The solution to my June puzzle can be viewed in this image.
1d, 16 and 17 were my favourites. How about you?
Time to get going on my July puzzle. Except I’ve got a video to edit before I can do that. Damn, too many hobbies, I should have less fun.
It would have been my friend Gary's birthday yesterday. Sad that he's not still around to share my crosswords with. pic.twitter.com/12fwgawiau
— The Void ザ・ヴォイド (@TheVoidTLMB) June 10, 2019
I ran my Cryptic Crosswords For Beginners workshop at Lestival, and again at Bungay Balls Up. And again at Bungay Balls Up. And again at Bungay Balls Up! It seemed to go down well each time, with me talking through types of clues and wordplay, with example clues for the participants to be led through. It does need a bit of re-organising though, and a few better sample clues.
Beginners cryptic crossword workshop by @TheVoidTLMB @BungayBallsUp pic.twitter.com/K30LrElnYh
— Susannah Bury (@soozbury) May 19, 2019
Speaking of BBU, there was a lot of crossword action there. I made a 19×19 crossword for people to solve, ran the workshop, and there was a lot of solving of other puzzles going on too. (I was working my way through a pamphlet of 20 of Knut’s crosswords.) While there, Dominique decided to edit a zine for the convention’s anniversary, and asked for contributions. So naturally, I threw together a crossword for it. In an hour – which was my excuse for completely omitting one clue in it. Only one person solved my BBU puzzle during the week, with a few getting well along the way. (I’m not putting it online – There were some BBU-specific references, and anyway, if you missed it, you missed it.)
#Crossword prize claimed by @__guy_g__ ! #BungayBallsUp pic.twitter.com/GTaZfw8Sb2
— Bungay Balls Up (@BungayBallsUp) May 21, 2019
The Zine is out now! Grab your copy quick, before they sell out. #BungayBallsUp pic.twitter.com/QaFI647eWG
— Bungay Balls Up (@BungayBallsUp) May 25, 2019
Had some feedback on my May puzzle (spoilers), and have just got around to finishing my June puzzle, so here it is as a printable png. Sorry, no embedded browser-solvable puzzle again this month, as the software didn’t like the accents in “Dvořák”. (*sigh* Why isn’t everything UTF-8 compliant these days?)
Answers in a week.
The solution to my May crossword can be found in this image.
One answer is not a dictionary word, but is so common I don’t mind using it. Although the clue for it did reference an outdated (and probably derogatory) term, but I remember it being regularly used. What did you think of 8d? Too weird? I enjoyed 16 & 27, but I think 10 was my favourite. Meanwhile, did anyone spot my favourite band hiding in the grid? As always, I’m on Twitter for chat.
I had some further feedback on my April puzzle from Chameleon and Gonzo (spoilers!), which was useful.
No embedded puzzle this month. Sorry, the software didn’t like 8d. So, here’s the printable png.
I’m running a Cryptic Crosswords For Beginners workshop on Saturday, at Lestival. Hopefully I’ll get some new converts. Solution will be posted in one week. Happy solving!
The solution to my April puzzle can be viewed in this image.
8d was my favourite. I liked 13 and 29 for imagery, although the former had general knowledge in the def and the wordplay, so maybe that was a bit too mean. 60% crossed though, so perhaps not? 7d could send you down a wrong road, hmm. I thought 24 was quite fun, but then again, you might find it easy or mean, so who knows!
Nearly finished my May puzzle in good time, and a fresh one for Bungay Balls Up is in the works too. As ever, you’ll find me on Twitter.
What’s that you say Void, “Cryptic”? What happened to “Cryptish”? After getting some further useful and nice feedback on my March puzzle from Chameleon on 1 Across, I’ve decided I’m close enough to “proper” setting now to call my puzzles Cryptics. (Expect “hubris” as an answer soon? 😉 )
So here’s my April puzzle, again as a printable PNG, or in-browser solvable puzzle. A couple of answers are over-crossed. Hey, sorry, but grid construction is hard! Anyway, hope you like it. Do let me know of your favourite, or most hated clue. Answers will be posted here in one week.
The solution to my March crossword can be found behind this link.
Don’t know about anyone else, but Susannah solved it – hurray. I spent ages deciding whether or not to put a couple of commas in to the clues. One of them went in and out 4 times, but in the end I decided it was sneakily misleading, so I left it out.
I liked 21, 24 and 30d. And 14, but maybe the general knowledge was a bit obscure there – but gettable from the wordplay (I hope!).
I suppose I’d better start working on April’s puzzle…..
Well, I took a bit of a battering on Rookie Corner. But, it’s all fair enough, good feedback, and I’ll take it as motive to improve. Especially my clue surfaces. Hopefully you’ll find this one a big improvement in terms of the readability of the clues.
I noticed a slight problem with the grid layout last night. Nothing awful – it should even make some bits a bit easier – but too late to change now.
Could this be my last “cryptish” puzzle? Hmmmm. Meanwhile, here’s the puzzle as a printable PNG, or a browser-solvable embed. Hope you enjoy.
The solution to my February Cryptish Crossword is in an image at this link. There was a theme to this one, which you no doubt spotted. I did offer the puzzle for publication to someone I thought appropriate, but apparently no-one answers their email anymore. *sigh*
18A riffed on a weak joke I make everytime I’m driving in Suffolk. 11A was my favourite, although I found 14A pleasing. I really liked using “Occam’s Lathe” in one of the clues originally, but couldn’t quite make it parse correctly as a clue, so Killed My Darling.
I’m having a new puzzle published on a crossword blog tomorrow. Hopefully I’ll get some useful feedback.
Colours to the mast! Here is my February puzzle.
Right click to download printable PNG file.
Or view it below, in PNG, or as a browser-solvable puzzle.
Answers next week.
Enjoy!
