Crossword News November 2024

 Crossword News November 2024

The October Prize Puzzle was Location by Gnomie. The perimeter reads - FOR WHEN THEY REACH THE SCENE OF CRIME MACAVITY'S NOT THERE. The name Macavity was to be deleted twice from the grid.

There is a solution at https://crosswordcentre.blogspot.com/2024/11/solution-to-location-by-gnomie.html

Robert Teuton apologises for technical problems which have delayed the results. Results and comments will be published later.

There is still time for you to solve the November challenge, Rising Costs II by Hedge-sparrow. https://crosswordcentre.blogspot.com/2024/10/november-2024-prize-puzzle.html

The December challenge will mark the 16^th Seasons Greetings by Eclogue.

For December we will be publishing a Christmas Special. Checkerboard Challenge by Arcadia is a complex puzzle, involving filling 5 grids, but you only need to submit the final one. I found it difficult to complete the final grid but it is a pleasure to solve. Because of its difficulty, it will not count against annual statistics. Arcadia will donate a bottle of Brut Champagne for the winner.
***
In the Times Crossword Championship, it was a return to victory for Mark Goodliffe, taking his 13^th title. He finished the final crossword in 4 minutes 38 seconds. However, it was 27-year-old Chloe Hutton who came a close second in 6 minutes 18 seconds. Hutton won the Richard Rogan prize for best new entrant, created in memory of the Times crossword editor who died in June.

Liam Hughes came third with a time of 6:26.
Paul Gilbert was fourth, 7:36.
Colin Thomas came fifth, finishing in second place in 5:07 but with one mistake.
Only the fastest five contestants made it into the final. Last year’s winner Matthew Marcus came 7^th in the semi-final.

Full results, video and the final puzzle are available on The Times Crossword Club.
https://www.thetimes.com/puzzleclub/crosswordclub/news/times-crossword-championship-2024-results

On Cracking the Cryptic, Mark explains how he solved the final puzzle.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxAG4k1QD84
***
Following the death of Richard Rogan, it was Shane Shabankareh who took over temporarily as editor of the Times Crossword. It has now been announced that Jason Crampton will be taking over the post, starting on the 2^nd of December.
***
Keith Williams posted this message on our FaceBook page.

The upcoming November issue of the Crossword Club, includes the following notice, which any former members using this forum may be able to assist with:-

"SEARCH – between 1981 and 2004, the Club produced a Christmas Card Crossword every year on a festive theme including a competition element, created and judged by, our much missed friend and colleague, Alfreda Blanchard. Your co-editors would be extremely grateful to any member who is able to send a scan or photo of some, any or all of these gems to clubcrosswords@gmail.com "

With thanks in advance.
***
In February, American puzzle editor, Will Shortz suffered a stroke. The stroke was on the right side of his brain, leaving the left side of his body “completely incapacitated” and causing his speech to be slurred.

Since then, he has been undergoing therapy and rehabilitation. Fortunately, his treatment has been successful. In an article for CNN News Shortz explains how he realised that he had had a stroke and the treatment he received.
***
The 2025 edition of the 3D Crossword Calendar is available now. You get a puzzle for every month of the year and al the proceeds go to charities, the RNIB and BBC Children in Need. The printed copies cost £14.50 and the virtual calendars £12.50 or you can give more as a donation.
https://3dcalendarpuzzles.co.uk/shop/
***
The Azed Slip for the clues to INTERCHANGING is on the Crossword Centre now.
http://www.crossword.org.uk/Azedslip.html

Richard Heald continued his winning form with this clue.

Trafficking? No-one involved emerges from criminal heroin gang innocent
(anag. less anag.).

In the slip, Azed announces that there will be a special lunch to celebrate Azed No. 2,750 at Wolfson, Oxford on Saturday 3 May 2025
***
Collins Dictionary has announced their word of the year for 2024. ‘Brat’ newly defined in 2024 as ‘characterized by a confident, independent, and hedonistic attitude’, has been named Collins' Word of the Year 2024. Inspired by the Charli XCX album, ‘brat’ has become one of the most talked about words of 2024. More than a hugely successful album, ‘brat’ is a cultural phenomenon that has resonated with people globally, and ‘brat summer’ established itself as an aesthetic and a way of life.

