Guardian 23981/Gordius
After two weeks away from the UK with no daily crosswords I found this one a real struggle after the halfway mark. A few obscure words and some weak devices left me having … Read more >>
Independent 6324 / Virgilius – Hello Sailor!
Solving time: 26 minutes A nautical theme for today’s puzzle with lots of linked answers and clues. This was very much a puzzle of 10 minutes of staring blankly, followed by 16 of furious … Read more >>
Sloggers and Betters – The Pictures
Andy Wallace (linxit): Nestor (Roger Phillips) and Eimi (Mike Hutchinson): Niall MacSweeney (nmsindy) and Paul Bringloe (Tees): Eimi and Mick Hodgkin (michod): Nimrod (John Henderson), Mr Magoo (Mark Goodliffe), Tony Sever and rightback … Read more >>
Azed 1807 – Hel’s Bels
Solving time: About 45 mins without Chambers plus about 10 minutes with to check/finish off. One mistake (22ac), two I can’t explain (31ac and 2dn) – offers welcome. A quick scan suggests that … Read more >>
Guardian 23980/Rufus – cryptic definition overload
Solving time – about 7 mins I counted 11 cryptic definitions and 5 double definitions in this puzzle, which seems a bit excessive – and makes it very easy if your brain’s working … Read more >>
Independent 6323/Tees
I found this quite tricky after 4 or 5 clues and couldn’t make any impact at all. Maybe that’s what happens when you try to solve a puzzle at 6.20am. Anyway, once I’d … Read more >>
Independent 6316 / Nimrod – on the box again
Solving time 25:25 A while after his Countdown puzzle, Nimrod gives us another TV puzzle. 9D’s catchphrase, “I don’t believe it” appears in the unchecked letters on the left and right edges of … Read more >>
Everyman 3146/Jan 14 – do you know the way to San Jose?
Two American cities. Perhaps that qualifies as a theme? Across 1 MINNEAPOLIS – (pile, mansion)*. “Gothic” is somehow the anagrind. 7 S,CREW,UP – Really an Americanism – at least I only learnt it … Read more >>
Guardian 23,973/Taupi – 4Ds Up!
A top-notch puzzle from a setter that, in my opinion, does not appear often enough in the Guardian. Across 1 CREW,TUC(k)< – nicely misleading clue to start things off. 5 BUCOLIC – “bee … Read more >>
Independent on Sunday 883 by Quixote – quite tough
I found this quite tough – only one clue solved on first run through. Solving time: 30 mins * = anagram ACROSS 1 C (HOO-CH)OO 9 V ENER(v)ATE Curious to add a v … Read more >>
Independent 6,321/Phi – nice ‘n’ easy does it
This is my first blog entry for a daily Independent crossword, and I got a nice gentle introduction. This was a comparatively easy crossword (10 minutes to solve) with solid clueing and a … Read more >>
Guardian 23,978: Type O
A couple of tougher clues, but a pretty standard puzzle really. The bottom right corner held out longest, helped by a typo in 18 down – ell for eel (see below). Across: 1. … Read more >>
Inquisitor #2 – ALTERNATIVES by PLOY
I have never come across the pseudonym Ploy before, so I don’t know who compiled this highly topical puzzle. I got off to a very quick start, realising that certain squares had two … Read more >>
Guardian 23977/Brummie
We had an excellent night out in London last night with bloggers from here and Pete Biddlecombe’s Times for the Times blog, Tony Sever (RTC2) and a few setters too. A possible side-effect … Read more >>
Sloggers and Betters – The morning after…
Last night’s gathering was thoroughly enjoyable. We had a few drinks at a pub in Charlotte Street before heading off to the world’s most crowded tapas restaurant, also in Charlotte Street. We were … Read more >>