Crossword News February 2026
The January Prize Puzzle was Dressing Down by Hedge-sparrow.
The theme is the 1974 / 75 song “FLING IT HERE, FLING IT THERE” sung by (The)
YETTIES (to be highlighted). It tells
the story of WALTER HODGKINS (name unjumbled from contents of greyed cells and
written below the grid), whose MUCKSPREADER (unclued entry) developed a
mechanical fault, causing it to spray liquid manure on all and sundry.
Here are some of the comments from solvers.
A terrific puzzle packed with a lot of thematic material
with the added bonus of watching and listening to a YouTube rendition of the
ditty! Thanks to Hedge-Sparrow.
I've done a few puzzles with multiple-letter clashes where
the clashing letters need to be unjumbled, so I thought it was nice that the
clashing letters in this puzzle were always in order, and those from the across
answer always came first. I didn't know the song or the name of the band, but
the clashes and unclued entry were enough to identify them with the help of the
internet. I was impressed that the perpetrator's 14-letter name had no repeated
letters, but I can't imagine the song's writer chose the name to have this
property.
Excellent puzzle; many thanks. Some of the constructions for
the victims were inspired. I’d forgotten the Yetties but having completed was
almost inclined to go out and get some “Zider”! All the best for 2026.
There were 70 entries (above average) of which 49 were
correct and 21 incorrect. The lucky winer, picked at random, was Todd Konkel,
who will be receiving a prize of Chambers Crossword Dictionary which was
donated by Chambers.
There is a full solution at https://crosswordcentre.blogspot.com/2026/02/solution-to-dressing-down-by-hedge.html
You still have plenty time to enter the February competition,
Cover Stories by Phylax. https://crosswordcentre.blogspot.com/2025/12/january-2026-dressing-down-by-hedge.html
The March Prize Puzzle will be our 18th Round
Robin puzzle. I was amazed at how many people volunteered to write clues. We
found 40 volunteers in a week and had more willing to join in. It was Wan who
designed his first RR grid in 2016 and continued up to RR XVII last year. This
year the grid is by Arcadia. As usual we ask you to vote for your favourite
clues and I shall offer a prize to the winner. Round Robin XVIII – Tour Party
by Arcadia will be published at the end of the month.
Our pipeline is looking rather empty at the moment and we
would welcome new submissions.
There were 12 puzzles in 2025 and at the end of the year
there were only four solvers who had maintained all 12 correct. They were Matthew
Auger, Clive Walker, Toby West-Taylor and Philip Wood. Following the same
tradition of the Listener, the winner is one who has not won previously. Therefore,
I congratulate Toby West-Taylor who will have his name engraved on the coveted
Crowther Cup.
http://www.crossword.org.uk/crowther.html
***
The Azed Slip for the clues to PEDALIER is now on the Crossword Centre. http://www.crossword.org.uk/Azed2773.pdf
First prize went to T. West-Taylor:
After moving piano this could be reapplied (comp. anag. incl. p, & lit.).
In the slip Azed explains that, although he will set monthly crosswords as long
as he can, he will no longer be judging the clues.
“After much consideration, I’ve decided to step down from
the monthly Azed cluewriting competition and the accompanying slip while
continuing to write a monthly puzzle. It’s been a long and wonderful journey
since I began. I’ve been setting and judging competition words for you to set
clues to since 1972 when I picked up the baton from Ximenes. That’s almost 54
years and around 700 competitions, by my reckoning!”
Also available is the Annual Honours Table http://www.crossword.org.uk/AZAH25.pdf
There was a tie for first place in 2025, Dr IS Fletcher and Don Manley both
gaining 14 points and Richard Heald in third spot with 13 points.
On the 1st February the Azed crossword was
published without a clue-writing competition and I realised that the series had
ended.
Caitlin O’Kane, Puzzles Editor at The Observer has announced
this.
“We are making a special video about the Azed crossword to be screened at the
puzzle centenary event on 19th March, and we would love for you to be part of
it. On Thursday, 19 February, we will be filming at The Observer offices at 22
Berners Street, London, W1T 3LP between 11am and 2pm. We are inviting regular
solvers of the Azed crossword to come along and share their thoughts on camera.
Whether you’ve been a competition winner or simply a regular entrant over the
years, we want to hear from you.
We’d love you to talk about your favourite clues, what the
crossword means to you, and your relationship with the puzzle. This is a
wonderful opportunity to celebrate the Azed community and capture the passion
of its solvers. If you are able to attend, please RSVP to confirm your
availability and help us estimate the number of attendees. Do let us know if
you have any questions, and please feel free to share this message far and
wide.
We very much hope to see you there.”
You can reply to this on Fifteensquared.
By the way, if you are interested in the Azed and Gemelo
crosswords I can certainly recommend the Clue Clinic. https://clueclinic.com/
You get an intelligent critique of the puzzles and a chance to download a pdf copy.
***
I continue reading the fascinating book about Stephen Sondheim and his love of
puzzles, Matching Minds with Sondheim by Barry Joseph. The first two chapters,
packed with anecdotes and facts deal with him creating games and treasure hunts
for his friends. Then there is a chapter detailing his love of crosswords. He produced
a series of cryptic crosswords for the New York magazine, “most are American
adaptations of puzzles from the Listener”. These were published in 1980 in
a book which is now exceedingly rare. He also entered the Ximenes clue-writing
competitions and gained some HCs and three VHCs. I do get a mention as I tried
to parse those clues to the author.
Another section deals with Mark Halpin who set puzzles for
the Sondheim Review and you get a chance to solve some of his crosswords. At
the back of the book there are instructions for three of Sondheim’s intricate
parlour games and crosswords by Apex, Phi and Enigmatist.
It is a quality book, although I have found the price rising
on Amazon.When I bought the book before
Christmas, I paid £20 and I noticed that the Kindle edition was £15. Today the
price is £26.99 and the Kindle at £23.99.
***
I shall be attending the Listener Crossword Dinner in Eastbourne on Saturday 15
March. Lois and I will be there on the Friday and look forward to seeing you there.
I understand that some people will be around on the Thursday night as well. I
know that Jane Teather has been checking out suitable pubs.
***
Three years ago I wrote a book about my correspondence with Eric Chalkley, the
setter Apex. I optimistically ordered 100 copies of the book through a private
publisher. I now have 50 copies unsold, so I have reduced the price to £5 with
free p & p to the UK. https://crosswordcentre.blogspot.com/p/the-apex-letters.html
***
John Nicholson has posted on our message board that someone has put Ximenes on
the Art of the Crossword online. You can check it here https://xotaotc.nfshost.com/
***
As I write, the politician Peter Mandelson is in the news. I noticed that he
has figured in Anagram Genius with some very apt anagrams.
Mean old serpent
PM needs to learn
Molest and preen
Plot ensnared me
Don peer’s mantle
Repent sad lemon
Lean modern pest
Lamented person
etc.
***
I will be back next month with my report on the Listener
Dinner.
Best wishes
Derek Harrison
