Category: Mephisto

I found this one on the more gentle side of Mephistos, particularly the wordplay. I was in the back of a car being driven through mountains of Tennessee and managed to get most of this … Read more “Mephisto 2763 – Don Manley”

I was too drunk and tired to write this up on Saturday. Now I’m watching the second session from Durham, this has been a gripping match! OK, now to the Mephisto – I found this … Read more “Mephisto 2762 – Paul McKenna”

Middle of the road Mephisto. I can’t parse 4D – all ideas welcomed! Across 1 STIRRAH – STIR-RAH; cheer=RAH; a corruption of Sir and Sirrah in Stirling; 6 DAGGA – DAG-GA(ga); Aussie eccentric=DAG; African love-drug; … Read more “Mephisto 2760 by Don Manley – A Trojan Mystery”

I was a test solver for this puzzle, so I got to have the week off last week. My main comment on the original was that I thought that solvers would get a number of … Read more “Mephisto 2759 – Paul McKenna”

Standard, middle of the road, Mephisto. I have one query at one across, where I’m not happy with the definition. Across 1 RAMILLIES – ARMIES switching right to left=RAMIES; insert heart from (bri)LLI(ant)=RAMI(LLI)ES; that leaves … Read more “Mephisto 2758 by Tim Moorey”

This was one of the most difficult Mephistos for some time for me, however there’s a couple of references that I did know know at all and needed to consult the interwebs to find the … Read more “Mephisto 2757 – Don Manley”

Pleasant but largely straighforward puzzle. Not sure how well known the Flowerpot Men are! Across 1 WILTJA – WILT-J-A; Jack=J; bush hut; 5 ASPICK – AS-PICK; old snake; 10 ANKH – loop=HANK then move H=husband … Read more “Mephisto 2756 by Paul McKenna – What Happened To Little Weed?”

Another very good wordplay workout from Tim Moorey – I can usually trust my wordplay instincts when I run across an unusual word with him, and this helped a lot here, particularly on the improbable-looking … Read more “Mephisto 2755 – Tim Moorey”

A gentle Mephisto, just right for solving on the edge of lake Como with a glass of vino. Across 1 WAPENSCHAW – (wan chaps we)*; arms inspection in Wick; 10 OGAMIC – O-GAM-IC; old=O; school=GAM; … Read more “Mephisto 2754 by Don Manley – Kilroy Was Here”

In a week where I completely failed to solve the Listener (the one for which the solution came out on Friday), read about the impending demise of the Crossword Club (umming and aahing – if … Read more “Mephisto 2753 – Paul McKenna”