Screw, as before, provides a tricky and inventive challenge.
Financial Times 15,134 – Armonie
Monday prize Crossword / Jan 11, 2016
It’s been a while since we had Tuesday regular Armonie (aka Chifonie at another place) on the Prize spot. Concise clueing, good surfaces, mostly simple devices.
Enjoyable and relatively easy – although I had some trouble finishing the NE.
Financial Times 15,133 by Mudd
Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of January 9, 2016
Financial Times 15,142 by MONK
Good stuff again from Monk. I particularly like to blog Monk puzzles as there is always a clear and precise explanation of the solution in there waiting to be found. The only difficulty for the blogger is finding it. Thanks Monk.
Independent 9,131 by Dac
Whatever else?
Definitions underlined and in red; not sure I like this but it’ll have to do. I’m not going to go through it all and change them by hand.
Guardian 26,785 – Boatman
Boys and girls come out to play with Boatman today, with at least one of the two words occurring in about two thirds of the clues, and quite a few names in the … Read more >>
Inquisitor 1420: Coming Through by Phi
The second puzzle of the year, and another prolific IQ setter – Phi, current runner-up to Sch … you know who. Preamble: Apart from 1ac and 18 (normal), each clue is actually … Read more >>
Financial Times 15,141 by PHSSTHPOK
A parson’s egg from PSSTHPOK
Guardian 26,784 / Arachne
Well, this was a very agreeable start to the day. One of my favourite setters in top form and, I think, my first opportunity to blog one of her puzzles. What can one … Read more >>
Independent 9130 / Hannah
Well, a Bowie theme yesterday and a Star Wars theme (at least in the clues) today. We love themed puzzles so this was right up our alley, even though some of the clues … Read more >>
Guardian Quiptic 844/Nutmeg
I never thought that I’d be writing this sentence, but this Quiptic from Nutmeg didn’t really do the business for me this morning. Some words that perhaps shouldn’t get … Read more >>
Sloggers and Betters Event – Derby – May 21st 2016.
A message from Eileen and Peter (Kathryn’s Dad).
Eileen and I have arranged a 2016 Derby Sloggers and Betters event in Derby for Saturday May 21st.
Independent 9,129 by Knut
A 24 today, very much a Marmite puzzle I suspect which will be loved or hated.
Guardian Cryptic 26,783 by Rufus
The puzzle may be found at http://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/cryptic/26783.
Cyclops 564: House of fools?
Happy New Year! A relatively gentle start to 2016, with no major hold-ups, though there are a couple I might have struggled with a bit if I hadn’t had the checking letters.
Apologies for the fact that, in my last-minute rush, I forgot to fill in the entries at 23d and 27d in the grid. I only got round to completing it in Crossword Compiler and generating the exported graphic after I had done the rest of the blog, and Crossword Compiler defaults to putting Ds in the cells. I haven’t time to amend it this evening, but will try to do so tomorrow m0rning.