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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 1728: Face Trouble by Ifor

Tue December 14, 2021 at 8:11 pmTue December 14, 2021 at 10:00 am by HolyGhost

Ifor, and a rather asymmetrical grid.   Preamble: The clue to one entry in each row and each column contains an extra word. Each is primarily associated with a single letter from a … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 17 Comments

Inquisitor 1724: Flight Plan by Kruger

Sat November 20, 2021 at 5:03 pmTue November 16, 2021 at 10:00 am by HolyGhost

Kruger’s 50th Inquisitor puzzle.   Preamble: Seventeen clues contain an extra word that must be removed before solving. In clue order, the first or fourth letters of each extra word followed by the … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 15 Comments

Inquisitor 1720: Comings and Goings by Eclogue

Tue October 19, 2021 at 10:00 am by HolyGhost

I’ve found puzzles by Eclogue quite variable in the past. Some excellent, some only so-so; some difficult, some not so hard. (And no correlation between the two.)   Preamble: Wordplay in 18 clues … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 7 Comments

Inquisitor 1716: Excess Baggage by Vagans

Tue September 21, 2021 at 10:00 am by HolyGhost

Vagans – a newbie.   Preamble: A serious ascent is being made, in three stages, which requires excess baggage to be shed. Wordplay in 25 clues generates an extra letter not to be … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 10 Comments

Inquisitor 1712: Your Case by Kruger

Mon August 30, 2021 at 9:44 pmTue August 24, 2021 at 10:00 am by HolyGhost

Kruger – a week late for kenmac to add to his duels with the setter.   Preamble: In twenty clues, some or all of the definition has been jumbled with an extra letter. … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 8 Comments

Inquisitor 1708: Coward by Skylark

Tue July 27, 2021 at 10:00 am by HolyGhost

Skylark, the third of four female setters in Ladies’ month (although this July has five Saturdays so there’s room for one more).   Preamble: Symmetrical grid entries contain the endings of four lines … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 14 Comments

Inquisitor 1704: Ransomware by Eclogue

Tue June 29, 2021 at 12:31 pmTue June 29, 2021 at 10:00 am by HolyGhost

Eclogue averages about three Inquisitor puzzles a year of late.   Preamble: When read in clue order, the last letters of extraneous words in every clue provide a partial definition and visual context … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 9 Comments

Inquisitor 1700: HMS Conqueror by PINK

Tue June 1, 2021 at 10:00 am by HolyGhost

PINK is back for this centenary puzzle.   Preamble: Answers to several clues lose a thematic word or abbreviation to yield the relevant entries, which are also words. Lengths indicate the number of … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 13 Comments

Inquisitor 1696: Title Sequence by Gila

Tue May 4, 2021 at 10:00 am by HolyGhost

Gila has given us some cracking puzzles in the past. I wonder what’ve we got here.   Preamble: Clues are presented in alphabetical order of their answers, which must be entered in the … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 52 Comments

Inquisitor 1692: Clue Two V by eXternal

Tue April 6, 2021 at 10:00 am by HolyGhost

It’s another in the Clue Two sequence. How will eXternal follow up the Pac-Man maze?   Preamble: The unclued top row gives a thematic location. An answer to one down clue per column … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 18 Comments

Inquisitor 1688: Targeted Treatment by Phi

Tue March 9, 2021 at 10:00 am by HolyGhost

Phi is a rather prolific setter here, about 4 puzzles a year of late – many more in other outlets.   Preamble: The two unclued entries are to be unjumbled to form thematic … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 11 Comments

Inquisitor 1684: Frustration by Skylark

Sun March 7, 2021 at 10:06 pmTue February 9, 2021 at 10:00 am by HolyGhost

Is this the start of Ladies’ month? (About this time last year we had consecutive puzzles from Nutmeg, Chalicea, Vismut and Skylark.)   Preamble: Corrections to be made to single letter misprints in … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 14 Comments

Inquisitor 1680: Testament of Youth by Lato

Tue January 12, 2021 at 12:49 pmTue January 12, 2021 at 10:00 am by HolyGhost

Haven’t seen Lato here for a year or so.   Preamble: Thematic clues are listed in alphabetical order of their solutions which must be paired off and entered incompletely where they fit. Extra … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 15 Comments

Inquisitor index: 2021

Tue April 8, 2025 at 12:26 pmFri January 1, 2021 at 1:23 am by HolyGhost

Puzzles 1680 – 1731

Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor Index

Inquisitor 1676: Hands Across the Sea by Ifor

Tue December 15, 2020 at 11:11 amTue December 15, 2020 at 10:00 am by HolyGhost

Ifor – can usually be relied upon for many fine clues, often with few redundant words in them. I’m looking forward to it.   Preamble: Clues to one entry in each odd-numbered row … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 12 Comments
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