Financial Times 12,788 by Mudd
An easy Mudd this time around. 19D was the only clue that stumped me for a while. Across 1. HOPPER – [c]HOPPER 4. SCHOONER – CH (companion) in SOONER (rather) 9. READER – … Read more >>
FT 12,797 Monk
Always gratifying to lock horns with Monk on his all too infrequent FT appearances. Fortuitously, I seemed to be on a similar wavelength to him today, which isn’t always the case. Also, solving 19A … Read more >>
Independent 6762/Dac
The usual impressive offering from Dac, full of simply-constructed but very satisfactory clues. One or two I can’t quite explain, and one or two words that were new to me. Across 1 S … Read more >>
Guardian 24,418 – Taupi
Struggled with this for a while, but got there in the end. Several nice clues in here, and nothing too difficult, although I had to guess 13dn and at some of the wordplay. … Read more >>
Inquisitor 75 CLASSIFIED by Hypnos
Excellent puzzle based on James Bond villains on the centenary of the birth of Ian Fleming, with some inventive and amusing clues. Once I’d twigged that we were looking at SCARAMANGA (which led … Read more >>
Financial Times 12796 / Quark
The puzzle was uploaded later than usual and just about that time there was power failure in my flat. Hence the delay in posting the blog. 29dn gave a quick foothold onto the grid. … Read more >>
Independent 6761 by Morph
A pleasing, innovative, puzzle which I found on the easy side. Solving time, 18 mins. * = anagram < = reversed ACROSS 1 GUARDIAN (A = American in a drug)* 5 P (EOPL) … Read more >>
Guardian 24,417, Rover: Life’s ups and downs
As an occasional sub now, I’ll try to remember the rules – bear with me. In keeping with my philosophy that daily puzzles should be doable without recourse to reference works, there are a … Read more >>
Financial Times 12,789 – Dante
From FT Monday 9 June 2008 Common abbreviations used dd = double definition cd = cryptic definition rev = reversed or reversal ins = insertion cha = charade * = anagram What a … Read more >>
Independent 6760 by Glow-Worm
*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed I found this quite tough and there were a number of tricky, deceptive clues. Across 8 Beneficiary: Soundalike of Ben E. Fishery (Ben Elton the comedian rather than Elton John). … Read more >>
Guardian 24,409 (Sat 7 Jun)/Brummie – Camera work
Solving time: About 15 mins I think. The eight answers clued by definition wordplay only (asterisked below) were all types of camera, which took me a long time to spot; I think a … Read more >>
Guardian 24,416 – Rufus
Common abbreviations used dd = double definition cd = cryptic definition rev = reversed or reversal ins = insertion cha = charade * = anagram A soft start to the week but fun … Read more >>
Azed 1880: Prime time
Another fairly straightforward Azed puzzle for my first official blog, with some easy hidden answers and anagrams to get started on. The grid is slightly unusual, with 38 words in it rather than … Read more >>
Independent 6758 by Nimrod
This puzzle appeared only on the paper’s website – the previous day’s Virgilius was reprinted in the paper. I found it very hard, but got there in the end – solving time 70 … Read more >>
Independent 6753/Nestor (07-06-08)
Great puzzle from this consistently entertaining and challenging setter. Still don’t understand 28, 1, and 16 and not sure about the definition at 6. Across 8 L,EVERET[-t] – which is a young hare. … Read more >>