Never knowingly undersolved
eXternal is a prolific setter of Inquisitor puzzles with interesting themes and cluing devices. Today, the preamble told us that a letter must be reinstated in each of 36 clues. The … Read more >>
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 >>
RIP – Andy Stewart Andy Stewart, who set as Dysart has passed away. He produced 18 Listener crosswords and 14 Inquistor crosswords and appeared in the Enigmatic Variations, the Magpie and the Crossword … Read more >>
Left and right superscripts indicate the category for across and down entries respectively. Within each category, clues are given in the usual grid order. In four cells answers clash. Solvers must resolve each clash to form a theme word and enter just its first letter, spelling the name of the pub. Winners get a round of drinks.
Chalicea is a regular Inquisitor setter whose puzzles cover a wide range of themes. The preamble today told us that “In every across clue wordplay leads to an extra letter … Read more >>
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 >>
Battleships by Eclogue Clues are presented in conventional order, but answers are separated by blocks rather than bars, with no symmetrical pattern. When the grid is complete, solvers will have found a fleet … Read more >>
What’s this, a grid and font-size forgiving of the blogger’s eyesight? Eleven clues contain a word not needed for solving. In clue order these words give a line (verifiable on the Internet) from … Read more >>
This week we have a puzzle set by the collaborative duo eXtent who are represented separately by eXternal and Serpent who are both prolific Inquisitor setters in their own right. This is their … Read more >>
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 >>
Five thematic entries (I to the eponymous V, who must be identified at the foot of the grid) are unclued. Across clues are in alphabetical order of their answers, all bar one requiring thematic transformation before entry. Information in brackets refers first to final grid entries; then to clue answers. Down clues and answers are normal. Clashes occur in four symmetrically placed cells, in which solvers should enter both clashing letters. Arranging them appropriately could loosely enable II to __ __ (4,4) I, while III __ __ (4,4), as tasked by V, despite the attentions of IV. All thematically adjusted entries are unique and in Chambers, though heaven knows why.
May the 4th be with you. In 23 down clues, wordplay leads to an extra letter. These letters give six syllabic words (one a surname) which, in keeping with the theme, are in … Read more >>
Kruger is one of the most prolific setters of Inquisitor puzzles. The records show that this is the 60th. The preamble this week was of average length and told us … Read more >>
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 >>