The shortlisted words included, brainrot, An inability to think clearly due to excessive consumption of low-quality online content. Era, a period of one’s life that is of a distinctive character. Looksmaxxing attempting to maximise the attractiveness of one’s physical appearance. And also, rawdogging, anti-tourism, ,romantasy, delulu, supermajority and yapping.
***
Another book suggestion for your Christmas present list, The Fellowship of Puzzle Makers by Samuel Barr concerns a group of cruciverbalists. The story follows Clayton, a young man whose adoptive mother, Pippa, recently passed away. Left on the steps of The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers as a baby, Clayton was lovingly raised by Pippa, the leader of this unique community residing in a charming old manor. Upon her passing, Pippa leaves Clayton a series of intricate puzzles to solve, leading him on a journey to uncover the truth about his birth parents.
***
When I published the Apex Letters last year, I did not expect a big sale for my autobiographical notes about my friendship with a crossword setter. As it is, I have a lot of copies left and, in order to clear some space on my bookshelf, I have reduced the price to £6 and free postage in the UK. Full details here.
https://crosswordcentre.blogspot.com/p/the-apex-letters.html
***
For lovers of the BBC drama, Ludwig, the good news is that David Mitchell is already preparing a second series.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/2024/ludwig-series-two/
***
Best wishes
Derek

 

Solution to Location by Gnomie

 Location by Gnomie - Solution

The perimeter reads - FOR WHEN THEY REACH THE SCENE OF CRIME MACAVITY'S NOT THERE. The name Macavity was to be deleted twice from the grid.

November 2024 Prize Puzzle

 Rising Costs II by Hedge-sparrow

PDF copy

Thirteen cells represent thematic locations.  Twelve clues include an extra word (in one case, two adjacent extra words), to be removed before solving.  Six of the thematic locations occur where entries from pairs of these clues cross: the locations’ names (one comprising two words) are formed by jumbling together the extra words from each such clue pair. 

The names of six further thematic locations are formed by sets of clashing letters from crossing entries.  The final location’s name (comprising three words) is formed by a combination of both these methods.

In all cases, the first initial of the location’s name must be inserted in the appropriate cell.

In all clues that don’t include extra words, the wordplay leads to the answer plus an extra letter not entered.  These letters spell out part of a quotation relevant to the theme.

Solvers must highlight the theme (15 cells total in four separate rows) and the surname of its creator (8 cells in a straight line).

Chambers 2016 is the primary reference.  Enumerations refer to space available in the grid for entries.

Across

1 Chase role as revolutionary Persian governor, once (6)

6 Sends electronic messages to gluttons (4)

10 Routine includes running nude round building (7)

12 Things thrown out, such as wax-stemmed match (6)

13 Display item misrepresented period of conflict (7)

14 Sister embraced by former archbishop John (4)

15 Heartlessly brace orang-utan to dance to the Sex Pistols? (4)

16 Nurse abandoning love for star joker (7)

18 Something to work on began to engage artist (7)

19 Children’s game using bones fashioned at the back with points (4)

20 Give up holding tail of pilot whale (3)

21 Hotel spectre troubled English resort (6)

25 Dictionary article covering 500 Old Norse writings (4)

27 Bad stomach dogs old mountain nymph (5)

29 Three harp seals stripped Navy Inn (6)

32 College fair skillfully ringing bass ringer for springer? (7)

35 Ultimately plan to destroy unruly teenager (3)

37 A desire to withdraw Hebrew measure of dry goods (4)

38 Dead tissue perhaps caused by caustic cashew nuts recipe (4)

39 After one overcomes touch of anxiety, beauty transforms polar location (6)

40 Dodgy entrail – toilet – how far?! (4)

41 Inharmonious priest at church dividing fraternity’s extremes (6)

42 “Peace” girl: one returning to enter Irish Academy (5)

43 Shuts resorts (3)

44 Vet said blocks become encrusted in measure of sugar solution density (6, two words)

Down   

1 Rising damp abbot found in jam pan used for hash (7)

2 Cook a lot of Galway seaweed (4)

3 Memo about short story editor reconstructed (8)

4 Do something to tackle Rector over faith that's reinterpreted creation of man? (8)

5 Appeared anxious at first over imbibing too much (8)

6 Bishop Maude, vacantly tucking into dessert, sounded contented (4)

7 Immeasurable number wearing ties Institute of Management’s included in list (7)

8 Woodland deities bedeck war god with crown of silver ash (6)

9 Change direction, say, going up incline (5)

11 New female artiste enthralling internet nerd (5)

17 Dark sides of life one bears (5)

19 Develop boils after operation’s exorcised evil spirit (4)

20 Fiery virtuoso more than half crazy with enthusiasm (4)

22 One employed to advertise weird, disembowelled bushpig abducted by sleep fairy (8, two words)

23 Introduction of mortice locks providing protection for top models (7)

24 Deep water rising affects local lapwings (7)

26 Ignoring Consumer’s Association, syndicate alters amount of stuff to bulk buy (5)

28 Deputy MC spouting ordinary profundities (6)

30 I sing wordlessly, reflecting absolute inability to speak Norn (6)

31 Young Green charges hire fee (6)

33 One who conducted hoax ensnaring bloodsucker (5)

34 Conference, perhaps held by extreme characters in local playwright’s union (5)

36 Brats damaged ski-lift (4)

To enter this competition, send your entry as an image or in list format, including the highlighted words,  to ccpuzzles@talktalk.net before 8^th December 2024. The first correct entry drawn from the hat will receive a book from the Chambers range, which has been donated by Chambers

