Well, this turned out to be quite the challenge from Aardvark, with some difficult parsing on a few items, and about halfway through, I was not sure that I was going to be able to complete the puzzle. Some fortuitous crossers got me across the finish line.
Financial Times 17,708 by BOBCAT
BOBCAT kicks off the week…
Independent 11,704/Filbert
Filbert is very much a regular feature in the Indy these days, and a setter who is capable of ratcheting the difficulty level up and down. This one, as befits a Monday, was … Read more >>
Guardian Cryptic 29,357 by Brummie
The puzzle may be found at https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/cryptic/29357.
Guardian Quiptic 1,273/Carpathian
Quiptics on a Sunday now. I am a creature of habit, and this has completely discombobulated me. Good job it’s a sound as a pound Carpathian for me to blog. Abbreviations cd cryptic … Read more >>
Azed No. 2,703 ‘Jigsaw’ – Competition Puzzle
How complicated this all is. It took me ages. I drew the grid on a piece of squared paper and armed myself with a pencil, not the usual pen, then started by solving as many of the clues as possible. Since I got two of the ten-letter answers I took a punt and pencilled them in at right angles to each other — there was a letter that fit both words where they crossed. Then I tentatively added the answers that I had and went on until things went wrong. For the second time I was lucky and the only wrong positioning quickly led to a dead end, and I could retrace my steps. I went on and on and to my surprise it all worked out OK, although I was very fortunate: similar such things have in the past led me to start all over again.
Definitions in crimson, underlined. Anagram indicators in italics.
Everyman 4,042
Everyman time, I note the paper is now the home of the QUIPTIC on Sundays & a new easier crossword as well on Saturdays
Independent on Sunday 1,781/Hoskins
Hoskins in his customary Independent on Sunday slot. The usual sound puzzle from him, with a self-description at 12dn and a perimeter nina that reads WHITE BOARDS ARE REMARKABLE. Are the two related? … Read more >>
Independent 11,703 by Tees
Tees brings us some spring time entertainment as the rain seems to continue to fall, incessantly. A pleasing puzzle as I have come to expect. Some great use of numbers cross referenced clues … Read more >>
Guardian Quick Cryptic 2 by Picaroon
This for the second Guardian Quick Cryptic Crossword published on Saturday 13 April, a new weekly 11 x 11 crossword aimed at helping beginners – blog explaining it here.
It can be found here: https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/quick-cryptic/2
Guardian Prize 29,350 by Carpathian
I cannot recall seeing Carpathian in the Prize slot before, although she is a familiar presence in the Quiptic. Apart from a couple of less familiar terms, this offering struck me as relatively straightforward.
Financial Times 17,701 by Neo
Puzzle from the Weekend FT of April 6, 2024
Guardian jumbo prize crossword No 29,344: Physical and Human by Maskarade
It’s Easter, so we were expecting a Maskarade special and we weren’t disappointed.
Independent 11,702 by Phi
It’s Phi-day again!
Financial Times 17,706 GUY
A devious challenge from GUY