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HolyGhost's avatarHolyGhost

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 1872: The Siege by The Ace of Hearts

Thu October 10, 2024 at 4:46 pmTue September 17, 2024 at 10:00 am by HolyGhost

The Ace of Hearts, a visitor on average about once a year.   Preamble: Five clues are normal, but their answers must be entered thematically. From the answer to each other clue, a … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 14 Comments

Inquisitor 1868: Long Division by Kruger

Tue August 20, 2024 at 10:00 am by HolyGhost

Kruger, an extremely prolific setter of Inquisitor puzzles.   Preamble: Each clue contains a single letter misprint that needs to be rectified before solving; half of these occur in the definition and half … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 12 Comments

Inquisitor 1864: Lady’s Man by Fer-de-lance

Tue July 23, 2024 at 10:00 am by HolyGhost

Snakes alive!   Preamble: Two intimately connected names, each of three words, appear in the grid and partially overlap, resulting in clashes in a number of cells. The non-clashing letters in the names … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 10 Comments

Inquisitor 1860: Bed and Breakfast by Ifor and others

Tue June 25, 2024 at 10:00 am by HolyGhost

Ifor, known for tight but always very fair clueing, and often towards the challenging end of the spectrum.   Preamble: Ifor’s two collaborators X and Y have contributed all across clues bar those … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 5 Comments

Inquisitor 1856: Shade by Dysart

Tue May 28, 2024 at 10:00 am by HolyGhost

Dysart hasn’t been here as a setter for a couple of years.   Preamble: Single letters missing from wordplay in each across clue (except the last) spell a line of verse (in ODQ) … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 16 Comments

Inquisitor 1852: Made Runny by Charybdis

Sun May 26, 2024 at 4:47 pmTue April 30, 2024 at 10:00 am by HolyGhost

I thought that we hadn’t seen Charybdis for quite a while, but in fact he was here last September.   Preamble: Twenty-one clues contain an extra word. When made runny, their initial letters … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 13 Comments

Inquisitor 1848: Inappropriate by Ploy

Tue April 2, 2024 at 10:00 am by HolyGhost

Ploy, the winner of the Shield for IQ Puzzle of the Year 2023, is back again.   Preamble: Some clues contain an extra word, to be removed before solving. From each word, take … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 14 Comments

Inquisitor 1844: Serenade by Eclogue

Tue March 5, 2024 at 10:00 am by HolyGhost

Eclogue gives us a hexagonal jigsaw.   Preamble: Clues are presented in alphabetical order of their solutions, which must be inserted into the grid where they will fit, in straight lines in one … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 15 Comments

Inquisitor 1840: All My Own Work by Nudd

Thu February 8, 2024 at 10:37 amTue February 6, 2024 at 10:00 am by HolyGhost

Quite looking forward to this puzzle from Nudd.   Preamble: Clues are normal but answers in every second row must be entered jumbled. The opening lines from a piece of work appear in … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 11 Comments

Inquisitor 1836: Blithe Spirit by Hedge-sparrow

Tue January 9, 2024 at 10:41 amTue January 9, 2024 at 10:00 am by HolyGhost

Hedge-sparrow flies back in for the festive(?) season.   Preamble: One letter must be removed from each of eight answers before entry so that the entry fits the available space; unjumbling these letters … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 9 Comments

Inquisitor index: 2024

Tue April 8, 2025 at 12:29 pmMon January 1, 2024 at 1:23 am by HolyGhost

Puzzles 1837 – 1888

Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor Index

Inquisitor 1832: Phases by Phi

Tue December 12, 2023 at 10:00 am by HolyGhost

Phi drops in with an early offering for Sankt Nikolaustag.   Preamble: Entries are real words, with some being the result of modifying clue answers (numbers in brackets reflect the space available in … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 12 Comments

Inquisitor 1828: Night Follows Day by Karla

Wed November 15, 2023 at 10:23 amTue November 14, 2023 at 10:00 am by HolyGhost

Karla’s previous two puzzles each had a cinematic theme – we’d been promised that this next one wouldn’t have.   Preamble: In eleven “day-time” clues, part of the wordplay has received a treatment … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 14 Comments

Inquisitor 1824: Flight Plan by eXternal

Tue October 17, 2023 at 10:00 am by HolyGhost

eXternal – equally good when solo or doubled up with Serpent.   Preamble: In 14 Across clues a word must be removed before solving, identifying members of an organisation. In each Down answer, … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 10 Comments

Inquisitor 1816: Gridlocked by Soup

Tue August 22, 2023 at 10:48 amTue August 22, 2023 at 10:00 am by HolyGhost

Here is the last in the sequence of 5 debutants: Soup’s first puzzle for the Inquisitor though he has set puzzles for The Guardian.   Preamble: Rows and columns represent streets, with arrows … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 23 Comments
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