Putting the words to lights – crossword clues explained in plain English
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Solvers who have previously encountered Chalicea will know that they can expect a fair and entertaining – but not too tough – challenge, and an endgame which will leave no room for doubt that it has been successfully negotiated.
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To say that Chalicea is a prolific setter is akin to describing Elon Musk as quite well off. As with any puzzle by my fellow EV blogger, we can expect sound clues, accurate definitions, and a level of difficulty towards the lower end of the spectrum.
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My fellow blogger needs no introduction, but suffice to say that we can expect fair clues, plenty of thematic material, and a challenge likely to be more entertaining than arduous.
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I learn from an interview with The Guardian that “Chalicea began as a simple merging of CHARLES (husband) and ALICE (mum). Doc, the editor of 1 Across magazine, accidentally added the A and it stuck.” My fellow blogger also on occasion goes under the names Curmudgeon and Gnomie (suggesting a tight fist and a pointy head?), and has a reputation for producing entertaining and scrupulously fair puzzles which tend to inhabit the lower end of the difficulty spectrum.
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I’m delighted to have been given the chance to blog some more EVs, starting with this offering from my fellow hintster and tipster. A prolific setter, Chalicea has a reputation for producing highly accessible puzzles; her definitions, whether of answers or wordplay elements, are usually very precise, often closely matching those found in Chambers.