Crossword News January 2024

 

 Crossword News January 2024

The December Prize Puzzle was Seasons Greetings XV by Eclogue. I SAW THREE SHIPS sounded like EYESORE (BLOT, STYE) TREE (GEAN, NEEM) SHAPES (SQUARE, TRIANGLE).  Three triangles are to be drawn through ARGO, MARY ROSE and THE MAYFLOWER to produce the Christmas tree image.

 

Here are some of the comments from solvers.

 

I thought that this was a really fun and clever puzzle, possibly my favourite so far in Eclogue’s seasonal series. I was completely mystified by ABC until I read the theme words out loud - a wonderful PDM! Spotting the 3 ships took a little time but it was obvious where to start looking and the final picture is very Christmassy (despite me completing it in January!). Thanks Eclogue - looking forward to seeing what you have planned for 2024...

A superb and delightful puzzle.  Wacky, seasonal and extremely clever.  The fog gradually rose from the obscure preamble to reveal a broad smile oh the face of any solver.  'Eyesore tree shapes' indeed!  Meaningless until spoken out loud, then so obvious.  A large amount of thematic material in the grid.

 

A gentle but fun end to 2023, which is as it should be. The grid-fill was steady, and the only delay came when wondering how ships of different lengths could delineate congruent triangles, which of course have perimeters of identical lengths. So 10/10 for English, but you lose a mark for the maths. Many thanks to Eclogue and the Crossword Centre.

 

There were 51 entries, of which 13 were marked incorrect. The lucky winner, picked from the electronic hat, was Clive Walker of London, who will be receiving a prize book which has been donated by Chambers.

 

There is a full solution at https://crosswordcentre.blogspot.com/2024/01/solution-to-seasons-greetings-xv-by.html

 

You still have time to solve and enter our January challenge, Untitled by Hawk. https://crosswordcentre.blogspot.com/2023/12/crossword-centre-prize-puzzle-january.html

 

The February Prize Puzzle will be Annus Mirabilis by Phylax.
Thanks are due to John Nicholson for designing our next Round Robin and to the volunteer clue writers who contributed. You will get a chance to try Round Robin XVI in March.
***
Congratulations are due once again to Mark Goodliffe! No, we have not held a secret Times Crossword Championship to restore him to the throne. On Friday Mark became a Countdown octochamp, a title given to the winner of eight consecutive rounds of the popular long-running Channel 4 game show.

 

In his last game against Laura Gilbert, Mark came from behind to win 105-82. In an early round his HANGOUTS was disallowed because it has a hyphen in the dictionary. He impressed even Susie Dent in dictionary corner by coming up with EQUANTS, a mathematical concept developed by Ptolemy in the 2nd century.

It is possible to watch Mark’s final show on Channel 4 - https://www.channel4.com/programmes/countdown/on-demand/75050-207
***
Nimrod has given an excellent review of the IQ puzzles of 2023. Unfortunately, by the time you read this, it will be too late to vote.
https://www.fifteensquared.net/2023/12/30/179828/
***
Paul Pridmore sent me this interesting quote from a book published in 1938.

MILITARY CRYPTANALYSIS, PART I. MONOALPHABETIC SUBSTITUTION SYSTEMS by WILLIAM F. FRIEDMAN

Principal Cryptanalyst, Chief of Signal Intelligence Section, War Plans and Training Division

From the INTRODUCTORY REMARKS:

