Muristek
Some tall tales about the effect of puzzling and our pick of the best of the broadsheets’ cryptic clues
In the sample clues below, the links take you to explainers from our beginners series. The setter’s name often links to an interview with him or her, in case you feel like getting to know these people better.
1/5a Bad girl at ease dancing round piano in 27 20 events? (7,7)[ wordplay: synonym for “bad” + anagram of (“dancing”) GIRLATEASE containing (“round”) musical abbrev. for “piano” ][ ILL + EGALARTIES containing P ][ definition: events in the location referenced in clues 27 and 20 ]
27/20a Quickly necking booze, setter vandalised 3 hub (7,6)[ wordplay: synonym for “quickly necking booze” + anagram of (“vandalised”) SETTER ][ DOWNING + STREET ][ definition: 3d is GOVERNMENT, so government hub ]
12a Penalty for attending 1A 5A in 27 20? Well! (4)[ double definition ]
Submit to pressure and return to base (9)[ double definition ]
Unfortunately, this hypothesis still has yet to be demonstrated.
24a Fluid feeder we left on patio ultimately getting drier (3,5)[ wordplay: synonym for “fluid feeder”, then WE (“we”) + abbrev. for “left” next to (“on”) last letter of “(“ultimately”) PATIO ][ TEAT, then WE + L next to O ][ definition: drier ]
How do people respond when you tell them you’re a crossword setter?“A what?”And if you weren’t a crossword setter, what would you be?Even grumpier than I am.
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