Pleasant Tuesday stroll.
Guardian Quiptic 839 Provis
A slow start to this, but then a quick finish. Thanks to Provis. Definitions are underlined in the clues. Across 1 Mock journalist about journey by bike (6) DERIDE : Reversal of(… about) … Read more >>
Independent 9100/Punk
Please tell me that this was hard. It took me three goes to finally pin this down, but looking back you think ‘why was that so difficult?’ I have chuntered on a bit, … Read more >>
Guardian Cryptic 26754 by Rufus
The puzzle may be found at http://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/cryptic/26754.
Beelzebub 1,344
A much tougher week than the last one I blogged, I thought. To the extent that I’m still unable to complete the puzzle as I cobble together a blog post. 33 across and … Read more >>
Independent on Sunday 1346/Hypnos
On checking, I find that I haven’t blogged a Hypnos since June 2014, so it’s been a while since we’ve been out on a date. I found this hard by IoS standards, with … Read more >>
Azed 2270
Making do without Paul’s awesome crossword utility is hard… but I somehow managed. Kind of a medium level difficulty Azed — usual Chambers trawling. There’s one wordplay that I’m unsure of — and a few … Read more >>
Everyman 3609
The puzzle may be found at http://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/everyman/3609.
Enigmatic Variations 1202 Representatives by Samson
Samson’s offering this week. Six clues with no definition, which the need replacing, wordplay with additional letters spelling out initials, a seventh member and a thematic adjustment. And a final grid with only … Read more >>
Guardian Prize 26,747 / Paul
Hurrah! – another prize puzzle like what they used to be: not too difficult but needing – for me, at least – a bit of teasing out and a bit longer time than a … Read more >>
Independent 9093 by Tees (Saturday Prize Puzzle 5 December 2015)
Some educational fare from Tees this week… …a couple of pairs of linked clues and som(m)e thematic material – for which I can’t quite work out any particular date-related significance…so maybe they are just there on … Read more >>
Independent 9098 by Phi
To finish this crossword I used aids. Usually when I do so I regret it afterwards, feeling that the answer really should have been clear, but in this case there was no self-reproach since the words were so unusual that despite some help from the wordplay they would probably still be empty spaces. None of the answers at 4ac, 12ac, 4dn, 6dn or 7dn are in Chambers Crossword Dictionary (2006) and only 4dn and 7dn are in Bradford’s (2006). So far as I can see, anyway.
Guardian Cryptic 26752 by Philistine
The puzzle may be found at http://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/cryptic/26752.
Financial Times 15111 by CINCINNUS
A rarely seen setter on a Friday, Cincinnus gives us a straightforward challenge with just a touch of some unusual words to keep things interesting. Clean, unambiguous cluing meant that the parsing was a breeze. 14ac and 30ac were new words for me, both of which were “getable” from the clue.
Guardian 26,751 / Paul
A lovely puzzle from Paul, ingenious and witty, with a most congenial, for me, mini-theme. It caused a fair bit of head-scratching: several answers were inspired guesses, leading to relieved ‘ahas’ when the parsing … Read more >>