Fifteensquared

Never knowingly undersolved.

Archive for the 'Inquisitor' Category

Inquisitor 1253: Missing by Schadenfreude

Posted by duncanshiell on 7th November 2012

duncanshiell.

Schadenfreude is a prolific setter who produces interesting puzzles which almost always have real words in the solution even after letters have been added to or changed in the grid.  This Inquisitor maintained these standards.

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Inquisitor 1252: Easy Street by Kruger

Posted by HolyGhost on 31st October 2012

HolyGhost.

I do tend to like Kruger‘s puzzles – no exception here. A pound sign ( £ ) appears in the central barred off cell of the grid. Hmm …
 
Corrections to single-letter misprints in several definitions give a song title – this indicates the type of change to some answers before entry. One co-writer (appropriately modified) is to be highlighted in the completed grid, and the other co-writer is one of the unclued entries. The second unclued entry describes those who recorded it (and is a cryptic reference to them).

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Inquisitor 1251: Two Setters in Search of Two Characters (and An Author) by ??

Posted by kenmac on 24th October 2012

kenmac.

Preamble: Lost in the grid while celebrating a centenary, two familiar Inquisitor setters’ 4 words of introduction to their rescuer (x, unclued, using two answer slots) may be discovered in two grid sequences (15 letters in total). The surname of a second relevant character (y, one answer slot) is also unclued. Their creator (z)’s full name is also featured, utilising the letters in the shaded squares. Clues are listed in alphabetical order of their solutions, which should be arranged wherever they will fit. Extra single letters yielded by the wordplay in all clues give, in order, an instruction aiding solvers to arrive at the final solution. Between them Chambers and the ODE justify all entries apart from the name of a Belgian comic artist.

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Inquisitor 1250: WEST END HIT by Shark

Posted by Hihoba on 17th October 2012

Hihoba.

 

This is Shark’s fourth offering in this series. One of his previous puzzles was last Christmas, with gift, toys and presents under the tree.

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Inquisitor 1249: Grid Change by Syd Lexis

Posted by duncanshiell on 10th October 2012

duncanshiell.

Syd Lexis has set puzzles for both the Enigmatic Variations and The Listener series, but this appears to be the first foray into the Inquisitor.

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Inquisitor 1248: Second, Third and Fourth by Nudd

Posted by HolyGhost on 3rd October 2012

HolyGhost.

A gentle but enjoyable puzzle – with a learning element. Four consecutive letters to be removed from 24 clues before solving {novel}, the first letters of each group giving a Father’s {note capital} final utterance, literally indicating treatment of 10 answers before entry. The quotation refers to another Father {capital again} whose last words mention a date of dual significance to both. The occasion is represented by the perimeter, whose unchecked letters “aptly give FATHER FINDS PEACE IN VA”.

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Inquisitor 1247: Cause and Effect by Pointer

Posted by kenmac on 26th September 2012

kenmac.

Preamble: The unclued across entries are five names that may be seen on a map; their relative locations are represented approximately by their shaded initial letters. The region on the map, slightly extended beyond the bounds of the grid, is the setting for a novel whose title comprises two clued answers. With all answers entered, three letters in each of the 2nd and 12th rows must be altered to reveal two words, each occupying 6 contiguous cells; these 12 cells must be highlighted. The two words describe a cause and effect alluded to in the novel. Also, a word appears in the final grid that describes the five unclued entries – this must be overwritten in an appropriate colour. In the story, some of this may well have contributed to the cause, but here some of it contributes to the effect. All entries in the final grid are real words.

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Inquisitor 1246 WHAT DO YOU GET . . . by Samuel

Posted by Hihoba on 19th September 2012

Hihoba.

Entertaining stuff from Samuel. I do enjoy crosswords that give a laugh or a grin (or even a wry smile) and this gave quite a few!

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Inquisitor 1245: Barred by Nutmeg

Posted by duncanshiell on 12th September 2012

duncanshiell.

Nutmeg is a fairly regular Inquisitor contributor.  This is her (I think) 15th crossword in the Inquisitor series.

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Inquisitor 1244: Instability by Phi

Posted by HolyGhost on 5th September 2012

HolyGhost.

Nine entries hinted at by definitions only – three groups of three. (Definitions refer to all or part of thematic material – we have been warned.) Two thematic references to be highlighted in the grid (8 cells), the third to be written below.
 
The grid filled fairly quickly, particularly the top right quadrant …

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Inquisitor 1243: Paradise by Kruger

Posted by kenmac on 29th August 2012

kenmac.

Preamble: Wordplay in each clue, presented in alphabetical order of solutions, yields an extra letter. When clues are arranged in conventional order, the extra letters give a vision of paradise and the name of its creator that should help to identify the 7 unclued entries (a sample of the delights allegedly found there). Additionally, the initial letters of the first 12 reordered clues pose a question, the answer to which (3 words) should be written below the grid.

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Inquisitor 1242: PRIZEWINNER by Schadenfreude

Posted by Hihoba on 22nd August 2012

Hihoba.

Two Schadenfreudes in a row for Hihoba to blog. Another mercifully brief preamble told us that there was a letter to be removed from each clue, always leaving a word but not necessarily making sense. These letters (32 in all) plus the letters in the perimeter (another 44) give six items. The “prizewinner” of the title would appear in the completed grid.

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Inquisitor 1241:Obsession by Chalicea

Posted by duncanshiell on 15th August 2012

duncanshiell.

A fairly short preamble for this puzzle – "In each clue, the wordplay has one letter too many or one letter too few.  In clue order, Down letters instruct solvers what to highlight in the completed grid (31 letters in total).  Across letters will assist.

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Inquisitor 1240: Solve for X and Y by Gila

Posted by duncanshiell on 8th August 2012

duncanshiell.

The preamble told us:

    In x clues, there is a misprint of one letter in the definition.  The correct letter is y places back alphabetically.

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Inquisitor 1239: MP’s Fancy by Samuel

Posted by kenmac on 1st August 2012

kenmac.

Four members of a thematic group can be identified in the completed grid by amending the contents of one unchecked cell in each of four entries, one of which so it contains two letters. Three distinct strings of six letters, each spelling out a further member of the group, must be highlighted, also revealing the subject matter. The wordplay in 39 clues leads to the answer plus a superfluous letter not to be entered into the grid: these give five thematically related groups and individuals.

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