Everyman 4,128

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Since Everyman is in general so Ximenean I’m surprised that he allows the grid to contain two entries with less than 50% checking. But they’re long ones and perhaps it’s not really that important. The crossword as a whole was mostly very satisfactory, with the usual characteristics, which are highlighted in the grid, until I came to a little group (described below) where I found it hard to finish. I have done, but hope I’ll be told how these clues really work, for I’m not convinced.

Definitions in crimson, underlined. Indicators (homophone, hidden, containment, anagram, juxtaposition, etc) in italics. Anagrams indicated *(like this) or (like this)*. Link-words in green.

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Independent 12,219 by Bluebird

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Usually I enjoy a Bluebird puzzle, although they are often sneakily hard.

This one left me slightly empty.
I was fully expecting there to be a nice juicy hidden message in the perimeter unches – why else choose this grid design.  Instead it is just gobble-de-gook.
Similarly, there have been interesting themes, especially on a Saturday.  Again, I cannot see a theme here at all. (I do hope I’m proved wrong.)
All the while battling clues that are definitely on the hard side for me.

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