Crossword Centre Prize Puzzle May 2020

Free Hit by Rebus

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Free Hit PDF

Replacement definitions (26 words in total, either singly or consecutively in the same clue) must be removed from 19 clues before solving.

What's left is to be treated thematically in order to resolve all clashes and successfully complete the grid.

The theme title should be written beneath the grid. (3,5,3)

Chambers Dictionary is the primary reference. Two answers are found in OED. Two answers are abbreviations. One answer is in Collins.

Across

1.Secure and elegant gilded case (6)

4.Whipped boy takes female captive (6)

10.Blackmail soldiers into reformation. (8)

12.Seldom arranged measures without small payment (4)

13.Stubborn Native American chicken moving about to end. (5)

15.'No go' region wear a mask. (10)

16.It's rough being dragged back in Italy, remember. (5)

17.Campbells, perhaps, left space in tins. (5)

18.Arrest IOC representation for civil unrest. (2 words) 

21.Mission: Return those not coming back from the war. (3)

23.Take heart from opposition's broadcast (3)

24.Busy carpet lifts the art of building (9)

25.Bills reduce mileage time (5)

28.Finishes Charlie off and drops Mark (5)

30.Listened to track on the Heaviside Layer perhaps. (2 words)

32.Find a change to last forever (2 words)

33.Takes edges off dark coloured bloomers. (4)

34.Most got their words muddled,Randy lets suit out.(8)

35.Poet's from Siberia and does AM shift. (6)

36.Has former prostitutes taking lethal dose. (6)

Down

1.Those who stake claim to decrepit beavers perhaps. (7)

2.Gather together least practised and pay for call at the other end in Chicago. (7)

3.Return to East Caribbean house gatherings (4)

4.They don't give you much time to settle a coin toss (11 two words)

5.It may be passed for a seat? (5)

6.Ethan naughtily embraces Barbera's partner (5)

7.Trades one in, wheelless conveyance, send it back (5)

8.Look over second tower (4)

9.Pin decoration on permit (6)

11.Chinese took a chance to include brief program and put on weight (11)

14.Be sorry for long lasting hour out of shape (5)

19.Delia's cooking was unhealthy (5)

20.Muzzles for Aberdeen Angus, possibly kept on board (6)

21.First man then ladies troubled to take eye-drop in the wrong direction (7)

22.Insists upon a back strain (7)

25.Originally canine pets had always liked sensitive Romany people (5)

26.Belief in arbitrary force of God is misplaced (5)

27.Theme singer is unable to love piece of music (5)

29.'Hairy' chap, Cockney, was witness to hearing. (4)

31.German odd-jobs man races in spectacles (4)

To enter this competition, send your entry as an image or in list format to ccpuzzles@talktalk.net before 8th June2020. The first correct entry drawn from the hat will receive a book from the Chambers range, which has been donated by Chambers.

Crossword News April 2020

Crossword News April 2020

The March Prize Puzzle was Rare Achievements by Hedge-sparrow. The theme is woman scientists who have won the NOBEL PRIZE for PHYSICS.  As of 2019, out of a total of 212 individuals who have received the Nobel Prize for Physics, only three have been women: Marie CURIE (1903, for her work on RADIATION, partnered by Pierre CURIE); Maria GOEPPERT MAYER (1963, for her work on NUCLEAR SHELLS, partnered by J. Hans D. JENSEN); Donna STRICKLAND (2018, for her work on ultrashort OPTICAL PULSES, partnered by Gérard MOUROU). 

Here are some of the comments from solvers.

An enjoyable solve with an interesting theme. Over 40% of the grid contained thematic material, which is commendable. PDM at just the right time. The 'clashes' added extra interest. 4a was very neat!  Thanks, Hedge-sparrow.

This was a very interesting puzzle with quite a few thematic elements included in both grid and clues.  Many a clue to savour, and use of an indication operator (ref hideous) to include extra letters raised a chuckle, one normally being conditioned to look for it in fodder.  Most yielded without difficulty, was more a question of parsing to identify redundant letters and clashes, which became progressively easier as the end game got obvious a little over half way through.  Most satisfying solve, thanks setter and organisers.

Thanks to Hedge-sparrow for an interesting puzzle. My early thoughts were that we were looking at people who had won more than one Nobel Prize, so it was instructive to find out how few women had won the prize for Physics. Overall, I thought the puzzle was not too difficult, but looking back over the clues I had trouble remembering how several of the word plays had worked, so perhaps not that easy.

Thankyou Hedge-sparrow. Your puzzle was itself a rare achievement!

