Independent 9,778 by Radian

Three checked letters in a seven-letter answer is bad enough; two in a five-letter answer is even worse. Unless, some say, Radian has been constrained by a Nina and has been forced to use answers of this type. If he has (and of course I can’t see it) then perhaps this is justified. And anyway it’s only my view (but also that of some eminent others, I might add).

Pity, because much of this crossword is good, and there are some excellent clues. I particularly enjoyed 1dn.

Definitions underlined.

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Independent 8,773 by Quixote

It seems that Quixote is now doing the Wednesday crossword on the days (the last Wednesdays of the month) that Dac isn’t doing it, and there is no noticeable diminution of quality. Everything here is very clear and efficient and as with Dac I expect few to have much to say.

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Independent 8769 / Phi

I started at the end with 25dn and worked backwards through the clues, making steady progress and with the empty lights only just reaching double figures by the time I got to 1ac. … Read more >>

Independent 8,768 by Monk

Monk’s customarily efficient and elegant crossword today. I get the impression that he is appearing in the Indy more often than he has, which is good news.

One or two are beyond me a bit, but no doubt someone will come to the rescue.

This seems to contain a personal message: read down the unches on the left, then the horizontal unches in the middle, then the unches on the right.

Definitions underlined.

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