Not the Saturday Prize Puzzle – 072
A Puzzle by Prolixic
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Welcome to the latest in our series of weekly puzzles.
This week we have another puzzle from our very own Prolixic.
Author: Prolixic
NTSPP – 071 (Review)
Not the Saturday Prize Puzzle – 071
A Puzzle by Boaz
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Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
A warm welcome to Boaz with his debut puzzle on NTSPP. Boaz is an old hand on the DIY Clue of the Week contest and has had two puzzles published on Alberich’s crossword site and, I think, another on Anax’s site (I cannot immediately locate those crosswords. They may have been lost to posterity when the site moved to a new server). If he has other puzzles published, I have not come across them, which, given the quality of this crossword, is my loss.
This was not a fiendish puzzle. It probably took me about the same amount of time as today’s Telegraph prize crossword. The cluing was precise and fair and there were some smiles on the way. I am still blushing at 10a. I am not sure my web filters will allow me to research the imagery required to explain it.
I have highlighted my favourite clues below in blue. Please give your own words of encouragement and comments below.
NTSPP – 070 (Review)
Not the Saturday Prize Puzzle – 070 (Review)
A Puzzle by Quaiteaux
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One of the joys of the Not The Saturday Prize Puzzle is the diversity of the setters from young (and no so young) beginners to established hands. Today, we have a puzzle from one of the established hands, Qauiteaux, whose puzzles periodically grace the pages of the Independent. I think that I this may be the first NTSPP by a female setter – I don’t know why, but women are greatly underrepresented in the pantheon of crossword setters. On the evidence of this crossword, this is a great shame.
NTSPP – 069 (Review)
Not the Saturday Prize Puzzle – 069 (Review)
Menagerie by Radler
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Radler has produced a jam packed grid for our entertainment today with 40 clues and only one obscure answer in the lot. Add to that a theme (a menagerie of animals) that link all the across clues and you have one amazing crossword.
Radler’s crosswords tend to be at the tougher end of the NTSPP spectrum but this week he has produced a much more accessible crossword with some delightful clues and varied wordplay. Many thanks to him for the entertainment.
I have highlighted my favourite clues below in blue.
NTSPP – 068 (Review)
Not the Saturday Prize Puzzle – 068 (Review)
Map by Elgar / Enigmatist
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For the uninitiated, Sloggers and Betters (a spoonerism of Bloggers and Setters) is a convivial evening involving lots of alcohol and a meal when setters of crosswords, bloggers and solvers meet in a pub and then a nearby restaurant. It usually, but not exclusively, follows the lunch given by the Times for its crossword setters.
The 8th Sloggers and Betters meeting took place at the Ship & Shovell (whose address and other London landmarks appear in the crossword). Ignoring the first and last letters, the top left to bottom right diagonal of grid features the name of the pub.
It was a pleasure to meet many familiar setters this year including Cephas, Giovanni, Shamus, Notabalis, Micawber and many others including John Henderson (Elgar) who with his wife Jane organised this year’s meeting. In honour of the occasion, Elgar prepared this crossword for those attending which he kindly allowed to be published as a NTSPP.
ST 2589
Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2589
A full review by Prolixic
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Crypticsue is sunning herself in foreign climes so I have the honour the blogging a Virgilius crossword for the first time. This was not Virgilius at his most devious but even with his more straightforward crosswords there are the usual penny drop moments, supreme craftsmanship in the clues and all round enjoyment. Many thanks to him for the Sunday morning treat.
After last week’s triple letter solutions, I was on the look out for any similar themes or devices in the grid but was not able to spot any.
I have highlighted my favourite clues in blue, top of which were the wonderfully misleading 4d and great all in one clue in 11d.
Please leave a comment telling us what you thought. You can also add your assessment by selecting from one to five stars at the bottom of the post.
NTSPP – 067 (Comments)
Not the Saturday Prize Puzzle – 067
A Puzzle by Prolixic
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Welcome to the latest in our series of weekly puzzles.
This week Prolixic returns to entertain us.
NTSPP – 066 (Review)
Not the Saturday Prize Puzzle – 066 (Review)
A Puzzle by Hieroglyph
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A very warm welcome to our new setter Hieroglyph with an entertaining and not too difficult debut puzzle with a good range of clues and not many niggles. More of the same please! Let us know your comments and leave words of encouragement for the newcomer below.
I am off to a wedding today so am preparing this in advance. Many thanks to Big Dave for advance sight of the puzzle and congratulations to John and Naomi on their big day.
This crossword contains a mini-theme based around the events of May 5th which may help in filling in some of the answers.
NTSPP – 065 (Review)
Not the Saturday Prize Puzzle – 065 (Review)
Smoke and Mirrors by Radler
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Radler has relented and given us a gentler crossword this week! It was very enjoyable to solve with only a hint here and there of his more devious wordplay. I have highlighted my favourite clues in blue.
To solve the puzzle, you need to look at 13d as this provides the key to many of the other solutions.
NTSPP – 064 (Review)
Not the Saturday Prize Puzzle – 064 (Review)
64 by Anax
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When BD told me Anax had a themed puzzle for number 64, I had visions of another song based puzzle (When I’m 64). Instead we have an excellent puzzle with a mini-theme of notable events / things in 1964.
This review is rather brief as I am not available on Saturday so am preparing this in advance.
Many thanks to Anax for the crossword.