Monday Prize Crossword / Mar 14, 2016
A bit of an unexciting Dante crossword. No surprises (unlike last time), many double and cryptic definitions.
Financial Times 15,187 by Wanderer
Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of March 12, 2016
Financial Times 15,196 by IO
Io is the master, no doubt about it as far as I am concerned. This time he kindly lets me finish with the grid filled and everything explained. Thank you Io.
Guardian Cryptic 26,839 by Philistine
I really enjoyed this, and found it quite tough aside from a few clues that went in almost immediately from their definitions. Favourite 16dn.
Independent 9185 / Dac
Dac appears in his regular Wednesday slot this week. For the first time in a while I didn’t struggle with the parsing of any of the entries in this blog. … Read more >>
Inquisitor 1429: Title by Bics
This is Bics second Inquisitor. His first was number 1390, Verbatim, based on alternate spellings. The preamble told us that in 29 clues, the wordplay leads to the answer and … Read more >>
Financial Times 15,195 by HAMILTON
An unusual occurence for me to blog on a Tuesday. Thanks to Hamilton for a fun puzzle that had me galloping for 90% of the solve time and coming unstuck for the remainder. 🙂
Independent 9,184 by Radian
I found this extremely difficult. The clues are all quite understandable once you know the answer, but to get there is often very hard, so far as I can see, there being so many options for the wordplay and the definition.
Definitions in maroon and underlined.
Guardian 26,838 – Chifonie
I’d been thinking that some of Chifonie’s recent puzzles had been getting slightly more difficult, but this one is back to his old style, with lots of easy charades and anagrams, so it … Read more >>
Guardian 26,837 / Rufus
It’s Monday, it’s Rufus, so we know what to expect. When solving/blogging a Rufus puzzle, I at times find it difficult to describe a clue because either the intended cryptic def. is almost … Read more >>
Quiptic 853 by Hectence
It is Hectence who graces the Quiptic slot today.
Independent 9,183 by Crosophile
My last Indy blog before the paper goes for good.
Beelzebub 1,358
It was a very pleasant surprise to find one more Beelzebub published after we feared that 1,357 may be the last. I learn today from Phi’s blog that this is his 692nd Beelzebub … Read more >>
AZED 2,284
A very straightforward plain Azed this week.
Everyman 3623
Fine puzzle from Everyman. Some delightful surface readings; good variety of clue types; no obscurities; solver-friendly grid. Not much to be grumpy about, is there? Abbreviations cd cryptic definition dd … Read more >>