Inquisitor

This was another Serpentine puzzle. I had the pleasure of sorting out and blogging “Mirror Image” in June. This one was less artistic, but equally devious. A carte blanche with blanks in it … Read more >>

It’s been three years since Nudd set an Inquisitor, so it’s a pleasant change to see one now.       The preamble told us that "a single letter must be jettisoned from … Read more >>

Haven’t blogged a puzzle by Pointer before.   Preamble: In the spirit of the theme, the seven shaded shapes should be carefully cut out from the filled grid, leaving holes, and assembled to … Read more >>

  Flirt by Schadenfreude Solvers must complete the grid and highlight seven titles, a phrase common to each appearing only once. The wordplay yielded by each clue leads to the entered answer plus … Read more >>

I struggled with the 2016 Halloween Harribobs offering with the bat picture and his 2017 “Captain’s Log” Australian map outline (now voted Inquisitor of the Year), and again this looked desperately complicated, but … Read more >>

This is Chalicea’s thirteenth Inquisitor in seven year, so we see her puzzle every six months on average.       The preamble was fairly short, as follows: "A message relating to | … Read more >>

My first puzzle by Ifor to blog since April Fool’s Day, though there were three others later in 2017.   Preamble: Eight across clues include an extra word containing only one letter not … Read more >>

Silvester by Eclogue Twenty three clues contain an extra word. In clue order, initial letters of these words provide four courses; final letters provide their accompanying drinks. Reflecting the thematic sketch cryptically indicated … Read more >>

This may sound sad, but I’m starting to write this on Christmas morning. My daughter is asleep in the next room, having been woken in Richmond by planes coming in to Heathrow at … Read more >>

Linking Themes I’m reliably informed that, due to popular demand, Base is planning a second Inquisitor contribution themed around the TV quiz show Only Connect (see IQ1460: PW RBS). That will be wonderful … Read more >>

I’m used to blogging Phi puzzles in the Independent, but I think it’s a while since I last blogged an Inquisitor by Phi       The preamble told us that “Four across … Read more >>

I initially thought that this was Encota‘s debut in this series, but I checked and saw that his/her first Inquisitor puzzle was published early last September.   Preamble: In 32 clues the wordplay … Read more >>

Space Invaders by Shark The unclued 1ac hints at why only one of the barred-off corners should be filled in. Clashes in the grid must be resolved to form a relevant three-word phrase; … Read more >>

Succinct rubric: When the clue answers have been entered there will be some vacant cells. Solvers must complete the grid to show five thematic names. Numbers in brackets give the lengths of final grid … Read more >>

Ifor is an innovative and challenging setter, so it was good to see his name attached to this puzzle       The preamble told us that "Across clues and entries are normal … Read more >>