Recently I asked if people could spot what I DON’T DO in my crosswords. (My list covers the whole cryptic crossword spectrum, including the entire crossword, grid, types of clues and devices.) One poster suggested that I didn’t seem to use clue cross-referencing, and too some extent that’s true. As with all things regarding my crosswords, I have carefully considered my use of clue cross-referencing.
I don’t set out to create 15×15 regularly-published crosswords with a theme that would involve many clues carrying references to other clues. Why? I don’t like solving that style of crossword myself. If I pick up such a crossword to solve (even by a setter I like) and see heavy cross-referencing, I won’t even start it. (A particular dislike is a clue that refers to another clue that in turn refers to another.) However my regular crosswords may contain either an overt or covert cross-reference if the opportunity arises during the clueing phase – I don’t set out to make it happen.
I have done larger holiday puzzles with themes and those have contained cross-referencing. Larger puzzles can swallow a theme more easily and any cross-referencing doesn’t tend to dominate the overall look of the puzzles. When I do this, I tend to only use one answer in the cross-referencing so the solver doesn’t have keep flitting around the crossword. I have one other “rule” when using cross-referencing: any clue that uses it must still have good surface reading when the answer from referenced clue is substituted in.
| Across | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | CARES | |
| Minds gentle touch nearly going all the way (5) | CARES(s) | |
| 4 | PURCHASED | |
| Pure, mostly pure sound, should be picked up (9) | PUR(e) + sounds like CHASTE | |
| 9 | RADIO BEACON | |
| Once aboard, I activated transmitter used for navigation (5,6) | Anagram of ONCE ABOARD I | |
| 10 | ALL | |
| Section of criminal law without exception (3) | criminAL Law | |
| 11 | ESCHEWED | |
| Shell of eggs, munched up, should be avoided? (8) | E)gg(S + CHEWED | |
| 12 | MYOPIA | |
| My surgery leads to infection and awkward problem with vision (6) | MY + OP + (I)infection + (A)wkward | |
| 14 | TURN | |
| Change temperature used by water heater (4) | T + URN | |
| 15 | EYEBALLED | |
| Confronted, I cried out loud (9) | Sounds like I BAWLED | |
| 17 | ENCOUNTER | |
| Come across men, after opening, sitting next to bar (9) | m(EN) + COUNTER | |
| 19 | LASS | |
| Skirts not worn by stylish young girl? (4) | c)LASS(y | |
| 22 | ADRIFT | |
| Notice break in friendly relations is without purpose (6) | AD + RIFT | |
| 23 | DISALLOW | |
| Veto is applied in amendment to old law (8) | IS inside anagram of OLD LAW | |
| 25 | KEA | |
| Expanse of lake amazed NZ flyer (3) | laKE Amazed | |
| 26 | AT THE MOMENT | |
| People featured in loosely-bound tome that should be right now (2,3,6) | MEN inside anagram of TOME THAT | |
| 27 | TREASURES | |
| Values firm externally impacted by change in rates (9) | SURE inside anagram of RATES | |
| 28 | TUTOR | |
| Express disapproval or give individual instruction (5) | TUT + OR | |
| Down | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | CORNER THE MARKET | |
| Those people entertained by rocker aren’t prepared to establish exclusivity (6,3,6) | THEM inside anagram of ROCKER ARENT | |
| 2 | REDUCER | |
| Agent used when developing colour on woven ecru (7) | RED + anagram of ECRU | |
| 3 | SHOWER | |
| One who indicates way to get clean (6) | Double Definition | |
| 4 | PRECEDENTS | |
| Parking study, conducted in secret, reviewed previous cases? (10) | P + (DEN inside anagram of SECRET) | |
| 5 | RACE | |
| Career people (4) | Double Definition | |
| 6 | HANDYMAN | |
| Repairer by the way diverted many behind hospital (8) | (AND + anagram of MANY) after H | |
| 7 | SCALPEL | |
| Trace of phosphorus in hard skin located with long sharp knife (7) | P inside SCALE + L | |
| 8 | DULL AS DISHWATER | |
| Hard duellist was terribly boring (4,2,9) | Anagram of HARD DUELLIST WAS | |
| 13 | HEARTINESS | |
| Judges accepting points with cordiality (10) | HEARS (verb) outside TINES | |
| 16 | RUFFIANS | |
| Bullies disrupted funfairs (8) | Anagram of FUNFAIRS | |
| 18 | CARTAGE | |
| Cost of moving label accepted by management (7) | TAG inside CARE | |
| 20 | AILMENT | |
| Radiotherapy originally not used in treatment of terminal disease (7) | Anagram of TERMINAL minus (R)adiotherapy | |
| 21 | LAYOUT | |
| Arrangement left a teenager a little short (6) | L + A + YOUT(h) | |
| 24 | STAR | |
| Major amount of dirt rinsed from leaves of mustard (4) | MUSTARD minus MUD |
I enjoyed last weeks puzzle, being a former chemist (reducer) , teacher (dull,as,dishwater) and now running a vineyard (cartage). Also looking for a job as an editor (extent rather than extend).
Fixed! Thanks.
(no matter how many times I read what I’ve written, mistakes creep in)
Stickler
I particularly liked the “sounds like” clues in this one: 4ac & 15ac.