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A message from Dean Mayer (Anax, Loroso etc)

Hello everyone.

Early next week – Tuesday 11th September, 4pm UK time to be precise – I’m going to try something new. I really don’t know if it has been attempted before.

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A message from Kathryn Friedlander:

Philip Fine and I have just published a second article on cryptic crosswords – this time on the ‘PDM’, and how cryptics might help us, as psychologists, to understand the processes behind insight moments. The article is free to read on-line, or to download as a pdf, and can be found here.

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Update

My thanks to those who have taken the time to add a comment to this post for your useful feedback. On re-reading the comments, my impression is that the majority are in favour of maintaining the status quo (not that I had any intention of changing anything significantly unless it was absolutely necessary).

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A message from John Henderson:

Here’s my annual spring announcement, regarding what will be our fifth autumn S&B weekend get-together in York, proposed dates: Friday evening 26^th October to Sunday lunchtime 28^th October with the main event at the Fox and Roman during the day on Saturday 27^th. Once again, we have avoided a clash with the final of The Times Crossword Championships, which is being held in London the following week (see the Crossword Event Calendar).

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A reminder that there will be a Derby Sloggers & Betters event on Saturday 5th May at The Brunswick Inn, next to Derby railway station.  All the details are in the original post which is to be found in the Announcements section of the site.

This is to ask that anyone who would like to join us and hasn’t said so already lets us know below before Friday 27th.  To those folk who said ‘I’ll let you know nearer the time’ in the earlier post: this is the time, please, because I have to confirm numbers and pay for the buffet lunch.  This will be served at 1.00pm.  It’s not obligatory, but if you don’t want one, then please be aware that the menu shown on the pub’s website won’t be available between 2.30pm and 5.30pm, so you won’t be able to order any food between those times.

It’s a lovely pub, the company will be engaging, and newcomers will be particularly welcome.  Eileen and I look forward to seeing you on the 5th.

Peter (Kathryn’s Dad)

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Continental Drift

Generally speaking, when a new email correspondent writes to say “After years of doing cryptic crosswords, I’m now having a go at compiling them”, experience tells me that this is not a good omen. When this is rapidly followed by the submission of – horror of horrors – a puzzle with three consecutive unchecked letters across the middle of its grid and six unchecked letter pairs elsewhere, I mean, what is an editor to think?

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