The solution to my August crossword is in an image behind this link.

Three answers were nods to specific people (*waves*). 5 was quite horrible to clue, but I liked where I got to in the end. 21 has a bit of dated knowledge required, maybe not one for the young’uns, but I didn’t want to go with the more obvious reference. 18 was my favourite. Right, toodle-oo!

Edit: Oh, I’ve just noticed that there’s a Nina down there. Entirely unintentional, but perhaps it was a subconscious tribute to Rutger Hauer. (It’s not easy being a dolphin.) And well done if you get any of those references.

Edit 2: Oh blimey, there’s another one! Well, just about. How bizarre.

Here’s my August puzzle. I ended up having three puzzles on the go at once, and this was originally pegged to be my October puzzle, but I decided to move it up the queue. Any feedback welcome. I’ll be on holiday next week, but I’ll schedule a post with the answers to pop up next Thursday.

Here it is as a printable png, or a browser-solvable embed below (Use the settings menu to turn off the clock, and skipping over letters. Remember to use Save in the menu if you have more than one session at it.).

The solution to my July puzzle is in an image behind this link.

I wondered too late, if starting 12 with “holds” might have been a slightly nicer surface. A bit of scrabble knowledge would have helped you with 10. I’m not sure if the definition of 21 was “war” or “of war”, possibly arguable, but if you don’t like one, you ought to be ok with the other. I wanted to have “declaration of war”, but it didn’t feel quite right. 25 didn’t necessarily need the brackets, but I liked the juxtaposition of topper with bowler, so I put it in. 18 & 29 were my favourites.

August’s puzzle is almost finished already, so I hope I can start a new one and get ahead of schedule again soon.

Here’s this month’s puzzle from me. Right-click to download printable .png file, or play in-browser at the bottom of this post (Use the cogwheel/Setting options to turn off the timer, and skipping over letters, if you prefer. Ignore the Submit button, it’s not a competition). The grid is a little over-crossed, ah well. August’s puzzle is well under way.

If you know anyone who wants to publish a monthly crossword, do send them my way. And if you think you get 50p’s-worth of entertainment from my puzzles, please feel free to paypal me on
the-bka@tlmb.net . (Sorry to ask, but times are hard. Obviously, it’s totally okay for you to carry on enjoying them for free.) ReTweets and the like help too.

Thanks for reading, hope you enjoy. Answers in a week. Chat to me on Twitter if you like…
Cheers!

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.