   The present author deems it advisable to add that the kind of work involved in solving cryptograms is not at all similar to that involved in solving "cross-word puzzles", for example. The wide vogue the latter have had and continue to have is due to the appeal they make to the quite common instinct for mysteries of one sort or another; but in solving a cross-word puzzle there is usually no necessity for performing any preliminary labor, and palpable results become evident after the first minute or two of attention. This successful start spurs the cross-word "addict" on to complete the solution, which rarely requires more than an hour's time. Furthermore, cross-word puzzles are all alike in basic principle and once understood, there is no more to learn. Skill comes largely from the embellishment of one's vocabulary, though, to be sure, constant practice and exercise of the imagination contribute to the ease and rapidity with which solutions are generally reached.
***
Thanks to Fred Safier I have learned that Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon have retired. Their last puzzle in the Wall Street Journal was December 17. Often publishing puzzles under the pseudonym Hex, they wrote the "Atlantic Puzzler", a monthly cryptic crossword in The Atlantic magazine, from September 1977 to October 2009. They continued with puzzles in the Sunday Globe and the Wall Street Journal. They were pioneers in US crosswords and their puzzles in the Atlantic used barred grids and clever themes.

They will be missed. I wish them a happy retirement.

All their puzzles from the Atlantic and the Journal are archived at www.coxrathvon.com.
***
On the CCCWC your first challenge for 2024 is a STANDARD CRYPTIC clue to AMAZON (6) by the closing date of MIDNIGHT GMT WEDNESDAY 31st JANUARY.
http://www.andlit.org.uk/cccwc/main.php

 

In the competition for a clue to WASHINGTON Philip Sant won with this.

What guy's face, and name, is on bucks?

Anagram what +g + n + is on
***
The latest Azed slip is available now on the Crossword Centre. The Christmas puzzle was a Spoonerism special and the winning clues are a master class in writing a Spoonerism definition of FLÂNEUR.
http://www.crossword.org.uk/Azedslip.html
***
My clue of the week is Mick Hodgkin’s topical cryptic clue.

 

Job held by Mr Bates, mistreated after snafu internally suppressed (3-10)

***
Home decorating has meant a lot of clearing out. I have found some old crossword books that I have put up for sale if anyone is interested.
https://crosswordcentre.blogspot.com/p/rare-books.html
***
Best wishes
Derek

 

Topical clue SUB-POSTMASTER S(naf)U (POST (job) in anag. MR BATES. Ref. Mr Bates in the Horizon post-office scandal.

 

Solution to Seasons Greetings XV by Eclogue.

 Seasons Greetings  XV by Eclogue SOLUTION

I SAW THREE SHIPS sounded like EYESORE (BLOT, STYE) TREE (GEAN, NEEM) SHAPES (SQUARE, TRIANGLE).  Three triangles are to be drawn through ARGO, MARY ROSE and THE MAYFLOWER to produce the Christmas tree image.

Across

1 VARIATION C1 = square; 

5 THEMEWORD A = eyesore; 

O 11 tunnel; TUN + N[O]EL<

13 Anglos; hidden; americAN GLOSsary

N 14 yelt; [N]YE + LT

C 15 airn; [C]AIRN

16 VARIATION A1 = blot; 

17 Eloisa; EL + O + ISA; REF. Louis A.

H 19 ogee; GO< + [H]EE(l)

R 20 kegs; initials; K E [R] G S

21 rest; two meanings

23 uric; initials; U R I C

I 26 Kyra; hidden; quirKY R[I]Ant

S 27 meseta; (MET SEA[S])*

T 29 Ramism; [T]RAM + ISM

M 31 yerded; (DRY + DE[M]E)*

32 imides; (SE + DIM + I)<

34 lo-fi; foil*

A 37 arch; initials; A R [A] C  H

S 38 trew; [S]TREW

D 41 loci; COL[D]< + I

A 43 stot; STO[A]T

45 Agatha; GAT in AHA; Ref. A Christie

47 VARIATION B1 = gean; 

Y 48 orra; OR + RA[Y]

49 VARIATION B2 = neem; 

50 lawmen; ME in LAWN

51 Eskimo; ESK + I + MO

I 52 endorse; ROSE* after EN[I]D

53 THEMEWORD C = shapes; 

Down

1 VARIATION A2 = stye; 

2 quelea; QU + E + LEA

N 3 antiskid; STAIN* + KI[N]D

T 4 reasty; (AR[T]Y SET)*

5 euro; ROUE*

6 yangs; NG in SAY<

H 7 entêtée; [H]EN+TET+E(y)E

E 8 olla; L[E]O< + LA(p)

