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HolyGhost

Started on cryptic crosswords as a late teenager and completed the Times daily until the Independent started. (Didn't do the crossword - just stopped reading the Times.) Often tackled the Independent weekend magazine crossword in the early and late 1990s (spent mid-90s in Bruxelles), and then most of them since moving out of London in summer 2000. I must say that my forays into the Listener used to prove more satisfying (except the number ones) - estimate 98% successful - but usually don't have enough discretionary time for both. Now that the Listener and the Inquisitor seem pretty level I rarely stray from tackling only the latter.

Inquisitor 1352: Identity Crisis by Jago

Wed October 1, 2014 at 12:01 am by HolyGhost

The editor refers to the “IQ debutant Jago“, but, assuming there’s only one setter that goes by that name, he’s produced well over 20 puzzles in the last 40 years for The Listener … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 14 Comments

Inquisitor 1348: Reset by Shark

Wed September 3, 2014 at 12:01 am by HolyGhost

I reckon we’ve had the tough one for this quintet, so this puzzle from Shark should be easy or moderate – but there are no guarantees.   “A thematic reference appears in 8 … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 15 Comments

Inquisitor 1344: IQ Test by Samuel

Wed August 6, 2014 at 12:01 am by HolyGhost

Wordplay in 13 clues leads to the answer minus one letter (unchecked). Wordplay for the others leads to the entry plus one letter – these give part of a quotation. The full quotation … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 13 Comments

Inquisitor 1340: Strange Hobby by Schadenfreude

Mon August 25, 2014 at 5:11 pmWed July 9, 2014 at 12:01 am by HolyGhost

He’s back – Schadenfreude never stays away very long, 7½ weeks on average. One clue per column (except the edges) has a misprinted definition, and corrections are to be entered in the top … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 24 Comments

Inquisitor 1336: Additive by Xanthippe

Wed June 11, 2014 at 12:01 am by HolyGhost

Second time out here for Xanthippe (though many more Listener puzzles). Four answers too long (& making one fit results in a blank cell); five others too short & so initially padded with … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 19 Comments

Inquisitor 1332: Self-Reference by Hypnos

Wed May 14, 2014 at 12:01 am by HolyGhost

A welcome return by Hypnos.         Thematically, 32 clues have a superfluous letter in a jumbled word in the definition part; these letters spell out the theme, illustrated by five … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 15 Comments

Inquisitor 1328: Tribute to X by Lato

Sat June 7, 2014 at 7:18 pmWed April 16, 2014 at 12:01 am by HolyGhost

Another long preamble from Lato … 11 entries are unnumbered – thematic or unclued, so about 20%. It’s all about X: thematics cryptically reveal the identity; unclued give a description, field of activity, … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 21 Comments

Inquisitor 1324: Baby Talk by Chalicea

Wed March 19, 2014 at 12:01 am by HolyGhost

Two unclued part-quotations, the first being completed by extra letters in the wordplay of each clue. The surname of the author of the second is to be highlighted in the grid.   The … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 6 Comments

Inquisitor 1320: From There to Where? by Samuel

Wed February 19, 2014 at 2:00 pmWed February 19, 2014 at 12:01 am by HolyGhost

Seven entries are “starting points” (towns, cities, countries) clued in alphabetical order by wordplay only, and seven rhyming “destinations” are not clued at all. Extra letters in the wordplay of 33 clues spell … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 13 Comments

Inquisitor 1316: Swingers by Lato

Wed January 22, 2014 at 12:01 am by HolyGhost

A long preamble, paraphrased: Two unclued entries describe how 11 thematic answers have to be changed before entry. (In one case there’s a double change, and answer & entry lead to an anagram … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 19 Comments

Inquisitor index: 2014

Tue April 8, 2025 at 12:21 pmWed January 1, 2014 at 1:23 am by HolyGhost

Puzzles 1315 – 1366

Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor Index

Inquisitor 1312: Shortfall by Phi

Fri December 27, 2013 at 12:01 am by HolyGhost

It’s a while since I blogged one of Phi‘s puzzles. And before I start, let me wish everyone a happy festive season – I’ll be trekking & camping in the Anti-Atlas (so no … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 7 Comments

Inquisitor 1308: 27X by Schadenfreude

Sat November 30, 2013 at 5:50 pmWed November 27, 2013 at 12:01 am by HolyGhost

Schadenfreude for me again … and another highly asymmetric grid (with a large number of clues).         “18 misprinted definitions give what must appear in the completed grid; one character … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 12 Comments

Inquisitor 1304: The Great Divide by Samuel

Wed October 30, 2013 at 12:01 am by HolyGhost

Two unclued entries (top row right, bottom row left) separated by a third (~middle row), and then six links (40 other cells) to be highlighted; extra single letters in the wordplay of 15 … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 12 Comments

Inquisitor 1300: Alphanumerics by Schadenfreude

Wed October 2, 2013 at 10:33 amWed October 2, 2013 at 12:01 am by HolyGhost

Inquisitor 1300 … setter Schadenfreude … are we in for a treat?         I paraphrase the preamble: Ten clues with an extra letter in the wordplay, and eleven with a … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 13 Comments
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