side, it’s usual practice for me to check online at midnight. Probably just as well really, as we very rarely see … Read more >>
Guardian 24765 / Rover
I made very heavy weather of this, although I’m not sure why, apart from picking the wrong letters as anagram fodder over and over again 🙂 Across 1. SCHOOLMASTER Cryptic definition 8. NEWPORT NEW … Read more >>
Independent on Sunday 1015 by Quixote (26 July 2009)
Solving time, 40 mins, a lot of which was looking for 5 down. * = anagram < = reversed ACROSS 1 T(EACH)ABLE 8 SheeP LEAD 10 DO RIS(k) 11 IN THE GODS (Thing … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,133 – Dante
Monday Prize Crossword on 20 July 2009 dd = double definition cd = cryptic definition rev = reversed or reversal ins = insertion cha = charade ha = hidden answer *(fodder) = anagram … Read more >>
Financial Times 13,132 by Cincinnus
Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of July 18 Well I found this Cincinnus considerably harder than usual. How about you? Especially 1A, 20A and 16D. And I especially like 12A and 21D. … Read more >>
Guardian, 24,764 – Enigmatist
I found it quite challenging today, but that may be a reflection on my own circumstances having started a new job! Managed it all in the end, although 22dn and 5ac felt a … Read more >>