Category: Mephisto

An eclectic mix of references here including three French names, a Swedish Company, a Dutch city and Dutch booze, an Irish poet, an old English comedian and a Sheila from Spitalfields. In addition we have … Read more “Mephisto 2890 by Tim Moorey – A Smorgasbord”

Last Sunday here was kind of cold and miserable, so I recall racing through both the Mephisto and Sunday Times offering in pretty quick succession. A lot of times with Don Manley crosswords I’ve relied … Read more “Mephisto 2889 – Don Manley”

The first puzzle of 2016 and a standard offering that shouldn’t unduly trouble seasoned solvers Across 1 BILLED – B(ILL)ED; “divan for one”=”divan is DBE”; caressed=BILLED (and cooed); 5 INCITE – INC-IT-E; 10 LAND-PIRATE – … Read more “Mephisto 2888 by Paul McKenna – King Charles Meets Arthur English”

Tim Moorey has taken a break from the Sunday Times rotation (I guess we will find out next week who the replacement is), but I was relieved to find out he was going to continue … Read more “Mephisto 2887 – Tim Moorey”

An interesting puzzle with poor old Michael Fish making a guest appearance whilst the wind howls across the UK. A good mix of anagrinds here and some Aussie slang. Nothing to frighten experienced solvers and … Read more “Mephisto 2884 by Tim Moorey”

Only had a few question marks on this one at the first pass through, so the wordplay was pretty solid for a number of unfamiliar words. Wishing I could have been in NYC or London … Read more “Mephisto 2883 – Don Manley”

This puzzle appeared on the anniversary of King Juan Carlos taking over from Franco in 1975 and “Queen” Angela Merkel taking power in 2005. Sadly neither event is remembered in this middle of the road … Read more “Mephisto 2882 by Paul McKenna – We Want Chopper”

I got held up a bit in the top right and the middle left, and have one or two wordplay quibbles, which the hive mind may be able to help out with. In case I … Read more “Mephisto 2881 – Tim Moorey”

Nothing to frighten regular solvers here and I would have thought a fair test for the less experienced Across 1 MAIDEN,BATTLE – (timetabled + a)* surrounds N=knight (chess); 9 ALMERIES – ALM(ERIE)S; 11 DWAMS – … Read more “Mephisto 2880 by Don Manley”

It was pointed out last week that there had been three rather straightforward Mephistos in a row. I think this one breaks the run, and I can see two reasons why. – the grid construction … Read more “Mephisto 2879 – Paul McKenna”