M 9 roopit; ROO[M] + PIT

O 10 estacade; EAST* + C[O]DE around A

12 liar; RAIL<

R 18 ogamic; [O + G[R]IMAC(e)]*

N 22 eagle; EA + GLE[N]

24 red-hot; (HORDE)* + T

25 VARIATION C2 = triangle; 

28 Sri Lanka; RIS(HI)  SRI + LANK + A

30 settler; (L + STREET)*

I 33 Mr Bean; (A[I]M BREN)*

N 35 fogash; FO + G[N]ASH

36 scheme;  CH in EMES<

G 39 roons; R + [G]OONS

40 ware; RAW< + E

42 bawd; W in BAD

44 THEMEWORD B = tree; 

46 Amos; hidden; medinA MOSque

Crossword Centre Prize Puzzle January 2024

 ___________________ by Hawk

PDF copy

The grid is initially asymmetrical, and clues are in normal order: across, then down. Bars must be added, then finally repeated with 90-degree rotational symmetry, dividing many grid entries elsewhere. Solvers must highlight a thematically definitive path, passing through 36 cells touching at sides, without crossing any bars. The path passes through one corner cell and ends in the opposite corner. The single-word title must be written above the grid. Corrections to single misprints in the definition part of each clue provide a hint. The Chambers Dictionary (2016) is the primary reference. One answer is an abbreviation.

Hesitatingly stopped having members in English packs (7)

Bard from Brummagem area (5)

Having a hood fit loosely, I slice tofu (10)

Ten once shifted skip from Mars? (3)

Jerk fills pipe, having retired in Bootle (8)

Inner knowledge of vantage point guarded by Maori tribe before start of tangi (5)

Often cheated mystical force, otherwise dead (6)

Why joins aren't woven with Tarzan's clothing (7)

Men in reserve film finches (5)

Buried in attitude, right to instill in reverse (5)

Stare away, getting into flipping trouble (5)

Must broadcast this last for Australian, say (6)

They keep one trier in recurrent fiddle (4)

Maybe source joke name for judge in bard's fantasy (7)

Made holy water bottles (3)

English venue follows with some cooled Cava (8)

Curtailed lustful duke, but not everywhere (3)

Note about Henry's religious outrider (5)

Pub riot erupts (4)

Ten things may appear on these coins (5)

Tuba could be recommended for this historic tribute backing former pub (6)

Line of figure five in forged steel (6)

Care principles reflected in scientific book that covers it (6)

Pick-up stopping small boy getting tangled up in Forces (6)

Anonymous French settlement linked by carriage (6)

GIs separately corresponding, having despatched shell (4)

Wary feeling produce has changed hands (4)

From clod, almost turned up tapes of fungal spore (5)

Underworld shelter splits planks in a great division (6)

Open ballot box: one plays zero (8, two words)

Oriental stuck in this love angst, essentially (4)

Serf-moving vehicle involved nice kit (11)

Reason artist worked in cellars (12)

Poet's calm wife to drive dame into water (4)

Tuck grass beneath Tesla (5)

Bars words (4)

Girl's devouring half of Marx, destroying Engels, maybe (8)

One can heap most of thread on sore cut (7)

Source of starlet's delicacy lacking core dynamic (6)

Key in text: "These glasses aren't clean" (6)

Thin elastic filament scratching van (5)

Fine after compliance of herd element at number 58 (5)

Chemise could work with this elastic material, in retrospect, but lose the cape (4)

Quiet, independent adult - one regularly attends masque (4)

Glasgow teams struck awe (3)

To enter this competition, send your entry as an image or in list format describing the final grid, to ccpuzzles@talktalk.net before 8th February 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 December 2023

 Crossword News December 2023

The November Prize Puzzle was No Subtitles by Pandiculator. Several clues were entered lacking an anagram of LIFE. First letters of remaining across clues’ extra words spelt out FILM, DIRECTOR, and SCORER. These pointed towards the cult 1982 experimental non-narrative film Koyaanisqatsi: Life Out of Balance, whose director (Godfrey REGGIO) and scorer (Philip GLASS) appear as part of 13dn and 12dn.

