duncanshiell

Born in 1948. I retired from full-time work in May 2007, after 37 years with Ordnance Survey and associated bodies and now have time to devote to crosswords, something not available for many years. Product of 17 years in the Scottish education system, but lived overseas or in southern England for virtually all of the time thereafter. I moved back to Scotland in 2010. Regular road runner and recently returned to orienteering and golf after a 35 year gap. Developed interested in cryptic crosswords in the mid 1960s (Scotsman, Sunday Express skeleton), but working overseas and then raising a family, meant dropping out of crossword solving for about 30 years. Now a regular solver of Times, Guardian, Independent, Inquisitor, Listener and Magpie crosswords. Reasonably regular finisher of the first four. Started blogging in late 2007. Any solving ability far outweighs any clueing ability. Krypton Factor contestant 1983; eliminated in the first round, but the obstacle course finish made good television!

Gemelo 9

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Gemelo has set a puzzle where he has imposed constraints upon the words he can use in each clue.  Every clue is constructed from words of the same length as the associated entry.

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Inquisitor 1925: Long Division by Check

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Check is an Inquisitor setter who debuted in February 22 with puzzles appearing just under yearly since then.  The four earlier puzzles have had themes focused on sport, science, literature and film.  Clearly Check likes to explore different themes.  I wonder what we have today?

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Gemelo 4

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Gemelo presents his fourth Observer Sunday cryptic crossword and gives me my first opportunity to blog his Sunday work.  I have, however, blogged a number of puzzles under his alter ego, Twin, in the Independent series.

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