kenmac

In early 2022 I took over administration for this site. Born 1954. I've been fascinated by cryptic crosswords since childhood. My mother used to attempt the Daily Mail cryptic every day but I don't remember her ever finishing one. Then, when I started working, a colleague would bring in The Telegraph every day. It wasn't till my daughter started to get interested, when I bought her a "how to" book that I realized that the definition is "always" the first word (or words) or the last word (or words) of the clue. In 2000 I discovered the, then, Independent Weekend Crossword (now Inquisitor) and later Enigmatic Variations and The Listener. I solve The Inquisitor most weeks and won the Champagne once. In 2005 I achieved an ambition by having a barred crossword published in The Independent using the pseudonym Cayenne. Then I had another one in 2015 in collaboration with Anax. This was Inquisitor 1839.

Inquisitor 1131 – Number by Loda

June 30, 2010 at 11:59 am by kenmac

Probably my quickest Inquisitor ever, I had it done-and-dusted in less than an hour. Every clue contained an extra word, I must admit that I usually find those types of clues a tad … Read more >>

Inquisitor 1126: Area Code by Ikela

May 27, 2010 at 1:23 am by kenmac

Pretty easy going at first. I had the grid (with the exception of the four thematics) filled in about an hour. The thematics, however, proved a little troublesome until the penny dropped. The … Read more >>

Inquisitor 1121 – Associates by Lato

April 23, 2010 at 10:03 pmApril 22, 2010 at 1:23 am by kenmac

Well, this one put up a fight but I won through in the end. I guess it must have taken me about 5 hours over about 4 days. The title and preamble didn’t … Read more >>

Inquisitor 1116: ? by Hypnos

March 19, 2010 at 10:14 amMarch 19, 2010 at 1:23 am by kenmac

Once a year, on average, two like-minded friends (I and A) and myself (K) meet for an IKA weekend of crosswords and beer. This year we chose to meet in my home town, … Read more >>

Inquisitor 1111: First XV by Eddie

February 12, 2010 at 9:19 amFebruary 12, 2010 at 1:23 am by kenmac

When I learned that The Inquisitor numbers were changing to what they would have been if they had gone sequentially from 1, I wondered if the editor had something up his sleeve for … Read more >>

Inquisitor 157: Subtitle by Ikela

January 8, 2010 at 1:23 am by kenmac

Is there a conspiracy? My turn to blog and there’s no magazine, again! Still, thanks to a fellow blogger, I appropriated a copy. 🙂 Though I don’t feel I can submit my entry since … Read more >>

Inquisitor 152: On Tour by Glow-worm

December 4, 2009 at 5:38 pmDecember 4, 2009 at 1:23 am by kenmac

What a struggle. Firstly there was no magazine in The Independent in my local shop and none to be had in the nearest big city. A quick SOS email to my bellow floggers … Read more >>

Inquisitor 147 – Bear Puzzle – by Raich

October 30, 2009 at 6:03 pmOctober 30, 2009 at 1:23 am by kenmac

What a bad start, I thought. I looked at 1 across and got the answer straight away. Usually when that happens, I’m doomed to failure. But, as it happens, it wasn’t an omen, I … Read more >>

Inquisitor 142 – Run Out by Loda

September 25, 2009 at 1:23 am by kenmac

This wasn’t a particularly entertaining puzzle for a non-cricketing, non-English person. Though I have to admit that I, unwittingly, asked an Australian friend for assistance with the dénouement. Or should I say ex-friend? … Read more >>

Inquisitor 137 – No Yens by Schadenfreude

January 3, 2011 at 5:36 pmAugust 21, 2009 at 1:23 am by kenmac

This has to be one of the toughest Inquisitors I have ever tackled. I think I have the grid correct though I’m not sure about some of the thematic material. Solving time: several … Read more >>

Inquisitor 132 – EXCESS by Phi

July 16, 2009 at 9:00 pm by kenmac

Well, here goes with my first blog. I picked up my Independent with some trepidation but as soon as I turned to The Inquisitor and saw that it was by Phi, I breathed … Read more >>