Extra letters from other down clues spelt out SIX CELLS MAIN DIAGONAL. Changing six cells along the main diagonal revealed KOYAANISQATSI while maintaining real words or names throughout the grid. The title alludes both to the thematic clues and the non-narrative nature of the film.

Here are some of the comments from solvers.

A tough challenge. I eventually made the breakthrough when I identified "scorer" in the extra words' initials, guessed the rest of the message was "film director" and spotted "Glass" in the grid. The Hopi-language hidden title with its six replacements has restricted the grid-fill, forcing several entries to be quite obscure and/or have a lower than usual amount of checking, but it all came together nicely in the end. Many thanks to Pandiculator and The Crossword Centre.

A wonderful puzzle, bit on the tough side.  Nice devices used with something happening in every clue.  It became fairly clear that the 'sub-title' deletion comes from an anagram of LIFE, but I had not come across this particular movie before, and pursued a few red herrings including Life of Pi before the duo of Reggio and Glass provided the right context.  Once again, an amazing feat of grid construction, symmetrical too, and real words always - not so easy given the long thematic entry with its quirky spelling.  Much enjoyed, many thanks.

What an obscure topic!  I was not aware of the film, or Reggio, so I was perhaps lucky to recognise Glass as the "scorer". A bit of googling and I had my new diagonal.  I must admit I have not fully parsed 12d or 15d so I will have to look out for those in the solution notes.  Cheers to Pandiculator.

There were 36 entries, of which 3 were marked incorrect. The lucky winner, picked from the electronic hat, was Robert Zara, who will be receiving a prize book.

There is a solution with the initial grid and final grid at https://crosswordcentre.blogspot.com/2023/12/solution-to-no-subtitles-by-pandiculator.html

You still have time to email your solution to our December challenge, Seasons Greetings XV by Eclogue.

The January Prize Puzzle will be Untitled by Hawk. I may have to publish this before Christmas as I shall be away until the new year.

John Nicholson has announced our forthcoming Round Robin puzzle and has asked for volunteer clue-writers. https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/crossword_centre/round-robin-xvi-t532.html

We are desperately in need of another dozen clue-writers, so do not hesitate to get in touch with John.
***
When Brian Head inaugurated the Crossword Club in 1978, it was a fantastic development. For the first time, solvers and setters had a forum for their comments, interesting articles to read and a chance to enter competitions. 45 years later, the new co-editor, Keith Williams, has published a collection of puzzles that appeared in the CROSSWORD magazine. Revive 45: The First Crossword Club Collection was published this month.

The first thing you notice is that the 160- page paperback book is in A4 format, with a nice large font and space for big clear grids. The binding is good and you can easily open the book flat. There is a short foreword from the founder, Brian Head and an introduction written by Keith. The 45 puzzles are organised into 9 sub-categories of types of thematic crosswords, plain, Carte Blanche, Circular, Square Bashing, Playfair, Printer’s Devilry, Rhyming puzzles, Christmas and Milestones. Each group is introduced with a brief explanation and at the end of the chapter there is a page of hints to help solvers. There are puzzles by some past heroes, Apex, Mass, MynoT, Salamanca and Schadenfreude, some by stars of the Listener, Kea, Elgin, Dimitry and many of my own favourites, including Bandmaster and Bufo. After the puzzles there are full-page solutions with notes.

Revive 45 is a treasure-trove of thematic crossword for only £12.99.  With its explanations and hints it would be an excellent introduction to the more advanced puzzles for a beginner. I am looking forward to tackling the puzzles during the holidays.

