A few weeks ago a regular contributor and friend, Steve, pointed out a flaw in one of my clues: Author’s claim must be heard (5). Take a look a the discussion here. It took me a while to understand exactly what the problem was, probably explaining how the flaw wasn’t spotted during clueing or checking. It was simple really, I’d combined two incompatible techniques but failed to notice. As I thought more about what Steve had highlighted, I realised this was a technical issue, not an error that would stop a solver, like a missing letter in an anagram or a misspelt answer. I believe 99% of solvers aren’t concerned about technical errors largely because they don’t hinder solving and the goal of most solvers is simply to complete each clue. This doesn’t change my approach, as I aim to entertain 100% of my solvers and make my crosswords accessible to all. This whole event has got me thinking more about the different types of solvers out there, and I’ll aim to profile these types over the coming weeks. Different crossword styles have evolved largely due to variations in solvers’ expectations and skill, not the other way around. A supportable claim? We shall see.
| Across | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | SIMPLIFY | |
| Popularise one starring in remake of spy film (8) | I inside anagram of SPY FILM | |
| 5 | CRIMES | |
| Lawbreakers are responsible for many millions put into appeals (6) | M inside CRIES | |
| 10 | UNSOPHISTICATED | |
| Muddled up decisions that should be straightforward (15) | Anagram of UP DECISIONS THAT | |
| 11 | SOUND BITE | |
| Grab reliable ecstasy after dash (5,4) | SOUND + (E after BIT) | |
| 12 | MISER | |
| Some bloke with no time for cheapskate (5) | MISTER minus T | |
| 13 | DISH | |
| Pastry missing an item from the kitchen (4) | DANISH minus AN | |
| 15 | SOLOIST | |
| Single performer, as reported, is supported by group (7) | SO + (IS inside LOT) | |
| 18 | ISTHMUS | |
| Constriction is so developed around swimmer’s heart (7) | IS + [THUS outside SWI(M)MER] | |
| 20 | BAND | |
| Leader of brigade as well as troop (4) | (B)RIGADE + AND | |
| 23 | LURID | |
| Substance of slur, ideally, should be sensational (5) | sLUR IDeally | |
| 24 | ENDOSCOPE | |
| Abnormal nodes get through medical probe (9) | Anagram of NODES + COPE | |
| 26 | METHAMPHETAMINE | |
| Ice, say, coped with meat the pieman ordered (15) | MET + HAM + anagram of THE PIEMAN | |
| 27 | TIDIED | |
| It turned, stayed low and straightened (6) | IT reversed + DIED | |
| 28 | AS I SEE IT | |
| A family member, heading to exhibition match, turned round IMO (2,1,3,2) | A + SIS + (E)XHIBITION + (TIE reversed) | |
| Down | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | SQUASH | |
| Vegetable juice that’s been watered down (6) | Double Definition | |
| 2 | MUSEUM | |
| Benefit held in quiet building of historical importance (6) | USE inside MUM | |
| 3 | LIPID | |
| Cap filled with one soft, oily substance (5) | LID outside (I + P) | |
| 4 | FAIRISH | |
| Quite light mixture of gases inhaled by swimmer (7) | AIR inside FISH | |
| 6 | ROCKMELON | |
| Toss pureed lemon with fruit (9) | ROCK + anagram of LEMON | |
| 7 | MATESHIP | |
| Teams exploited cool bond between close friends (8) | Anagram of TEAMS + HIP | |
| 8 | SIDERITE | |
| Iron ore division defined procedure (8) | SIDE + RITE | |
| 9 | ATHENS | |
| Sequence shown by Atlanta, then Sydney, and …? (6) | atlantA THEN Sydney | |
| 14 | IMMEDIATE | |
| Direct forms of communication, in time, stuffed up (9) | MEDIA inside anagram of TIME | |
| 16 | DIPLOMAT | |
| Decline fortune divided up by academic person with negotiating skills (8) | DIP + (LOT outside MA) | |
| 17 | ITERATED | |
| Repeated measure described in new-fangled diet (8) | RATE inside anagram of DIET | |
| 19 | SHERPA | |
| Experienced climber, perhaps, worked without pressure once (6) | Anagram of PERHAPS minus P | |
| 20 | BAD NEWS | |
| Broadcast’s beginning and end was terribly upsetting stuff (3,4) | (B)ROADCAST + anagram of END WAS | |
| 21 | BOVINE | |
| Stupid boy pruned woody climbing plant (6) | (BO)Y + VINE | |
| 22 | REGENT | |
| Governor, for example, given marginal support by faction (6) | EG inside RENT | |
| 25 | SCAMS | |
| Small computers uploaded fraudulent activities (5) | (S + MACS) reversed |
When I was solving “Author’s claim must be heard”, it didn’t enter my head that it might be a technically deficient clue. I approached it as follows:
* For the surface, read “Author’s” as possessive
* To solve the clue, read it as “Author is”, which gives ” is ”
Would “Author’s claim being heard” be a technically better clue?
Regarding where I fit on the solver-type spectrum: I’m a stickler for a few things:
* A flowing, non-clunky surface
* An accurate definition. Quirky is good.
* Precise construction.
However, I’m clearly not as much of a stickler as some, based on my view of “Author’s claim…”
Sorry, there was a typo in the 4th line of my previous comment. It should read:
* To solve the clue, read it as “Author is”, which gives ”definition IS construction”