There’s a lot to like about this Picaroon puzzle, but one glaring spelling mistake ruins the whole.
Financial Times 15,820 by Mudd
Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of March 31, 2018
Inquisitor 1536: Exits by Schadenfreude
Schadenfreude shows up here about every couple of months. Preamble: Seven of a set of ten are to appear clockwise in the perimeter. The initial letters of single words to be removed … Read more >>
Independent 9825 / Knut
Sorry Knut – you have landed us again. Not that we’re complaining! You did however give us the run-around during the solve. It’s Tuesday and the setter is Knut so we were … Read more >>
Financial Times 15828 Sleuth
Thanks to Sleuth for an enjoyable crossword. Definitions are underlined in the clues. Across 1 A guy’s moved about romcom’s opening? It’s overly sentimental (6) SUGARY : Anagram of(… moved) A GUY’S containing(about) … Read more >>
Guardian Cryptic 27,479 by Screw
The puzzle may be found at https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/cryptic/27479.
Financial Times 15,827 by GAFF
A rather tricker Monday morning puzzle than we’ve become used to…
Guardian 27,478 / Arachne
The line-up for the Monday slot continues to intrigue and this morning it’s Arachne who rather surprisingly pops up – but I’m not complaining! I hope that relative beginners and those who like … Read more >>
Independent 9,824 by Vigo
A typically sparky puzzle from Vigo. None of the clues were too difficult.
Guardian Quiptic 960/Carpathian
A pleasing mixture of straightforward charades, insertions and anagrams, which hit the Quiptic spot for me. What did you beginners think? Abbreviations cd cryptic definition dd double definition cad … Read more >>
Everyman 3,729
Once again I’ve forgotton to blog this in advance, sorry about that.
Azed 2390
We have a plain Azed competition puzzle this week … Well it was presented as plain puzzle, but given the date of publication, it was a case of ‘Solvers beware’…. … Read more >>
Independent on Sunday 1,467 by Hypnos
A straightforward and not too difficult puzzle without it being bland or boring. Having blogged a lot of puzzles of all types over the years I am coming to appreciate how hard it is for a setter to get both of these elements right at the same time. Thank you Hypnos.
Independent 9823 by Nimrod (Sat 7-Apr 2018)
I’m struggling with this month’s Genius by this setter’s Guardian alter-ego – in fact I’ve got hardly anywhere with that. Thank goodness this puzzle wasn’t quite as tricky as that. It was pretty … Read more >>
Enigmatic Variations No. 1323: Capital Letters by Stick Insect
Stick Insect seems to have averaged one or two EVs a year since 2013-or so, and I think I have attempted/solved most of them, but this is the first of his I have … Read more >>