Eccles in his regular Wednesday slot: always a welcome prospect.
Financial Times 17,302 by IO
Wonderful to see Io back so soon.
Guardian Cryptic 28,964 by Qaos
A quicker solve than usual for a Qaos puzzle, but with some tricky parsing to complete at the end. Lots of favourites including 24ac, 29ac, 1dn, 5dn, 7dn, 8dn, 15dn, and 23dn.
Inquisitor 1784: Profile by Eclogue
Here is the Eclogue duo for the third time in 2022. Preamble: Clues are presented in normal order. Corrected letters of misprints in the definitions of all clues provide possible creators of … Read more >>
Financial Times 17301 Bobcat
Thank you to Bobcat. Definitions are underlined in the clues. Across 1. Bombshell hasn’t the head for drink (4) HOCK : “shock”(a bombshell/a surprise) minus its 1st letter(hasn’t the head). 3. It’s forbidden … Read more >>
Guardian 28,963 – Brummie
An enjoyable puzzle with not too many holdups, though one clue has got its parts mixed up. Thanks to Brummie. Brummie’s puzzles often have a ghost theme, but if there’s one here I … Read more >>
Independent 11,309 by Serpent
It’s a Serpent today. Great news!
Azed No. 2,637 Plain – Competition Puzzle
Apart from the problem (so far as I can see) with 29dn, this is a good example of the elegant clueing that we have come to associate with Azed. I sometimes grumble about his surfaces (what does 20ac for example actually mean?), but he does produce these things week after week, not to say a whole lot of clue-judging and regular specials, and he generally does try hard to get decent surfaces; there are as always some lovely clues (like 30ac and 27dn).
Definitions underlined in crimson. Anagram indicators in italics.
Inquisitor Review of 2021-22 by Nimrod
Inquisitor Review of 2021-22 by Nimrod As another year draws to a close, thanks from all of the team for a wonderfully distracting and educational collection of puzzles. A Trivial Pursuit – IV … Read more >>
Crossword Masterclasses – a message from Boatman
Crossword Masterclass in Sussex for Aspiring Setters and Advanced Solvers My next in-person masterclass will take place in April. The contents of the class will be the same as usual, split into two … Read more >>
Financial Times 17,300 by PETO
PETO kicks off the week…
Guardian Quiptic 1,208/Anto
As often happens with this setter in Quiptic mode (which he at least appears to be in here), there are a small number of clues which seem a bit clunky, or over-engineered. Your … Read more >>
Independent 11,308/Wire
My first blog of 2023 brings me a Wire puzzle in the Independent. Happy days. Abbreviations cd cryptic definition dd double definition cad clue as definition (xxxx)* anagram anagrind = anagram indicator [x] … Read more >>
Guardian Cryptic 28,962 by Matilda
A gentle start to the week from Matilda.
Independent on Sunday 1,715 by Kairos
Sunday rolls on and Kairos brings some puzzlement for us.