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HolyGhost

Started on cryptic crosswords as a late teenager and completed the Times daily until the Independent started. (Didn't do the crossword - just stopped reading the Times.) Often tackled the Independent weekend magazine crossword in the early and late 1990s (spent mid-90s in Bruxelles), and then most of them since moving out of London in summer 2000. I must say that my forays into the Listener used to prove more satisfying (except the number ones) - estimate 98% successful - but usually don't have enough discretionary time for both. Now that the Listener and the Inquisitor seem pretty level I rarely stray from tackling only the latter.

Inquisitor 1468: Rule by Ifor

Wed December 21, 2016 at 12:00 am by HolyGhost

Ifor is becoming (has become?) quite a regular.   Preamble: Before solving, each Down clue must be made smaller by a single letter; the surface reading usually suffers. Reading these letters in correct … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 10 Comments

Inquisitor 1464: Provisions by ‍’Eck

Wed November 23, 2016 at 12:00 am by HolyGhost

By ‍’Eck, ‍’e’s back for the first time since NY 2014.   Preamble: The grid consists of two crosswords with a common theme. Clues are presented in non-overlapping pairs; either clue appearing first. … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 18 Comments

Inquisitor 1460: PW RBS by Base

Wed October 26, 2016 at 12:00 am by HolyGhost

Base – a new setter enters the fold.   Preamble: Half of the 32 clues are normal. Two characters (to be written below the grid) together connect the 4 unclued perimeter entries and … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 19 Comments

Inquisitor 1456: Bad Company by Schadenfreude

Wed September 28, 2016 at 12:00 am by HolyGhost

Schadenfreude seems to be appearing about every other month this year.   Preamble: 13 clues each have a misprint in the definition. The correct letters can be arranged to form the phrase to … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 18 Comments

Inquisitor 1453: Downtime by Quixote

Wed September 7, 2016 at 12:00 am by HolyGhost

An Inquisitor puzzle from Quixote for the first time in 6 years.   Preamble: Across clues and answers are normal. Type 1 Down clues have an extra letter added to the wordplay; their … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 10 Comments

Inquisitor 1448: The Enemy’s Gift? by Poat

Mon August 8, 2016 at 11:41 amWed August 3, 2016 at 12:00 am by HolyGhost

Haven’t seen Poat for a long time – early last year in fact. (And that after a break of 6 years.)   Preamble: Wordplay in eight clues leads to the answer (which is … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 10 Comments

Inquisitor 1444: OURS by Eclogue

Wed July 6, 2016 at 5:03 pmWed July 6, 2016 at 12:00 am by HolyGhost

An Eclogue puzzle – something to look forward to.   Preamble: In clue order, corrections to definition misprints give a quotation completed by the thematic puzzle title. The name of the work from … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 14 Comments

Inquisitor 1440: Prove it by Schadenfreude

Wed June 8, 2016 at 12:00 am by HolyGhost

It’s not that long ago that I blogged a Schadenfreude puzzle – remember Lucy?   Preamble: The four unclued entries are synonymous. Corrections to single-letter misprints in the definition part of each clue … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 7 Comments

Inquisitor 1436: My Diet by Gila

Wed May 11, 2016 at 11:19 amWed May 11, 2016 at 12:00 am by HolyGhost

Before we start, a brief message from the editor:   Hi all, sorry for hijacking the thread. Just to say … 14 across in Samuel’s IQ1437 puzzle, published last Saturday, omitted the word … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 13 Comments

Inquisitor 1432: Female Quartet by Schadenfreude

Wed April 13, 2016 at 12:00 am by HolyGhost

Back to normal (I hope). After last week’s monster, and the confused endgame after a tough solve the week before, a puzzle from Schadenfreude – always firm but fair – is a welcome … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 20 Comments

Inquisitor 1428: Small-coal by Phi

Wed March 16, 2016 at 12:00 am by HolyGhost

A long & seemingly complicated preamble for this puzzle from Phi, his second of the year. (No offence was intended when I omitted to count the ones he set prior to the renaming … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 15 Comments

Inquisitor 1424: Dickens by Shark

Tue April 5, 2016 at 3:21 pmWed February 17, 2016 at 12:00 am by HolyGhost

By my reckoning, Inquisitor 1431 will appear on Easter Saturday in the final print edition of the Independent – kenmac is scheduled to do the honours with the blog. To support the case … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 9 Comments

Inquisitor 1420: Coming Through by Phi

Wed January 20, 2016 at 12:00 am by HolyGhost

The second puzzle of the year, and another prolific IQ setter – Phi, current runner-up to Sch … you know who.   Preamble: Apart from 1ac and 18 (normal), each clue is actually … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 7 Comments

Inquisitor index: 2016

Tue April 8, 2025 at 12:23 pmFri January 1, 2016 at 1:23 am by HolyGhost

Puzzles 1419 – 1471

Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor Index

Inquisitor 1416: Can Henry? by Kruger

Wed December 23, 2015 at 12:00 am by HolyGhost

A carte blanche grid, so no bars and no numbers, but at least the clues have length indications and are in normal order. However, two entries are unclued, and there are a few … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 21 Comments
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