Author: william_j_s

Plenty to chew over after the fact, since a few (especially downs) went in on checkers and without fully understanding the wordplay. By no means an all-weekender, nevertheless.

Some tricky bits, but all in all a fair Friday fight.

A tough but very witty and enjoyable puzzle, which I struggled with due to some deviousness (setter) and ignorance (solver).

A gentle end to a gentle week.

Proper Friday stuff, but of the sort that leaves you feeling accomplished rather than frustrated.

Too good for the likes of me, but I enjoyed the challenge, until I didn’t and gave up. Trusty aids and liberal use of the check feature came to the rescue.

Not the Boxing Day toughie we anticipated.

A backward solve for me, right to left, which I think I found slightly more difficult than the SNITCH currently suggests. Of course, it’s all fair (and understandable now it’s filled), but the setter certainly found several garden paths down which I was more than happy to wander.

Hardest of the week but solvable with more patience than I had today.

Off to a flying start but slowed on the right hand side. Still, easier than others we’ve had this week, and very gentle for Friday.