Crossword News October 2024

 Crossword News October 2024

The September Prize Puzzle was The Ashes by Wan. The theme is a couplet from the poem A SATIRE by Lord Byron ‘Prepare for a rhyme - I’ll Publish, right or wrong: Fools are my theme, let satire be my song’. Solvers were to let the letters of SATIRE in six clashes be MY SONG forming new words. Nine entries were to be changed into fools using the letters of LORD BYRON. The Ashes was a play on a similar single-letter change for The Asses. 

Here are some of the comments from solvers.

A very fun puzzle by Wan, this month. Very much enjoyed locating the fools. I must admit, I don't understand the title yet though!

So very well to fit all that detail and letter switching to still keep valid entries. I have always liked the way the titles provided can provide a clue, usually only on completion. I couldn’t figure any link to Byron with the title, so my best guess for this “The Asses”. Maybe, maybe not, hopefully I’ll find out with the publish of the solution.  Much thanks as always to Wan for the challenge.

A tour de force to incorporate so much thematic material and with the many changes all creating new words.

What a splendid grid. Not a theme I knew of (as so often is the case) but it sent me on a lovely journey at the end with changing letters of Lord Byron to produce several fools!  Thank you for continuing to provide a consistently high standard of entertaining puzzles.

There were 46 entries, of which 6 were marked incorrect. The lucky winner, picked from the electronic hat, was Mike Lunan from Thurso, who will be receiving a prize of Chambers Crossword Dictionary, which was donated by the publishers.

There is a full solution at https://crosswordcentre.blogspot.com/2024/10/solution-to-ashes-by-wan.html
There is still time to solve the October puzzle, Location by Gnomie. https://crosswordcentre.blogspot.com/2024/09/october-prize-puzzle.html

The November Prize Puzzle will be Rising Costs II by Hedge Sparrow. I will have to publish it on 28 October.
***
Well-known for her post in Countdown’s dictionary corner, Susie Dent has recently written a novel. Guilty by Definition is a thriller with clues to solve. This review in The Sunday Times made me interested.

If you're like me and love both language and crime, then Guilty by Definition has it all. Susie Dent's impressive debut novel is virtuosic. So meticulously and fascinatingly steeped in the archaic glory of words, it will surely be the ultimate treat for every logophile out there. But this is so much more than a celebration of the dictionary - it's a tantalizing mystery of a missing sister, a cold case that will not lie down, and a family frozen in their unresolved grief... all while their circle of friends and colleagues nurse secrets and lies beyond explication. Guilty by Definition is positively aglitter with etymological and detecting treasures for word-sleuths and crime-fans alike." .
***
You can now find me on BlueSky, which I find much more friendly than Twitter. That is where I followed Susie Mesure who hosts her monthly Cryptic Corners. I was fascinated when she posted a photo of A F Ritchie (Afrit) with his dog and said it was a photo of her great-grandfather. Sadly, the photo was one of a display at the funeral of Anne Brierly, the last of Ritchie’s surviving children. When I was publishing a reprint of Afrit’s Armchair Crosswords, it was Anne Brierly who gave her enthusiastic support and sent me photos, documents and biographical notes.

The next Cryptic Corner will be on Tuesday 19 November at the Montpelier, 43 Choumert Rd, London SE15 4AR, 6.30 to 8.30.
***
Last month I mentioned John Finnemore’s publication of The Researcher’s First Murder, a Cain’s Jawbone type of puzzle, with 100 postcards to solve and put in order. As I write, Amazon has cut the price to an incredible £13.56.
***
The York Sloggers & Betters will be taking place on Friday 25 and Saturday 26 October.

The Times Crossword Championship is scheduled for the 19^th October. This year there is a limit of 120 competitors and already, most of those have been taken. Most of the top 50 finishers from 2023 have taken up their guaranteed places but there is also a healthy number of first-time competitors who will be in the running for the new Richard Rogan prize for the best new entrant.
***
The latest Azed Slip is available on the Crossword Centre with the results of the clues for SPRINGLET. http://www.crossword.org.uk/Azed2724.pdf

The winning clue was by 1 M. Barley:

Wee outflow results if lager pints get drunk (one has to go!)
(anag. less a).

