Skip to content

Buy Me a Coffee

Fifteensquared

Never knowingly undersolved

  • Home
  • Info
    • Setters
    • Bloggers
    • FAQ
    • Links
    • About Fifteensquared
  • Blogs
    • Enigmatic Variations
    • FT
      • FT Daily Cryptic
      • FT Jumbo
      • FT Sunday
    • Guardian
      • Guardian Genius
      • Guardian Quiptic
      • Quick Cryptic
    • Independent
    • Inquisitor
    • Listener
    • MyCrossword Featured Puzzle
    • Observer
      • Everyman
      • Azed
      • Gemelo
    • Private Eye/Cyclops
    • Spectator
  • Share your thoughts
    • Site Feedback
    • General Discussion
  • Policies
    • Site Policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Cookies
  • Newbie Corner

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 1511: Optical Illusion by Radler

Wed October 18, 2017 at 12:00 am by HolyGhost

I recall that Radler‘s previous puzzle about collective nouns involved a lot of cold-solving, and to cap it all I highlighted the wrong cells in the grid to form SKEIN. Let’s see what … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 14 Comments

Inquisitor 1508: A Big Sell by Gila

Wed September 27, 2017 at 12:00 am by HolyGhost

We get a puzzle from Gila just over once a year, and I’ve blogged the two most recent ones.   Preamble: Single extra letters generated by wordplay in across clues provide the first … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 43 Comments

Inquisitor 1504: Small Amounts by Phi

Thu August 31, 2017 at 11:11 amWed August 30, 2017 at 12:00 am by HolyGhost

Somehow, a few weeks ago, I’d picked up on the fact that a puzzle from Phi would be my next one to blog.   Preamble: Five across clues and five down clues each … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 7 Comments

Inquisitor 1500: Three-Dimensional by SPINK

Thu August 3, 2017 at 10:44 amWed August 2, 2017 at 12:00 am by HolyGhost

With some trepidation I embark on this sesquimillennial puzzle, set by Schadenfreude, Phi, Ifor, Nimrod & Kruger.   Preamble: To reveal the theme, solvers must highlight 35 cells which are not provided by … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 16 Comments

Inquisitor 1496: Best Friend by Charybdis

Thu July 13, 2017 at 10:38 amWed July 5, 2017 at 12:00 am by HolyGhost

Haven’t seen an Inquisitor puzzle by Charybdis since “I want my sausages” last summer.   Preamble: The wordplay in each clue leads to an extra letter, forming a coded message. Of six unclued … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 10 Comments

Inquisitor 1492: Rude Card by Schadenfreude

Wed June 7, 2017 at 10:07 amWed June 7, 2017 at 12:00 am by HolyGhost

Another Schadenfreude for me to blog; anything to do with Columbus, I wonder, given the number of the puzzle?   Preamble: Corrections to single letter misprints in the definition parts of twelve clues … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 8 Comments

Inquisitor 1488: Captain’s Log by Harribobs

Wed May 10, 2017 at 11:19 amWed May 10, 2017 at 12:00 am by HolyGhost

Inquisitor puzzle by Harribobs … memories of BATS, struggling with the start of the endgame …   Preamble: In some clues, wordplay leads to the answer plus an extra letter; extra letters spell … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 28 Comments

Inquisitor 1484: Pallo by Ifor

Thu April 13, 2017 at 10:41 pmWed April 12, 2017 at 12:00 am by HolyGhost

I’ve learnt from experience that a puzzle by Ifor is something to look forward to – the clueing is usually high quality, but on the tough side.   Preamble: Eighteen answers need some … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 16 Comments

Inquisitor 1480: Bookshelf by Phi

Thu March 16, 2017 at 11:15 amWed March 15, 2017 at 12:00 am by HolyGhost

Phi has now reached a half-century of puzzles since they were renamed as Inquisitor a decade ago.   Preamble: The bookshelf held seven books but three are missing. Unclued answers, including 1 across, … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 20 Comments

Inquisitor 1476: Contest by Lavatch

Mon March 6, 2017 at 9:28 pmWed February 15, 2017 at 12:00 am by HolyGhost

A first Inquisitor puzzle from Lavatch, but he’s set plenty elsewhere.   Preamble: Clues are listed in normal order; unclued answers are of a kind. Solvers must construct the grid, which has 180° … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 21 Comments

Inquisitor 1472: Non-returnable by Kruger

Wed January 18, 2017 at 12:00 am by HolyGhost

An Inquisitor puzzle from Kruger, who is now closing in on Lato and Loda as the third most prolific setter of Inquisitor puzzles since the rebranding 10 years ago.   Preamble: This puzzle … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 14 Comments

Inquisitor index: 2017

Tue April 8, 2025 at 12:23 pmSun January 1, 2017 at 1:23 am by HolyGhost

Puzzles 1472 – 1523

Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor Index

Inquisitor 1468: Rule by Ifor

Wed December 21, 2016 at 12:00 am by HolyGhost

Ifor is becoming (has become?) quite a regular.   Preamble: Before solving, each Down clue must be made smaller by a single letter; the surface reading usually suffers. Reading these letters in correct … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 10 Comments

Inquisitor 1464: Provisions by ‍’Eck

Wed November 23, 2016 at 12:00 am by HolyGhost

By ‍’Eck, ‍’e’s back for the first time since NY 2014.   Preamble: The grid consists of two crosswords with a common theme. Clues are presented in non-overlapping pairs; either clue appearing first. … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 18 Comments

Inquisitor 1460: PW RBS by Base

Wed October 26, 2016 at 12:00 am by HolyGhost

Base – a new setter enters the fold.   Preamble: Half of the 32 clues are normal. Two characters (to be written below the grid) together connect the 4 unclued perimeter entries and … Read more >>

Categories Inquisitor 19 Comments
Older posts
Newer posts
← Previous Page1 … Page8 Page9 Page10 … Page16 Next →

Announcements

Inquisitor Review of the Year 2024-5: The Results

Today’s Cryptics

Daily
Financial Times
Guardian
Independent
Sunday
Azed
Everyman
Gemelo

Recent Posts

  • Guardian Quick Cryptic 103 by Ludwig
  • Independent 12,309 by Punk
  • Guardian Prize 29,954 / Tramp
  • Listener 4909 Fragments by Cranberry
  • Independent 12,308 by Phi
  • Guardian 29,959 / Ludwig
  • Financial Times 18,323 by MUDD
  • Guardian Cryptic crossword No 29,958 by Enigmatist
  • Independent 12,307 by Dalibor
  • Enigmatic Variations 1737 What he said by Vismut
  • Financial Times 18,322 by ARTEXLEN
  • Independent 12,306 / Brunel
  • Financial Times 18,321 by MONK
  • Guardian 29,957: Brummie
  • Inquisitor 1950: ‘Just the Same’ by Nathan Panning
  • Independent 12305 / Mog
  • Guardian Cryptic crossword No 29,956 by Alia
  • Financial Times 18,320 by SLORMGORM
  • Spectator 2741: Unsurpassable by Madrigal
  • Financial Times 18,318 by Neo
  • Independent 12,304 by Kairos
  • Financial Times 18,319 by GAFF
  • Guardian Cryptic 29,955 by Vulcan
  • Guardian Quiptic 1,373/Turnstone
  • Independent on Sunday 1,881/Deri

Categories

Site Search

Calendar

March 2026
M T W T F S S
 1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
3031  
« Feb    

Archives

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org
© 2026 Fifteensquared • Built with GeneratePress