Independent 6565/Dac — a river runs through it.
Usual high quality fare from Dac: excellent surfaces, good clear wordplay, and at least one I have failed to get. Across 1 FLIGHT CREW — F+LIGHT+CREW(e) — “Those serving in air” is an … Read more >>
Guardian 24,222 – Araucaria/Is there a theme?
A typically challenging puzzle from the master himself. There are a few mini-themes such as religion (NUNNERY, WHITED SEPULCHRE, LOURDES, EXCOMMUNICATION), the Crusades (GRAIL, BALDWIN), a couple of medical terms (FEMORAL, LUSTRAL) and … Read more >>
Independent 6564/Virgilius
More thematic wizardry from my favourite compiler: spot the colours in 6 across clues. Across 1 BROWN-NOSED – little bit of politics from Virgilius there. 6 PS,ST 10 TOT in LIES – LITOTES … Read more >>
Inquisitor 42 – Twenty years later by Schadenfreude
loonapick had to admit defeat on this puzzle. This was partly because the theme of the puzzle mainly affected England rather than Scotland. It was Michael Fish and his quote about the telephoned hurricane … Read more >>
Guardian 24221/Pasquale — hard not easy
This was hard. Not easy. Some of the clues seem better suited to a weekend puzzle — not to the mention the fact that the online version didn’t indicate enumerations (word divisions) at … Read more >>
Independent 6563 by Tees
I found this very tough indeed. Usually where there is a theme with interlinked answers, it’s slower but I thought this might be different when I found 16 across etc after just 12 … Read more >>
Guardian 24,220, Paul: Follow the grapes
Just a quick post to get the ball rolling as I’m in a training course all day. Not sure why we have the treat of a Paul on a Monday – is Rufus … Read more >>
Guardian 24,213 (Sat 20 Oct)/Araucaria – A lemon tree, Watson
Solving time: 14:15 Not too difficult this week from Araucaria, with no monster phrases or multiple cross-references. The top right corner held me up at the end, as did the long down clue … Read more >>
Azed 1847 – Inquisitors and heretics
Solving time: say 2 hours in a couple of sessions It’s intriguing to see the successor of Torquemada and Ximenes dedicating a puzzle to Araucaria, who some strict Ximeneans might want (metaphorically of … Read more >>
independent 6561 / Phi An F’ing Puzzle
Solving Time: 26 minutes Lots of F’s around in today’s Phi puzzle (including four block shapes in the corners of the grid). The usual mix of cryptic defs and good sound clue construction … Read more >>
Independent 6556/Monk (20-10-07)
I think I made very heavy weather of this as, looking back at the answers now, there’s not too much there that should have given me problems; the notable exceptions being 12A and … Read more >>
Guardian 24,218, Quantum: 4-ing troubles
It could be the toothache – I might have been more charitable if I’d waited for the co-codamol to take effect – but I found myself being rather picky today. There are some nice touches here, … Read more >>
Independent 6560/Scorpion – Thursday 25 October 2007
Solving time : well over an hour. Lots of difficult clues, as one would expect with Scorpion, but some lovely ones and most of them could eventually be explained. I think. Across 1 … Read more >>
Guardian 24217: Brummie — Aspiring (expiring) divas, take note
I was already in Brummie mode when I completed this, having just finished this week’s Cyclops. An entertaining puzzle, with the usual witty touch we’d expect from this setter. Across 1, 25 CONSPICUOUS … Read more >>
Independent on Sunday 923 by Quixote
A pleasing offering from Quixote – will comment on a small number of what I found the trickier or best clues, but happy to explain others if asked. Solving time: 21 mins * … Read more >>