This is an Occasion – my first blog of the most prolific crossword setter in the world.  Thanks Rufus, for all those crosswords, including those not covered in 15sq’d.  (My wife does the Globe and Mail cryptics).  Today’s crossword, though, is perhaps not that auspicious.  I don’t normally use superlatives, but this was v.v. easy, with quite a number of double and (not so in some cases) cryptic definitions.  I can already hear cries of “money back” or “where’s the value?”!  (Definitions are underlined in the clues.)  P.S.  Have fun trying to figure out the connections (hidden theme, nina?) in 3 of the pic sets – sorry if they’re even easier than the crossword.

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*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, CD=cryptic def, DD=double def, sp=spoonerism
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I thought this was a fine example of an entry-level puzzle from Pan.  Since Fifteensquared started blogging the Quiptic almost a year ago, the general feedback has been that solvers at this level want something that’s straightforward, but entertaining.  For me, this fitted the bill.  There are two or three more complicated constructions, but they’re all clearly indicated.

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