Never knowingly undersolved
A themed offering from Cinephile today with the instruction that ‘the parts share the stage’. This meant that having determined the first character (in my case Marcellus) the rest were relatively easy to … Read more >>
I think I’m fortunate to have been allocated a reasonable puzzle for my first blog – straightforward and fair without being too easy to be interesting. A couple of old crossword favourites, 12ac … Read more >>
A very interesting puzzle indeed. The theme is Ambrose Bierce’s ‘Devil’s Dictionary’, from which 8 clues/answers are word-for-word definitions/entries. It’s perhaps a bit much to expect people to be able to get these … Read more >>
dd = double definition cd = cryptic definition rev = reversed or reversal ins = insertion cha = charade ha = hidden answer *(fodder) = anagram An enjoyable set of clues which were … Read more >>
An enjoyable crossword with a couple of clues having intricate elements in wordplay. Since I began blogging here, this is the third Neo puzzle that I solved, the other two being 12719 and … Read more >>
*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed I found this extremely difficult. Hypnos seems to have an ability always to come up with the synonym or phrase that I would never think of and this was no … Read more >>
Now that many crossword devotees have bought Jonathan Crowther’s book, Collins have decided to remainder it. It is now available for the knock-down price of £5.99 from the online, high quality, remainder bookshop … Read more >>
I found this harder than the average Rufus, with the SE corner (especially the 24s) causing some delays. Key: dd = double definition cd = cryptic definition * = anagram < = reverse … Read more >>
I must confess that my heart sank when I saw the special instructions for this puzzle, but in the end it turned out to be only a little more difficult than usual. For … Read more >>
Solving time: 10:10 Not too difficult a puzzle this week, with few obscurities and some moments of brilliance. * = anagram, “X” = sounds like ‘X’. Across 1 PRE + C-IN-C + T … Read more >>
Solid stuff as ever from Phi, though I admit to being stumped by a couple of clues in the NE corner and the anagram down the right hand side which I just couldn’t … Read more >>
Generally straightforward and quite enjoyable today. One new word for me , 27a, and a couple of slightly suspect explanations, 25a and22a. I await illumination, from Geoff or Eileen perhaps?? ACROSS 1. TUNELESS … Read more >>
I wonder if Phi was deliberately targeting the Saturday puzzle by including words and phrases like 11,12,17a and 6d? Across 6 STO(I)C[-k] 9 SLOP,E – I did wonder at first whether “movement of … Read more >>
Quite a tough one from Brendan today, I thought. I was lucky to guess the two long, cleverly cross-referenced, downs early on from some crossing letters, which was a big help, but it … Read more >>
Solving time : Three or four hours, on and off. I always worry when I can do 1 across straight away, and this was no exception! I filled in most of the grid, but … Read more >>