The Crossword Club is still going strong and you can access articles, puzzles at their website, as well as how to subscribe to the CROSSWORD magazine, either digitally or hard copy. https://www.thecrossword.club/

***
This is the time of the year when the dictionaries announce their Word of the Year. As I mentioned last month, Collins chose AI (artificial intelligence. Now the Cambridge dictionary have chosen another word connected with AI - hallucinate. When an artificial intelligence hallucinates it produces false information.

More publicity was given to the choice of the Oxford University Press. Their winner was RIZZ - style, charm, or attractiveness; the ability to attract a romantic or sexual partner. Apparently, it derives from the middle of the word charisma. They had a short-list of 8 words and readers could vote.

Swiftie (n.): an enthusiastic fan of the singer Taylor Swift.

de-influencing (n.): the practice of discouraging people from buying particular products, or of encouraging people to reduce their consumption of material goods, esp. via social media.

beige flag (n.): a character trait that indicates that a partner or potential partner is boring or lacks originality; (also) a trait or habit, esp. of a partner or potential partner, viewed as extremely characteristic, but not distinctly good or bad.

rizz (n.): style, charm, or attractiveness; the ability to attract a romantic or sexual partner.

heat dome (n.): a persistent high-pressure weather system over a particular geographic area, which traps a mass of hot air below it.

prompt (n.): an instruction given to an artificial intelligence program, algorithm, etc., which determines or influences the content it generates.

parasocial (adj.): designating a relationship characterized by the one-sided, unreciprocated sense of intimacy felt by a viewer, fan, or follower for a well-known or prominent figure (typically a media celebrity), in which the follower or fan comes to feel (falsely) that they know the celebrity as a friend.

situationship (n.): a romantic or sexual relationship that is not considered to be formal or established.

The Economist magazine chose the Yoruba verb – japa. In Yoruba, japa loosely translates to "run away" or "escape." Over time, the term found its way into Nigerian slang and has become a colloquial expression used to convey the idea of swift and evasive action.
***
For me the clue of the week was in a tough Times cryptic.

Boy phoning, ringing no Scottish or Italian number (2,5,1,6)
***
In his Guardian article, Alan Connor has announced the retirement of long-serving crossword editor, Hugh Stephenson. “The Guardian’s well loved crossword editor Hugh Stephenson – who took over from the first editor John Perkin in 1997 – has decided that a quarter of a century of puzzles is probably service enough.”
***
I shall be looking forward to seeing my family at Christmas and maybe trying some seasonal crosswords. There is a jumbo by Fieldfare in the Spectator, one in Private Eye by Cyclops and the Azed Christmas competition will be out on 24 December. I wish everyone a happy Christmas and peaceful new year.

Best wishes
Derek

Clue of the week = LA DONNA E MOBILE (nae in lad on mobile)

 

 

Solution to No Subtitles by Pandiculator

 No Subtitles by Pandiculator

Several clues were entered lacking an anagram of LIFE. First letters of remaining across clues’ extra words spelt out FILM, DIRECTOR, and SCORER. These pointed towards the cult 1982 experimental non-narrative film Koyaanisqatsi: Life Out of Balance, whose director (Godfrey REGGIO) and scorer (Philip GLASS) appear as part of 13dn and 12dn.

Extra letters from other down clues spelt out SIX CELLS MAIN DIAGONAL. Changing six cells along the main diagonal revealed KOYAANISQATSI while maintaining real words or names throughout the grid. The title alludes both to the thematic clues and the non-narrative nature of the film.

Initial filled grid

Highlighting (director and scorer) and shading (thematically altered entries) not required.

Final Grid

Crossword Centre Prize Puzzle December 2023

 Seasons Greetings XV by Eclogue

PDF Version

At our local carol service, the South Upham Choral Society often live up to their acronym.  Last year, their rendition of XYZ sounded more like ABC, the latter providing the otherwise unclued theme and variations indicated in the clues.  Twenty-six clues generate an extra letter from their wordplay, which in clue order provide a line from XYZ.  Once complete, solvers must draw three congruent, horizontally symmetrical C2s, which each pass through one of the YZ (totalling 4, 8 and 12 letters respectively, including one added definite article). To complete the tableau, all of the C2s should be filled and B shaded, each in one of two appropriate colours.

