Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of January 21, 2017
Independent 9,455 / Dac
Dac is occupying his customary mid-week slot today. I actually found this puzzle towards the tougher end of the Dac spectrum and had trouble with the intersecting 10-letter lights at the heart of … Read more >>
Financial Times 15,462 by MONK
I’m very glad to see a Monk puzzle again on my blogging day. It has been a long time. Super puzzle as always, thank you Monk.
Guardian Cryptic 27,109 by Arachne
A rare pleasure to see Arachne. Favourites were 25a, 27a, 15d, 19d, and 24d.
Inquisitor 1474: Plucky Hero by eXternal
There were so many Scottish references (my count was 16) in the clues that it was abundantly obvious, even to a Sassenach, that we had a Burns Night (January 25th) connection in this … Read more >>
Guardian 27,108 – Paul
Unusually, there was no Paul puzzle in Guardian last week, so here he is early on to compensate – maybe we’ll see him on Saturday as well. I found this one a bit … Read more >>
Independent 9454 / Punk
Punk appears in the Independent series a little bit less than once a month but it’s always a pleasure to see a Punk puzzle There was one clearly defined theme … Read more >>
Financial Times 15,461 by NEO
A tad tougher than Tuesday’s norm, and the better for it.
Guardian Quiptic 898/Moley
A bit tricky for a Quiptic, I thought. Abbreviations cd cryptic definition dd double definition (xxxx)* anagram anagrind = anagram indicator [x] letter(s) removed definitions are underlined Across 9 Case … Read more >>
Guardian Cryptic 27,107 by Rufus
Someone will have to explain 26ac to me… (and Muffin has obliged! – thanks, Muffin!)
Independent 9,453 by Hoskins
Last time around Hoskins was well oiled, a much more sober affair today.
Everyman 3,667
I said in my last scheduled Everyman blog that it can be difficult to find something to write about in the preamble and I’m having the same problem today. This solve was one of those … Read more >>
AZED 2,328
The usual Azed. All pretty sound so far as I can see. You really need to have Chambers by your side; it would be an endless task for me to explain everything everywhere.
As always the definitions are underlined and in maroon.
Independent on Sunday 1405/Alchemi
I found this tough going for an IoS puzzle, in fact tough going, full stop. It’s all fair (although there’s one I can’t parse). When I was writing up the … Read more >>
Independent 9452 by Klingsor (Saturday Puzzle 28 January 2017)
A nice solid cryptic offering from Klingsor here – with some interesting surface readings and mis-directions… No obvious theme or nina that I could see. There seems to be a higher than ‘average’ number … Read more >>