I swear – my new year’s resolution is to take greater pains in ascribing a compiler credit where it’s due. In other words, pinpoint the setter in question, or at least the Times grid number, for the best clues of 2009.
In the meantime, honouring the cream of the 2008 crop, below are the humdinger anagrams, […]
Across January, while I hit the surf off-site, this blog will run the pick of last year’s clues for you, dear surfer. Drawn mainly from The Times and The Guardian, with a few strays for good measure, these Clues of Repute represent the solving highs.
To spice up the series, I’ll see how many you can […]
Abandon hope all ye who enter this particular post: the best hybrid clues of 2007. Hope you’ve enjoyed the series. Paranormal services will resume pretty soon.
1) Expense cut by old boys dismissing a writer (9) _ O _ U _ N _ _ _
2) […]
To finish this season’s Clues of Repute - the juiciest clues of 2007 - we have the hybrid variety, a clue blending two or more cryptic categories. In other words, apprentice solvers, run for your life! These are the mongrels in both senses. But oh what exquisite mongrels.
(And for the braver soul, look out […]
Oblique definitions. Lateral clues. Daffy definitions. Call this bunch whatever you fancy, they can be the simplest style to solve - or the ornery alternative. In this clue-type, the word play is bound into the definition, asking you to perceive a word freshly. Hair splitter, say, may be PART. Or drum set, EARS.
See, they […]
These six clues are last for a reason, being the trickiest of the container variety. All examples stem from such nonpareil compilers as Paul, Shed, Taupi and Araucaria (The Guardian) and the diabolic Times gang.
1) Spring training in extremely effective footwear (10) _ S _ _ _ R […]
Ouch. Some of these container clues (see last post for illumination) are so sharp they cut.
1) Figure it’s high time horse is shackled (7) _ O _ A _ O _
2) Deception about a Trojan horse’s cover (9) C _ _ _ […]
Where LEVEL CROSSING is not just a road hazard, but VELCRO stuck inside Nobel Laureate LESSING. Proceed with caution when attempting to solve these container-clues - they’re dangerously good.
1) Stout from cask in bar (6) R _ _ _ N _
2) Cut across to Detroit (6) […]
Seeking inspiration? Scroll down to last post’s charade clues, and see how their answers - printed here - go click. These seven, no less elegant, and twice as difficult.
1) I’m loaded, but money’s stolen (8) B _ _ _ S _ _ _
2) River Test plants […]
Uh-uh, not the parlour game, but the same principle, where STRATAGEM can be broken into STRATA plus GEM. Keep that kind of stratagem to hand when dealing with these seven gems.
1) A street light on the wrong road? (6) A _ _ _ A _
2) No longer […]