Across

1 VARIATION C1 (6)

5 THEMEWORD A (7)

11 Bore barrel before Christmas (6)

13 British types adopted by American glossary (6)

14 Local gilt once close to short officer (4)

15 Scottish terrier club at Troon? (4)

16 VARIATION A1 (4)

17 The Spanish old savings scheme is one derived from Aloysius? (6)

19 Turn round back of foot shortly moulding (4)

20 For starters, Kentucky energises rock group supplying containers of beer (4)

21 Support all others (4)

23 Regarding content of stale university rankings in China, primarily (4)

26 Dark Irish girl somewhat quirky, riant (4)

27 Seas met rocky Spanish plateau (6)

29 Streetcar getting practice in defunct system of logic (6)

31 Dry deme is transported and covered in earth in Fife (6)

32 Engineers not seeing clearly one switching compounds (6)

34 Poor foil produces inferior quality of sound (4)

37 Chief assembly rooms abutting cinema hall, principally (4)

38 Erstwhile faithful scatter (4)

41 Places preposterously remote indeed (4)

43 Type of weasel to bounce along in the Trossachs (4)

45 Crime writer, familiarly, hiding gun in expression of surprise (6)

47 VARIATION B1 (4)

48 Worthless Scots gold on beam (4)

49 VARIATION B2 (4)

50 Grass arrests yours truly for the police, say (6)

51 Northern resident has month on Lothian river current (6)

52 Sanction Rose roughly having pursued Blyton, for one (7)

53 THEMEWORD C (6)

Down

1 VARIATION A2 (4)

2 Queen Eleanor at first next to meadow weaver (6)

3 Inky stain kind of preventing slipping (8)

4 Arty set reformed rank (6)

5 Debauched roué, a bounder (4)

6 Oriental principles no good in backward state (5)

7 Infatuated feminine eye heartlessly follows female festival (7)

8 Lion climbing over lap briefly in variety entertainment (4)

9 Chamber orchestra’s area is rough in Glasgow (6)

10 Defensive measure out east with set of rules protecting academician (8)

12 Purveyor of nonsense to reproach on return (4)

18 Alphabetical order initially, with brief grimace, sorted (6)

22 The Erne, for example, having local water that runs over narrow valley  (5)

24 Fiery horde moved against town at first (6)

25 VARIATION C2 (8)

28 Island nation having no welcome for PM cycling to lifeless area (8, two words)

30 Incomer left street vandalised (7)

33 Aim Bren foolishly towards childish character? (6, two words)

35 Large-jawed fish in the Faroes grind teeth (6)

36 Return of old relations to enthral children is secret plan (6)

39 Caledonian strips American thugs using rule of law primarily (5)

40 Springtime in Scotland bringing green back to the heart of Braemar (4)

42 One who procures women through sin? (4)

44 THEMEWORD B (4)

46 Prophet ensconced inside Medina mosque (4)

To enter this competition, send your entry as an image or in list format describing the final grid, to ccpuzzles@talktalk.net before 8^th January 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 November 2023

 

Crossword News November 2023

The October Prize Puzzle was Strauss Work? by Chalicea. The theme was the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco which was designed by Joseph Strauss. Solvers were required to colour the bridge and its towers and ADD SUSPENSION CABLE.

Here are some of the comments from solvers.

A wonderful puzzle! My bridge drawing skills are not really up to those of Joseph Strauss, but hopefully the point comes across well…So glad to hear that you have a strong pipeline of puzzles. I enjoy them greatly.