There were 60 entries, of which 13 were marked incorrect. The lucky winner, picked from the electronic hat was R J Green, from Crickhowell in Wales, who will be receiving a copy of Chambers Crossword Dictionary which was donated by Chambers. I am unable to get to a post office at the moment so there will be some delay in posting prizes.

There is a solution available at https://crosswordcentre.blogspot.com/2020/04/solution-to-march-prize-puzzle.html

The April Prize Puzzle is our Round Robin XII. You can download a PDF copy at https://crosswordcentre.blogspot.com/2020/03/crossword-centre-prize-puzzle-april.html

The May Prize Puzzle will be Free Hit by Rebus. Rebus are Susan and Patrick. We met in London but now live just north of Sydney. We have always solved crosswords together and enjoy the Listener in particular. The harder the better! We started compiling for a local newspaper over 20 years ago and have both taught classes in “How to do Cryptic Crosswords” at various places over the years.

We would welcome submissions for the summer months. I would also remind setters that the Crossword Club magazine is still being produced by the long-serving Brian Head. It appears that he is also short of puzzles and any submissions would be greatly appreciated.
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Paul Henderson has continued to send a puzzle every Xmas, following the series set up by Apex. Last December he sent a clever crossword and solvers had to write a clue to TIDEWAITER (a customs officer). The results of the clue-writing competition are now published and the top three are:-

Winning clues to TIDEWAITER

1st Work to correct returns with unusually irate taxman Andrew Bremner

2nd Do I wade aboard tug with terms of excise order? Tim Moorey

3rd Veteran duty officer drops key into bank Richard Morse

Phi has published the 2019 Apex puzzle now and you can try it at http://phionline.net.nz/apex-crosswords/
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The Latin crossword in the Times appears every Saturday. O Tempora! is devised by classicist Paul McKenna, who also forms part of the Mephisto team. In the Quinqennium magazine, Paul explains how he compiles the Latin puzzle. http://www.quinquennium.com/cacoethes-oblectandi-how-i-devise-a-times-latin-crossword/
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With everyone in self-isolation there has been an increase in the number of people doing crosswords. The Magpie magazine has opened the firewall to allow solvers to access some of their top-class puzzles. You can access them here https://www.piemag.com/category/public/sample-puzzles/
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Cracking The Cryptic has released two Puzzle Hunts : one for children, one for adults. If you're looking for something entertaining to do during self-isolation these are worth a look:

Junior Puzzle Hunt: https://www.patreon.com/posts/junior-puzzle-35361588

Adult Puzzle Hunt: https://www.patreon.com/posts/35368855
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Telegraph puzzles editor, Chris Lancaster, has started a series of articles giving advice on solving cryptic crosswords. The articles are behind the Telegraph firewall but you may be able to get a month’s access for free.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/family/life/solve-cryptic-crossword-tips-beginners-puzzles-editor/?fbclid=IwAR05evJ6lsbZJd7cNIagr409WLH5KPB8hS-zmi2XKfm0V1ulu7oty72lMAg
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With the approach of Azed’s 2500^th puzzle DRC has published a puzzle which contains 8 of his favourite clues from Azed competitions. You can try it at this link - http://www.clueclinic.com/index.php/2020/03/29/azed-a-2500-deza-vu/
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Crossbar is a solving aid which claims to solve clues. It is a free site with no adverts so worth trying. I would be grateful for any comments or reviews of https://eobar.org/Crossbar.php

Best wishes
Derek

Stay safe.

Solution to the March Prize Puzzle

Rare Achievements by Hedge-sparrow - Solution

         

 PHYSICS

The theme is woman scientists who have won the NOBEL PRIZE for PHYSICS.  As of 2019, out of a total of 212 individuals who have received the Nobel Prize for Physics, only three have been women: Marie CURIE (1903, for her work on RADIATION, partnered by Pierre CURIE); Maria GOEPPERT MAYER (1963, for her work on NUCLEAR SHELLS, partnered by J. Hans D. JENSEN); Donna STRICKLAND (2018, for her work on ultrashort OPTICAL PULSES, partnered by Gérard MOUROU).  

Round Robin XII

Crossword Centre Prize Puzzle April 2020

Round Robin XII

Round Robin XII PDF

Eight answers, symmetrically placed in the grid, are to be thematically modified before entry.

The wordplay in all clues indicates the answer with an extra letter that is not entered in the grid. In clue order, the extra letters spell out two names and something which the unclued down entry (three words) eventually realised. Solvers must highlight a three-word message which was put on one side (14 cells). (Solvers are advised to search the theme using just the names.)

Numbers in brackets refer to lengths of grid entries. 

The Chambers 13th edition is the primary reference.

