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duncanshiell's avatarduncanshiell

Born in 1948. I retired from full-time work in May 2007, after 37 years with Ordnance Survey and associated bodies and now have time to devote to crosswords, something not available for many years. Product of 17 years in the Scottish education system, but lived overseas or in southern England for virtually all of the time thereafter. I moved back to Scotland in 2010. Regular road runner and recently returned to orienteering and golf after a 35 year gap. Developed interested in cryptic crosswords in the mid 1960s (Scotsman, Sunday Express skeleton), but working overseas and then raising a family, meant dropping out of crossword solving for about 30 years. Now a regular solver of Times, Guardian, Independent, Inquisitor, Listener and Magpie crosswords. Reasonably regular finisher of the first four. Started blogging in late 2007. Any solving ability far outweighs any clueing ability. Krypton Factor contestant 1983; eliminated in the first round, but the obstacle course finish made good television!

Inquisitor 1138 – Up and Down by Nutmeg

Wed August 18, 2010 at 7:30 am by duncanshiell

The preamble told us that in each column, one letter from the first answer is displaced to the top row of the grid, and one from the second answer to the bottom row, … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 4 Comments

Independent 7429 – Saturday Prize Puzzle (7 August 2010) by Bannsider

Sat August 14, 2010 at 12:01 am by duncanshiell

This was another challenging crossword from Bannsider. If there was a theme, it was centred on television programmes and catchphrases from television programmes.  We had STUPID BOY (Dad’s Army), I DON’T BELIEVE IT … Read more >>

Categories Independent 7 Comments

Independent Prize Puzzle 7405 by Tyrus – Saturday 10 July 2010

Fri July 16, 2010 at 12:01 am by duncanshiell

As I don’t solve the Independent blocked crossword on a regular basis, Tyrus is a new name to me.  A bit of research on Fifteensquared however shows that he is also Lato, a … Read more >>

Categories Independent 7 Comments

Inquisitor 1133 – Right(?) by Lato

Thu July 15, 2010 at 12:01 am by duncanshiell

The preamble told us that single extra letters indicated by wordplay in 25 clues spell out part of a quotation whose missing ingredients are exemplified in the 10 thematic answers.  In the prevailing … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 8 Comments

Independent 7381 by Phi (Saturday Prize Puzzle 12 June 2010)

Thu June 17, 2010 at 11:02 pm by duncanshiell

My most recent Inquisitor blog was a puzzle by Phi, as is this.  I said in the Inquisitor blog that I enjoy Phi’s cluing.  It is unambiguous and often very clever. I got … Read more >>

Categories Independent 9 Comments

Inquisitor 1128 – Conflicting Opinions by Phi

Thu June 10, 2010 at 12:01 am by duncanshiell

I usually enjoy Phi’s offerings and this was no exception. The preamble was fairly complex as there was a lot to be done before clues could be solved.  We were told that all … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 3 Comments

Independent 7357 (Saturday Prize Puzzle) by Bannsider

Fri May 21, 2010 at 6:00 am by duncanshiell

The last Bannsider puzzle I blogged had a theme based on the rock group Kasabian.   I’ve looked at diagonals and unches, and I can’t see any obvious theme in this puzzle, but I … Read more >>

Categories Independent 6 Comments

Inquisitor 1123 – Trendier Days by Raich

Thu May 6, 2010 at 1:00 am by duncanshiell

Raich is a setter with an increasing output.  To my knowledge, he has set Independent blocked crosswords, Listeners, Inquisitors and has a blocked crossword in the latest Magpie.  I have acted as a … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 6 Comments

Genius 81 by Paul

Sun April 4, 2010 at 12:10 am by duncanshiell

It’s nearly a year since I blogged a Genius and it clearly hasn’t got any easier.  This one took me an age to get into, but eventually I got a chink of light … Read more >>

Categories Guardian Genius 8 Comments

Inquisitor 1118 – Mine by Charybdis

Thu April 1, 2010 at 6:30 am by duncanshiell

A pleasant puzzle from Charybdis – nothing too taxing.  I finished this in one sitting on the Saturday evening of publication. When the preamble mentioned Latin I groaned a bit.  Foreign languages are … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 3 Comments

Independent 7309 – Saturday Prize Puzzle by Nimrod

Fri March 26, 2010 at 12:10 am by duncanshiell

I found this hard and took a good afternoon to solve it.  There were a couple of words or phrases I had not come across before, namely CACOETHES SCRIBENDI and PULQUE.  I knew … Read more >>

Categories Independent 2 Comments

Inquisitor 1113 – Origins by Samuel

Fri February 26, 2010 at 7:35 am by duncanshiell

Samuel is a setter I have come across in The Listener and Magpie as well as here in the Inquisitor series.  I have always enjoyed his puzzles.  This was no exception.  Like all … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 3 Comments

Independent Prize Puzzle 7285 by Bannsider – Saturday 20 February 2010

Fri February 26, 2010 at 6:30 am by duncanshiell

As I only blog Independent puzzles once a month, I don’t have a great deal of experience of individual setters.  A little research though shows that I have solved Bannsider’s puzzles before as … Read more >>

Categories Independent 12 Comments

Independent 7261 by Dac (Saturday Prize Puzzle 23 January 2010)

Fri January 29, 2010 at 1:00 am by duncanshiell

This is the first puzzle by Dac that I have blogged.  I didn’t find anything too difficult.  I’m not sure how long this took as I did it whilst watching Saturday afternoon football … Read more >>

Categories Independent 4 Comments

Inquisitor 1108 – French Polish by Nutmeg

Fri January 22, 2010 at 7:32 am by duncanshiell

We were told that seven grid entries, clued without definition, were of a kind.  Their response to an exhortation would affect the method of entry of a further seven clue answers.  Further, all … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 3 Comments
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