Another interesting trip though the English language with an expert guide. Thank you Azed.
Independent 10,284 by Wire
Wire provides us with this weekend’s first challenge.
Enigmatic Variations No. 1400: Title by Oxymoron
Hello everyone. I had never solved an Oxymoron puzzle before, and it was only when writing up the blog that I realised that thanks for this crossword are due to the late, great … Read more >>
Guardian Prize 27,932 by Brendan
A pleasure to see Brendan’s name in the Prize puzzle slot again, some four months after the last occasion.
Independent 10,283 / Phi
Phi is occupying his traditional Friday slot once again. I found this puzzle to be towards the easy end of the Indy spectrum of difficulty. I faltered at the end with 6A and … Read more >>
Financial Times 16,283 by JULIUS
A breezy challenge from Julius , which was easy for most part with only the parsing for 27ac holding me back from an equally speedy finish. Thanks Julius!
Guardian 27,937 – Picaroon
A clever construction with the usual excellent clueing by Picaroon today.
Financial Times 16,282 / Alberich
The scheduled blogger has failed to turn up so here is a quick analysis of the clues. An enjoyable offering from Alberich today (as was that of his alter ego in the Independent). … Read more >>
Guardian Cryptic 27936 Vlad
Thanks Vlad for the workout. Definitions are underlined in the clues. Across 9 Total nonsense from the start in one statement (9) UTTERANCE : UTTER(total/absolute) + 1st letter of(… from the start) “nonsense” … Read more >>
Independent 10282 / Klingsor
Klingsor has given us a puzzle that doesn’t seem to require any specialist knowledge as the grid is filled with fairly common words. There’s a bit of music (DULCIMER [1 … Read more >>
Financial Times 16,272 by Goliath
Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of September 14, 2019
Financial Times 16,281 by GOZO
I enjoyed this. Thank you Gozo.
Independent 10,281 by Filbert
The last Filbert, about a month ago, was also on a Wednesday and I had the pleasure of blogging that as well. I commented on how it was harder than we have come to expect from Wednesdays and this one was no different, which is not to denigrate it: perhaps policy has changed. Apart from the incomprehensible 27ac I thought this was an excellent crossword (and no doubt when someone explains how 27ac works there will be no exceptions), and the fact that I failed eventually on 11ac (and stupidly on 8dn) was my own fault.
Definitions in maroon, underlined. Anagram indicators in italics.
Guardian Cryptic 27,935 by Nutmeg
The puzzle may be found at https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/cryptic/27935.
Financial Times 16280 Peto
Thanks Peto for an enjoyable crossword. Definitions are underlined in the clues. Across 1 Directed towards back street to get unusual kind of medicine (7) NOSTRUM : Reversal of(… back) ON(directed towards/aimed at … Read more >>