Across

  1 Elderly bless bog near Argos, round back of store (5)

  6 Thrashed in retaliation Nicodemo, murdered in hiding (7)

12 Recurrent element in quirky B-movie conveying a warning (6))

13 Anxiety inside of head almost invisible on the outside (6)

14 Following a plan, Svengali's originally, old alchemist acquires occult knowledge (9)

15 Accolade for wine: dry with traces of tannin and elderflower (7)

17 Religious series backs even bits of Danny Dyer’s product (5)

18 Dressing expertise found in Dali’s homework (7)

19 Film producer casting actor when Spielberg movie's wrapped (6)

20 Before I hit on the head she had driven away (6)

21 Deeds Catholic bishop loses moving houses (7)

26 Perfect, is she?  You'll need to decide about that (6)

28 Handsome street endless nouveau riche ultimately ruined (6)

29 Plant's very big and ordinary for the most part (7)

31 Extravagant grand-niece neglecting heartless grand-uncle could be more sparing (5)

33 Butterfly DNA, on reflection, is what distinguishes an admiral for example (7)

34 Individuals choosing clubs to run into personalities (9)

35 Sporting a tie in a band (6)

36 Drive at Troon? Send it up middle of fairway, where leaves are often found (6)

37 Collapse of the core ingredient of Christmassy stollen (7)

38 Poet's despots lark about around the end of Comus, Scene 1 (5)

Down

  1 Amphibian and wild cat run amok (7)

  2 Bad-smelling runny stool probed by American serving as disease expert (10)

  3 Referring to recurrent wind, I stand struggling with first signs of embarrassing emissions (7)

  4 Bits of African man discovered in Leinster, oddly (7)

  5 A drink mixed in decanter with no lid (6)

  7 Dance the French way (bustle raised!) (5)

  8 Mouthy suspect initially withholding name - that’s not right (7)

  9 Tipple served up during feast fit for flunkeys? (4)

10 E Izzard in marathon runs on, gone barmy, crackers? Not so! (6)

11 An accomplishment to get beginners to set clues, keenly knocked out (6)

16 Regular rover loses heart to beauty (10)

22 Plant genus of cabbage, eggplant and neeps initially caught up in endless Soviet revolution (7)

23 Look for dictator and prophet in a sort of tangle (7, 2 words)

24 Bennett girl acquires sign of sunbathing after beginning to try orange colorant (7)

25 Clued-up jockeys dismiss principally inactive ranch workers (7)

26 Palms of some meditative folk brushing off thanks (6)

27 Joyful expressions of fielders now and then after result (6)

28 It might pop new romance (6)

30 Key on instrument -- old man sustains it with heel on pedal (5)

32 Braided rope being brought aboard isn't abnormal (4) 

Entries

To enter this competition, send your entry as an image or in list format giving the final entries to ccpuzzles@talktalk.net before 8th May 2020. The first correct entry drawn from the hat will receive a book from the Chambers range, which has been donated by Chambers.

Voting

You may vote for your favourite clue with your entry. You can just nominate one clue, which will be awarded 3 points, or your top three which will be awarded 3, 2 and 1 points. The person whose clue accumulates the most points will receive a prize, which also has been donated by the Crossword Centre.

Credits

Theme: Ian Simpson. Grid: John Nicholson

Clues: Steve Bartlett, Rod Beards, Rod Bell, Shirley Curran, Andrew Fisher, Richard Foden, Derek Harrison, Richard Heald, David Hennings, John Hood, Margaret Irvine, Nebuchadnezzar, John Nicholson, John Nolan, Mark Oshin, Bhalchandra Pasupathy, Antony Percy, Rob Pinnock, Phylax, Ed Powles, Sowmya Ramkumar, John Reardon, Rishikesh C G, Simon Shaw, Ian Simpson, Mona Sogal, Sprout, Hamish Symington, James Taverner, John Tozer, Vismut, Ajeesh V M, Luciano Ward, Nick Warne, Clive Weatherley and Keith Williams. 

Crossword News March 2020

Crossword News March 2020

The February Puzzle was Underdog by Chalicea. The grid evoked the sawpit used by boat-builders on the Yukon during the Klondike gold rush. The 'underdog' amid the sawdust, came off worst. Solvers had to highlight the tool - the WHIPSAW.

Here are some of the comments from solvers.

Another fine crossword from Chalicea not too taxing but very interesting. Underdog meaning was completely new to me. The Bennett part I couldn't satisfactorily explain as Google did not help much. I look forward to explanation with solution.

Nothing too unpleasant, and I enjoyed the little constructed story. I did make it harder for my self by looking for the tool only in the bottom 3 lines, beneath Lhasa Apso, or “under the dog” if you will. I did eventually broaden my search and came up with the whipsaw.  Many thanks to Chalicea for the challenge.

