Category: Mephisto

Reasonably straightforward puzzle of no more than average difficulty Across 1 HAAR – H(A)AR(wich); sea mist on the east coast; 4 MONICKER – MO(N-I)CKER; name=N; a nickname; 10 ESCHEWALS – E-SCH-(wales)*; 12 ACTED – (fr)ACTED; … Read more “Mephisto 2936 – Paul McKenna”

Not too difficult here, got through everything in one session. You don’t often find a theme or a Nina in a Sunday Times puzzle, but if I’m not way off the mark, then there is … Read more “Mephisto 2935 – Tim Moorey”

I found this relatively straightforward with some clear wordplay leading to the derivation of solutions Across 1 GASCONADE – G(AS-CON)ADE; Consevative=CON; cod (family)=GADE; boasting; 10 DRY,ICE – D-R(Y)ICE; 11 THANAS – S(A-NAH)T all reversed; police … Read more “Mephisto 2934 by Don Manley”

I was surprised how much of this I managed to get in a pub without access to a dictionary – though some of the last parts took a while to piece together. I had a … Read more “Mephisto 2933 – Paul McKenna”

Reasonable middle-of-the-road puzzle which gave no particular cause for comment. Across 1 FROW – FROW(ning); 4 LEMPIRAS – L(EMPIR(e))AS; supreme control=empire; the Spanish-speaking=LAS; CA capital=money in Honduras; 10 RUFIYAA – (fury)* surrounds I – AA; … Read more “Mephisto 2932 by Tim Moorey – next time Bluebottle”

I started this last Saturday night and remember either having a good brain night, or just flying through this one and the Azed in one sitting. A look back and there’s a mixture of familiar … Read more “Mephisto 2931 – Don Manley”

A mixture of the easy and the rather more opaque. I seemed to spend more time than usual checking entries in Chambers to support meanings in clues (eg 11A). Also, I’d never heard of the … Read more “Mephisto 2930 – Paul McKenna-Donn Reynolds and the Nicaraguan Resistance”

I found this one on the gentler end of the Mephisto spectrum – in most cases the first piece of wordplay that sprung to mind ended up being the correct approach to the answer – … Read more “Mephisto 2929 – Tim Moorey”

Pleasant if straightforward puzzle Across 3 PERU,BALSAM – (as a plumber)*; thick black liquid (not from the Liffey); 11 TENUE – TENU(r)E; manner of dress; 12 CAPUERA – CAPU(t)-ERA; head=caput; martial art and dance; 13 … Read more “Mephisto 2928 by Don Manley – strewth – wot no rats!”

Apologies for the late-ish posting. I usually write these on Saturday afternoons but I played golf in the rain and then the beer started. This one wasn’t overly challenging, though I found in trying to … Read more “Mephisto 2927 – Paul McKenna”