The September competition marks the end of the Azed season and the points are added up to give the annual winner. In first place was Richard Heald, now a 10-time winner, but still trailing 15-time winner, Don Manley. In second place was Mark Barley and, our marker, Robert Teuton came third.

The Azed Annual Honours Table 2023-24  
***
I can recommend the BBC series of Ludwig, in which David Mitchell plays a hapless puzzle-setter, John Taylor, who gets involved in solving crimes. Some critics have compared him to Colin Dexter’s Morse. Taylor, whose pseudonym is Ludwig, is a bachelor, likes crosswords and classical music (especially Beethoven) and is based in an old university city, Cambridge in this case. Returning from our Iberian holiday, we had missed the first episodes so started watching on i-Player and binge-watched the whole series.

You may have spotted a Guardian crossword by Ludwig. Alan Connor, who was puzzle consultant for the series, explains how that came about.
https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/crossword-blog/2024/oct/07/ludwig-the-guardians-genius-new-crossword-setter

And you can try Ludwig’s puzzle here - https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/cryptic/29497
***
Having given up on Wordle, I find myself hooked on a daily challenge of Squaredle.

Best wishes
Derek

 

Solution to The Ashes by Wan

 The Ashes by Wan - SOLUTION

Initial Grid

Final Solution

The theme is a couplet from the poem A SATIRE by Lord Byron ‘Prepare for a rhyme - I’ll Publish, right or wrong: Fools are my theme, let satire be my song’.

Solvers were to let the letters of SATIRE in six clashes be MY SONG forming new words.

Nine entries were to be changed into fools using the letters of LORD BYRON

L -. HEMMING to LEMMING

O - DIRK to DORK

R - PHAT to PRAT

D - LIPSTICK to DIPSTICK

B - PERK to BERK

Y - YOLO to YOYO

R - PLONKED to PLONKER

O - CLAT to CLOT

N - PITHEAD to PINHEAD

The Ashes was a play on a similar single-letter change for The Asses. 

			Amendment	Explanation
	Across
1	LICE			(s)LICE(d)
6	PITHEAD			(I THE) in PAD
12	IPOMOEA			POMO in IE A
13	NIELLI			NIE ILL<
14	IMMURES			IM (URE in MS)
15	TAPIR			(RIP AT)<
17	SATYRAS			S ASTRAY*
18	TREST			R in TEST
19	ORISONS			PRISONS with O for P
20	CHAL			Hidden
22	IRES			SIRE cycling
24	CLAT			TALC<
25	ERNIE			(d)ERNIE(r)
28	MESS			DD
30	BRIE			BRIE(F)
32	PHAT			H in PAT
33	RELATES			L in REATES
34	ISSEI			SI both ways around E
39	ROSE OIL			ORIOLES*
40	ETWEE			TW(o) in EEE
41	ABROACH			AB ROACH
42	MAZARD			HAZARD with M for H
43	HEMMING			HEM MING
44	PLONKED			KEN* in PLOD
45	YOLO			YO(u) LO(t)
	Down
1	LIPSTICK	I	mad	TIPS* in LICK
2	COSTE	L	coset	COSET*
3	EMMAS	L	over	SAME around M<
4	NOURSLE	P	ours	Hidden
5	AERATOR	U	cases	(ROTA around A RE)<
7	INSURE	B	rand	IN SUE around R
8	TITE	L	save	TIT(l)E
9	HEARSE	I	ar	(AR in HE'S) (vehicl)E
10	ALIENIST	S	pencil	A-LIST around (p)EN(c)I(l)
11	DIRK	H	dingy	D IRK
16	PROTEA			PRO TEA
19	ORRIS	R	dance	(m)ORRIS
20	CLIENTAL	I	ant	(ANT LICE L)*
21	HALLOW	G	room	HALL O W
23	USTILAGO	H	edit	USILT* AGO
26	IGNORED	T	seven	(s)IGNORE D
27	EPISOME	O	by	SOME by (k)EP(t) I
29	HADEAN	R	head	HEAD* A(irgun)N
31	REMADE	W	ill's	(DEAR ME)*
35	SEAMY	R	marine	SEA M(ar)Y
36	SOCIO-	O	latin	SO(l)O around CI
37	HEMP	N	Hypos	MEH< P
38	PERK	G	plus	REP< K