Spent quite a lot of time searching for a tale about 2 boatbuilders before deciding it was just the sawpit Chalicea was seeking to educate us about. Good, as always. Thanks to her.

There were 56 entries, of which 17 were marked incorrect (often for entering COME instead of CAME). The lucky winner, picked from the electronic hat, was Tim King, who will shortly be receiving his prize of a copy of Chambers Crossword Dictionary, which was donated by the publishers.

A full solution is available at https://wp.me/p7qTXm-ef

You still have time to solve and submit your entry for the March Prize Puzzle, Rare Achievements by Hedge-sparrow.

The April Prize Puzzle will be our twelfth Round Robin crossword with a theme conceived by Ian Simpson, a grid perfected by John Nicholson and clues written by over 30 volunteers. As usual we ask solvers to vote for their favourite clue and there will be a prize for the writer of the winning clue.

***
For the first time in 20 years I had to miss the Listener Setter’s Dinner, due to fears about the Coronavirus pandemic. I am grateful to everyone who contacted me with details of the event in Ettington, near Stratford-upon-Avon.

 The winner of the Radix Auditorum claret jug was Jon Lewis, who first entered with #4557 and has submitted 25 of the last 30 puzzles, with 20 correct.

Currently top of the consecutive All-Correct rankings, on 319, is Neil Talbott (Elint); he’s followed by Richard Foden (Artix) on 190, Julian West (Arepo) on 165, Peter Blayney on 157 and Nigel Gavin on 152. The Solver Silver Salver passed from Richard Foden to Julian West, who gave a review of the year’s puzzles in the style of Oscar awards, before announcing the finalists for the Ascot Gold Cup for Best Puzzle.

The shortlisted puzzles, based on recommendations from all of the all-correct solvers, were: From Where I’m Standing by Emu, G by Xanthippe, Folio by Nebuchadnezzar, Bright Spark by Shark, Well-spoken by Miles, Striving by Twin and Transformers by Yorick. Julian whittled these down to Well-spoken and Folio, finally awarding the prize to Nebuchadnezzar.

It is hoped that the next dinner will be held in Scotland
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The death of Guardian crossword setter, Gordius was announced this month. Gordius was the pseudonym of the Rev. David Moseley and you can read his obituary in the Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/media/2020/mar/13/the-rev-david-moseley-obituary
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It is sad, also, to note the passing of John McKie, the brains behind the Wee Stinker, the ingenious crossword that appeared in Scotland’s Herald newspaper. https://www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/18309828.crossword-genius-gentleman-teacher-john-mckie-dies-aged-80/?ref=twtrec
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Mark Goodliffe and Simon Antony have had huge success with their YouTube channel Cracking the Cryptic since they started tackling sudokus. They now have over 75,000 subscribers. Following the huge success of their Sandwich Sudoku app they have recently created a Chess Sudoku app. Presented by Cracking The Cryptic, YouTube’s most popular Sudoku channel, comes a new game that connects two of the world’s biggest mind games: Chess and Sudoku! Simon describes the app as follows.

How does Chess Sudoku work? Well we’ve taken the classic sudoku game everyone knows and loves and created puzzles with chess-related twists! There are three different types of puzzles in the game: Knight Sudoku; King Sudoku and Queen Sudoku (coming after launch as a free update!). In Knight Sudoku, in addition to the normal rules of sudoku (no repeated digit in a row/column/3x3 box) a digit must not appear a chess knight’s move away from itself. This simple extra restriction introduces lots of clever additional logic that makes the puzzle even more interesting!

Simon Anthony is now giving a daily lesson in cracking the clue of the day from the Times crossword. It is a one-minute lesson every day. You can follow crackingthecryptic on Instagram
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The Guardian has published a crossword app which gives subscribers access to 15000 puzzles, crosswords, sudokus and other brainteasers. Solvers will be able to join forces remotely to crack a puzzle with the app’s “play together” feature. They can also play against the clock, brag about their mental agility by sharing how quickly they solved a grid, and even cheat by revealing the answers (though not on prize puzzles). And all this for £3.49 a month (or £32.99 a year). Find out more at https://www.theguardian.com/membership/crossword-blog/2020/feb/15/puzzles-game-guardian-new-crossword-app-sudoku
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Richard Heald informs me that there are still places available for the special lunch to mark Azed's 2,500th puzzle that's due to take place at Wolfson College, Oxford, however the date has been put forward provisionally to Saturday 26 September. The price is £55 per head, which will include a three-course meal plus wine, followed by afternoon tea at Azed's home close to the college.  Further details and a booking form can be obtained by emailing him at heald.richard@googlemail.com.
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Due to a problem with WordPress, I am experimenting with a new blog. Expect some changes soon.

Stay safe
Derek