Inquisitor

A new setter this week, welcome Wan. The rubric was “Twelve clues contain a thematic object which must be discarded before solving. Twelve other clues contain one in disguise which must also be … Read more >>

The preamble for this puzzle by Nimrod (John Henderson, editor of the Inquisitor series and prolific crossword compiler for all of the cream of the national dailies and many other publications) stated "To … Read more >>

Two unclued entries (top row right, bottom row left) separated by a third (~middle row), and then six links (40 other cells) to be highlighted; extra single letters in the wordplay of 15 … Read more >>

Preamble: Starting at an unchecked square in the top row, the clockwise perimeter contains a 7-word non-English phrase. Unchecked letters, including corners, rearrange to give I SUB A HAIRCUT. Four clues omit a shared thematic definition. The other 34 clues include a … Read more >>

A complicated rubric, giving little away! Down clues must undergo schism, generating a pair of answers in the order shown. Solvers must respond to a request in ODQ when entering across answers, and … Read more >>

The preamble told us that ‘the author associated with a well-known character appears in the initial grid, depicting a gravestone.  Where an answer contains any of three thematic letters, the wordplay in the … Read more >>

Inquisitor 1300 … setter Schadenfreude … are we in for a treat?         I paraphrase the preamble: Ten clues with an extra letter in the wordplay, and eleven with a … Read more >>

Preamble: The phrase made by two of the eleven (highlighted) thematic entries taken together describes associations of six others, when placed in the correct order. (These associations incorporate the full set.) Associations of … Read more >>

Two blogs in a row from me, in return for two from Duncan in June to accommodate our respective holidays. Another tricky one this week, Nudd having come up with another novel way … Read more >>

After three weeks of relatively gentle Inquisitors, we got a much more challenging one from Shark! (Chambers has challenge as : a task, undertaking, etc to test one’s powers and capabilities to the full.) Quite complex … Read more >>

After 3 or 4 puzzles towards the easy end of the spectrum, I was expecting something fierce, to spill over into Monday’s public holiday (‘UK – not Scotland’). The rubric was brief & … Read more >>

Preamble: Unnumbered, unclued down entries have something in common with the individual given by the three unclued across answers in order, thanks to 6 down (also unclued). The link is given by the … Read more >>

A long preamble but, as Nimrod indicated in his paragraph on “The regulars”, this was a mild offering from Samuel. Across clues with extra letters, plus seven wordplay-only surnames. Normal Down clues. The … Read more >>

Kruger is becoming a regular setter in the Inquisitor series.       The preamble was quite long and stated "The unclued entries (10; 8; 6; 6; 5; 4; 3), with one doing … Read more >>

I’ll be away when this blog is published, so won’t be responding for about a week.         “In 14 overlong answers, two letters must be entered in one cell; in … Read more >>