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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 1804: Get Into One’s Stride by Skylark

Fri June 2, 2023 at 1:21 pmTue May 30, 2023 at 10:00 am by HolyGhost

Skylark – third up in “Ladies’ Month”.   Preamble: A misprint in each of fifteen across clues should be corrected before solving; corrections spell a work made famous by a thematic individual. Each … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 12 Comments

Inquisitor 1800: 1800 by PINK

Tue May 2, 2023 at 10:00 am by HolyGhost

The PINK combo delivers another centenary puzzle.   Preamble: All across answers, including the unclued one, are modified identically; numbers in brackets refer to the spaces available. Except for the first and last, … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 12 Comments

Inquisitor 1796: Rock Group by Ifor

Wed April 5, 2023 at 9:59 pmTue April 4, 2023 at 10:00 am by HolyGhost

Ifor is back, solo, after his recent doubling up with Nimrod.   Preamble: All across clues, together with those to down entries in odd columns, are normal, but the latter’s answers are each … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 13 Comments

Inquisitor 1792: Trios by eXternal

Tue March 7, 2023 at 3:33 pmTue March 7, 2023 at 10:00 am by HolyGhost

I took a look at the list of last year’s Top 20 Inquisitor puzzles in terms of aggregate points awarded to the setters: eXternal and Ifor were almost inseparable at the top, with … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 19 Comments

Inquisitor 1788: Power Discharge by IN

Tue February 7, 2023 at 10:24 pmTue February 7, 2023 at 10:00 am by HolyGhost

A warm welcome to IN.   Preamble: Every answer in each odd-numbered row must be partially jumbled (usually resulting in a non-word) to show a sequence of names. A three-word phrase must be … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 17 Comments

Inquisitor 1784: Profile by Eclogue

Tue January 10, 2023 at 10:00 am by HolyGhost

Here is the Eclogue duo for the third time in 2022.   Preamble: Clues are presented in normal order. Corrected letters of misprints in the definitions of all clues provide possible creators of … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 7 Comments

Inquisitor index: 2023

Tue April 8, 2025 at 12:28 pmSun January 1, 2023 at 1:23 am by HolyGhost

Puzzles 1785 – 1836

Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor Index

Inquisitor 1780: Entity by Phi

Tue December 13, 2022 at 10:00 am by HolyGhost

A rather enigmatic preamble from Phi; and a title that gives away absolutely nothing.   Preamble: The international activity of the entity to be highlighted in the grid is responsible for changing a … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 14 Comments

Inquisitor 1776: Primitive Structures by Chalicea

Tue November 15, 2022 at 4:15 pmTue November 15, 2022 at 10:00 am by HolyGhost

A typically brief preamble from Chalicea.   Preamble: 36 form 10 35, which accumulate to create primitive structures. Single extra letters produced by the wordplay in each clue give, in clue order, an … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 14 Comments

Inquisitor 1772: Front Line by Ifor

Tue October 18, 2022 at 10:00 am by HolyGhost

Ifor has now crept into fourth place in the count of Inquisitor crosswords set.   Preamble: All across clues contain an extra word, to be removed before solving. The second or penultimate letters … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 12 Comments

Inquisitor 1768: MD by Penumbra

Tue September 20, 2022 at 10:00 am by HolyGhost

Penumbra makes his first appearance since 1660, a puzzle that marked the year that King Charles II assumed the throne of England. Did anything of equal significance happen in 1768? Well, apparently John … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 14 Comments

Inquisitor 1764: Henry by Karla

Tue August 23, 2022 at 10:00 am by HolyGhost

Karla makes his second appearance as an Inquisitor setter, the first one being last January in the set of 4 newbies.   Preamble: In each of 16 clues there is a misprint in … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 16 Comments

Inquisitor 1760: Shared Identity by Opsimath

Tue July 26, 2022 at 10:00 am by HolyGhost

Opsimath is making what seems like his annual summer appearance.   Preamble: The wordplay in each across clue leads to the answer plus an extra letter, providing – in clue order – a … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 10 Comments

Inquisitor 1756: Spreadsheet by Ifor

Wed June 29, 2022 at 9:57 pmTue June 28, 2022 at 10:00 am by HolyGhost

I am rather fond of puzzles by Ifor, and hope that this one won’t disappoint.   Preamble: One across clue in each row contains an extra word that can suffix a thematic word. … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 15 Comments

Inquisitor 1752: Mind That Spot! by The Ace of Hearts

Tue May 31, 2022 at 4:44 pmTue May 31, 2022 at 10:00 am by HolyGhost

The Ace of Hearts makes his (almost) annual appearance.   Preamble: From the answer to each clue a letter must be deleted wherever it appears before entry into the grid; Definitions refer to … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 10 Comments
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