Ok, the Golden Gate Bridge lies between the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay. Having lived in the San Francisco Bay area most of my life I found this really rather easy. The 26 cells to be shaded are the two Towers: 18 down and starting from the third cell down in 12 down, then the entire roadbed formed by the words, Golden Gate Bridge followed by the two letters CA of the obviously correct state.

Chalicea, this puzzle was exceptional fun for me. Thank you very much.

A masterclass in grid design. I loved it. Thanks to Chalicea and The Crossword Centre.

There were 54 entries, of which 7 were marked incorrect. The lucky winner picked from the electronic hat was Gail Volans from Burnham on Sea, who will soon be receiving a prize book which has been donated by Chambers.

There is a full solution at https://crosswordcentre.blogspot.com/2023/11/solution-to-strauss-work-by-chalicea.html

You still have lots of time to email your entry to the November puzzle, No Subtitles by Pandiculator. https://crosswordcentre.blogspot.com/2023/10/crossword-centre-prize-puzzle-november.html

The December puzzle will be the fifteenth of the series of Christmas treats from Eclogue. Seasons Greetings XV will be published before the end of November as I will be away from my PC.

John Nicholson has prepared a Round Robin crossword for the new year. He will be asking for volunteer clue writers next month.
***
In the Times Crossword Championship, the shock was that the favourite, Mark Goodliffe, was knocked out in the semi-final. He had finished the semi-final puzzles in 20 minutes but made one error. There were three contestants remaining for the final, Matthew Marcus, Peter Steggle and David Webb. Peter Steggle finished first but with an error and Marcus was the winner.

The final puzzle appears to have been what is known in the business as “a stinker”. Whereas Goodliffe polished off the 2019 final puzzle in under six minutes, Steggle took about 15 minutes over this year’s, and Marcus finished in just under 20 minutes. “That is about as long as I can imagine taking over a puzzle,” he said afterwards. “I’ll say that was at the toughest end of Times crossword puzzles I’ve seen here.” The third-placed finalist, David Webb, was still solving when the clock stopped after 30 minutes.

Robert Teuton was competing this year and he has written this fascinating account. –

The welcome return of the Times Crossword Championship this year took place on Saturday 21st October but was slightly marred by the inclement weather on the day, causing flooding that affected many trains, meaning that a fair few entrants were unable to make it to the venue in time.  Perhaps thankfully, the organisers had scrapped the originally planned qualifier for 9:30 am so any potential competitors just had to make the 11:30 am combined qualifier round.

So in the end 108 aspiring solvers were fighting it out for the 60 places in the semi-final, taking on a set of three puzzles with just an hour to complete them.  Remarkably all 60 qualifiers managed to achieve an all correct record to make it through.  Sadly there was just one other all correct solver (Peter Allwright) who missed the cut.  Amongst the notable solvers who just missed out were Jason James (who was the second to finish on time but made a single mistake) and Cracking the Cryptic superstar Simon Anthony, who also made a single error.  At this stage, Roger Crabtree was the fastest solver closely followed by Mark Goodliffe, with Matthew Marcus in third place.

The semi-final was a nerve-tingling affair with a much more challenging set of three puzzles!  First to finish was Mark Goodliffe, but he biffed in RIVALRY when the actual answer was REVELRY!  So the top finisher was Peter Steggle.  Second to finish was Matthew Marcus followed by Roger Crabtree - but he had made an error!  So the third person to make the final was David Webb.  Commiserations to Shane Shabankareh who just missed out in fourth spot - John Henderson and Guy Haslam finished before him but both made yet another single error!

So the three finalists sat in front of the assembled group of disappointed solvers who had been eliminated.  The puzzle assigned for this three-solver shoot out was an absolute brute!  The audience sat in anticipation of the first person to hold their grid aloft.  After 14 minutes and 25 seconds (a long time for solvers of this standard!) Peter Steggle had finished.  Unfortunately, as we were to discover, he was unfamiliar with the capital of Mongolia and had written in ULAN BATER.  We were than entertained by Matthew Marcus's obvious frustrations as he attempted to thrash out the last few answers that were eluding him!  Eventually his hand went up at 19 minutes and 22 seconds.  Scrabble Grand Master David Webb was also finding this fiendish puzzle tricky and had failed to finish when the thirty-minute time limit had elapsed.  As it happened, he had all but one of the answers filled in.

