Fifteensquared – Page 813 – Never knowingly undersolved

Independent 9758 / eXternal

Mon January 22, 2018 at 3:13 pm by Gaufrid

I heard a short while ago that the scheduled blogger’s internet connection is down so here is a quick analysis of the clues. In the interests of getting this posted without further delay … Read more >>

Financial Times 15,762 – Crux

Tue January 23, 2018 at 10:34 pmMon January 22, 2018 at 11:13 am by Sil

A Crux crossword was what I expected, a Crux crossword was what I got.
All fairly typical for this setter, a good start of the week.
Less typical was that I failed to complete the puzzle, missing out on one clue and not being able to fully understand another (and one more as it turned out to be).

Quiptic 949 by Moley

Mon January 22, 2018 at 8:30 am by newmarketsausage

Moley’s first outing of the year in the Quiptic slot.

Private Eye (Cyclops / 616) Inappropriate electorate

Mon January 22, 2018 at 7:00 am by beermagnet

This looked small after the gigantic Christmas grid. Thanks to Mike for a spectacluar blog for that last time. This one was a gentle start to the year, only 7 to go after … Read more >>

Guardian Cryptic 27,412 by Chifonie

Mon January 22, 2018 at 2:06 am by PeterO

The puzzle may be found at https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/cryptic/27412.

Everyman 3718

Sun January 21, 2018 at 12:05 am by Pierre

Plenty of charades, anagrams and insertions. Everyman is in town. Abbreviations cd cryptic definition dd double definition (xxxx)* anagram anagrind = anagram indicator [x] letter(s) removed abbreviations are underlined … Read more >>

AZED No 2379

Sun January 21, 2018 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

A reasonably straightforward puzzle to solve: but blogging it proved much more challenging.

Independent on Sunday 1456 Silvanus

Sun January 21, 2018 at 12:01 am by scchua

A relaxing Sunday puzzle. Thanks to Silvanus. Definitions are underlined in the clues. Across 1 Sweet smell attracts insect (6) HUMBUG : HUM(to smell unpleasant) plus(attracts) BUG(an insect, in general). Defn: A boiled … Read more >>

Independent crossword 9757 by Hob

Sat January 20, 2018 at 12:35 am by twencelas

Lots of black space in the grid – Maybe something is hiding? Well something was, but not in the obvious place of the perimeter. Kate Bush pointed me towards Wuthering Heights – Emily … Read more >>

Guardian Prize 27,405 by Paul

Sat January 20, 2018 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

Lots of clever wordplay to admire in this week’s prize puzzle, but we took issue with a couple of the definitions.

Enigmatic Variations No. 1312: Ranting by Shark

Sat January 20, 2018 at 5:39 amSat January 20, 2018 at 12:00 am by Shenanigans

A fairly simple preamble greeted us this week: In RANTING, eight answers must be altered thematically on entry; clues to these answers consist of a definition for the answer, and wordplay leading to … Read more >>

Independent 9,756 / Phi

Fri January 19, 2018 at 8:00 am by RatkojaRiku

Phi has provided today’s cruciverbal challenge from his usual Friday home. I found this to be the toughest Phi crossword that I have solved in many a month. I think that I have … Read more >>

Financial Times 15,760 by REDSHANK

Fri January 19, 2018 at 9:22 amFri January 19, 2018 at 5:53 am by Turbolegs

An excellent challenge from REDSHANK who brings up yet another delectable Friday offering. A couple of strange words I learnt today but others might have had a faster solving experience given the precise nature of the clues.

Guardian Cryptic 27,410 by Screw

Fri January 19, 2018 at 3:08 amFri January 19, 2018 at 2:06 am by PeterO

THe puzzle may be found at https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/cryptic/27410.

Inquisitor Review of 2016-7 – The Results

Sun January 28, 2018 at 1:39 pmFri January 19, 2018 at 12:05 am by Admin

Continental Drift

Generally speaking, when a new email correspondent writes to say “After years of doing cryptic crosswords, I’m now having a go at compiling them”, experience tells me that this is not a good omen. When this is rapidly followed by the submission of – horror of horrors – a puzzle with three consecutive unchecked letters across the middle of its grid and six unchecked letter pairs elsewhere, I mean, what is an editor to think?