Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of July 1, 2017
Financial Times 15,599 / Julius
I don’t know what’s happened to PeeDee today, but something has prevented him from being with us, so here is a quick analysis of the clues. With 1ac and 1dn being my first … Read more >>
Independent 9593 / Tees
Tees fills the Wednesday slot this week. Tees has forsaken his usual classical and mythological path today and homed in on a more modern theme that fits with my childhood. The … Read more >>
Guardian Cryptic 27,247 by Philistine
The puzzle may be found at https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/cryptic/27247.
Inquisitor 1497: Solidarity by Chalicea
Chalicea starts off by giving us a pleasantly short preamble. Let’s see whether that lulls us into a false sense of security. This preamble stated "The unclued lights give a … Read more >>
Independent 9,592 by Vigo
Vigo has always been marginally difficult: not horribly so, but significantly. This crossword I found almost as easy as anything the Independent ever produces, and amazingly so for a Tuesday, which is usually one of the harder days. Not that that is a bad thing: it’s a positive on blogging day, and in any case the crossword itself was a good one: simple clues, but all sound and enjoyable. My only carp is with the use (twice, I think) of ‘with’ as a link-word, something that I find almost impossible to justify on logical grounds, although I have seen people who know rather more about these things than I do making a case for it.
Definitions underlined and in maroon.
Guardian 27,246 / Shed
A rare and welcome appearance from Shed, who has always been one of my favourites. I think it’s generally agreed here that Shed’s puzzles are much gentler than they used to be but, … Read more >>
Financial Times 15,598 by ARMONIE
Good puzzle. A notch up from Tuesday’s normal degree-of-difficulty and welcome for that.
Quiptic 921 by Hectence
Hectence takes her turn in the Quiptic slot this week.
Independent 9,591 by Serpent
A good puzzle with some ingenious clues.
Guardian Cryptic 27,245 by Pan
I think this is Pan’s first Monday Cryptic, after many Monday Quiptics and a few other Cryptics. Lots to like, including 12ac, 8dn, 22dn and 27dn – and my last in was 21ac which was guessed but very gettable. Thanks, Pan.
Cyclops 602 – Neer-do-well Tory
A higher-than-average(?) number of anagrams (full, or partial) and some nicely-surfaced double definitions in this fortnight’s Cyclops, with ‘Strong’ and ‘Stable’ making appearances in a clue, after being an answer last time round… Some … Read more >>
S & B Macclesfield – puzzle by Alan
Alan (a Fifteensquared regular but then with a B added to his name) created a Jumbo for the occasion: Alan @ Macclesfield 2017
You weren’t there, you said? Well, you can still give it a go – before looking any further at what comes next in this post.
S & B Macclesfield – puzzle by Dalibor
Since the start of these S&B events – some 6 years ago – Dalibor produced twelve puzzles for the occasion.
Here is No 13: Dalibor @ Macclesfield 2017
If anyone still likes to attempt this crossword, click on the link and do not read any further yet.
S & B Macclesfield – puzzle by Exit
S&B events were Exit’s inspiration for setting crosswords.
This is where his recent puzzle can be downloaded: Exit @ Macclesfield 2017
Curious? Then click on the link and print off the PDF (before looking any further in this post).