So, as the only solver to have a completely correct grid Matthew Marcus was crowned champion!  Peter Steggle was placed second, with one error, and David Webb third, also with one error in a slower time.

Huge congratulations to Matthew Marcus - a worthy and popular champion!

Many thanks to the Times for resuming the organisation of the championship - roll on next year!

PS For the first time ever I got all three qualifier puzzles correct and managed to finish 31st in the end - it would have been 20th if I hadn't made a silly spelling error!
***
David Webb has explained how he tackled the final puzzle on his Dweebovision channel.
https://youtu.be/JRE6zkkCx-A?si=yheOxYhw1b7l6hZ5

On Cracking the Cryptic Simon Anthony examined the final puzzle in this video. https://youtu.be/8foFxVGCqHo?si=wkwrWDNKYICVgW7L

Matthew Marcus was a successful contestant in the US game show, Jeopardy. If you want to add up his winnings and watch some video clips this is a good start.
https://tvregular.com/matthew-marcus-jeopardy-contestant-statistics-bio/
***
I thoroughly enjoyed my trip to the York S & B meeting. I was only there on the Saturday but I was assured that the Friday event (celebrating John Henderson’s 60^th birthday) was a huge success and included live music.

I have never seen so many at this event. The Fox and Roman was packed, with a shortage of chairs and an overflow room. I hadn’t been there since 2019 and it was great to see so many friends. There was some interest in my book, The Apex Letters, Also there with his latest book was Guardian setter, Boatman with his book, Boatman the Second Fifty, and Frank Paul promoting his book The Twelve Quizzes of Christmas, which is now available in paperback.

John and Jane are organising the next Listener Crossword Dinner, which will be held in the Lincoln Hotel, Eastgate, Lincoln on the 9^th March. Tickets for the dinner are £48 and I have already booked places for me and Lois. Due to the pandemic and my health issues, I have not been to this event since 2019. I am looking forward to it. If you would like to attend, message Jane Teather to see if there any places left. You will be cordially welcomed whether you are a setter or a solver.
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This month, Will Shortz will have completed 30 years as editor of the New York Times crossword. To celebrate there is a special article and an opportunity to try (for free) thirty of the NYT puzzles, the November 21 crossword for all thirty years.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/16/crosswords/will-shortz-30-anniversary.html
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It is with sadness that I note the passing of Liz Geear, a regular attender of crossword meetings. I met her a few times and remember a great evening with her and John Henderson in a Cambridge pub.

Anyone wishing to express condolences can do so on Fifteen Squared. https://www.fifteensquared.net/2023/11/09/rip-liz-geear/
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Here is your annual reminder that the 3D Crossword Calendar is a fantastic way to do a fun crossword every month and a way of giving to worthy charities. The 2024 calendar is now ready and you can either get the paper edition or a virtual one. They make excellent Christmas presents, so why not buy a few. All the details at this address.
https://3dcalendarpuzzles.co.uk/shop/
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Collins have announced that their Word of the Year is AI. Also competing for top spot were nepo baby, ultra-processed, canon event, ULEZ, semaglutide (slimming drug), de-influencing, bazball and greedflation. Following Farage’s problems with Coutts, we now have the word - debanking.
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The date of the annual Magpie party has been announced as 26^th January. More details will follow next month.
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Make a note of December 8^th when Mark Goodliffe will be appearing on Countdown.
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A cultural centre in Stornoway has developed a Gaelic version of Scrabble. The tiles reflect the Gaelic alphabet, which has only 18 letters and some of the vowels have grave accents.
https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/highlands-islands/6240279/gaelic-scrabble-stornoway/

Best wishes
Derek