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The Printer’s Devilry puzzle by Nibbo is excellent – devilishly difficult and a pleasure to solve. Mrs Richards’s puzzle is a very good thematic which
will appeal particularly to those of you who like Guardian thematic crosswords. Hot on the heels of Mrs Richards’s puzzle I received the puzzle from Slovany – a nice straightforward crossword with some pithy clues.
“Extra Time” from The Hornet is a
neat little thematic with a cunning twist. Michael’s puzzle is deceptive – it contains some cleverly
concealed definitions. The puzzle from Trinculo
is extremely witty – what a good crossword should be of
course. Katchina’s puzzle is a perfect
example of sound clueing – not a word out of place and imaginative with it. “(5,4,4)” by John is
a clever thematic puzzle with slick and amusing clues. The puzzle from Polvo is challenging and another example of how to write imaginative clues while
being fair to the solver.
Smallikoff’s “Legs Eleven” is an
interesting thematic in which most of the clues refer to a single answer. Zufro’s is a standard
but difficult cryptic in the mould of the best of the Guardian. Konyev’s puzzle is in a similar
mould to Zufro’s – inventively clued and a challenge for the
solver.
“2? Certainly Not” by PQR is a difficult
thematic puzzle which should particularly appeal to those who like to tackle Listener and Enigmatic
Variations crosswords. Cerasus’s first puzzle is a nice straightforward cryptic in the style
of the Daily Telegraph.
The puzzle by Canomis is a good example of how
to write clues that make good literal sense and thus challenge the solver. Wordsworth’s puzzle is a good
straightforward cryptic too, with clues that read very
smoothly and hide definitions with some clever
wordplay.“Seven” by Mrs Richards is a brilliant
thematic puzzle with many cross-referenced clues, which will appeal to fans of the Guardian’s Araucaria.
Troll’s puzzle is a nice plain
cryptic with concise, witty and well thought out clues. The
puzzle from Polonius contains several clever
cross-references and is very entertaining to solve.Kookaburra’s puzzle also has
several cross-related clues, and is a very enjoyable romp
which will challenge and amuse the solver. I was more than happy to include a second puzzle from Cerasus – it’s another good example getting the right balance between
fair and imaginative clueing and there were quite a few head-scratching moments while I struggled with it.“18” by Marvin at first sight appears to be an ordinary
cryptic, but it contains a clever gimmick that’s not apparent until the grid is complete.
Slovany’s second crossword is a barred puzzle, which will appeal to those like
to battle with Mephisto and Azed puzzles. It’s a real challenge, clued with scrupulous fairness – as one has come to expect
from this compiler. Algy’s puzzle is themed, with several interrelated answers. This is a very enjoyable puzzle by another talented new setter, whose enthusiasm
for the theme and for crossword-writing is evident in his clues.
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