CancelReport This Post

Please fill out the form below with your name, e-mail address and the reason(s) you wish to report this post.

 

Crossword Help Forum
Forum Rules

geeker

2nd August 2025, 00:58
Thanks to Fed, a relative newcomer to the Prize slot.

I found this Prize-worthy and an enjoyable challenge. Felt difficult and I feared DNF, but solving time wound up just a couple of minutes under Prize norm.

Tough but worthwhile effort. Had to fill in the grid by dribs and drabs, but lots of fun PDM along the way. Quite a bit of unusual and "outside the box" wordplay including disguised definitions, which is always welcome.

No theme or Nina AFAICT.

FOI 5. LOI 3, which was a real challenge and greatly extended solving time.

Co-COD 3, 10, 18 and 6. Also enjoyed 15, 26 and 30, to name a few.
1 of 71  -   Report This Post

geeker

2nd August 2025, 01:01
Forgot to mention there's a funny (?) and unusual Pauline entry which some might find a bit indecorous. 😬
2 of 71  -   Report This Post

ilippu

2nd August 2025, 01:07
Agree. Tough, satisfying.

6d, top fav and 3, 10, 18 follow closely.

Plus 14a, 5a, 4d and 9d make my list

3 of 71  -   Report This Post

brendan

2nd August 2025, 01:33
I can't recall coming across Fed before and my first impression was that this was going to very difficult but, thankfully, bit by bit things started falling into place.

There is still one clue that, even though I'm sure of my answers, some of the parsing still eludes me...

20d - I can see a 4 letter "boss" and a 4 letter "Peter out" but they seem to be sharing a letter and the answer is only 7 letters?

COD: 3d and 10a but there were many contenders.

Thanks to Fed to a challenging but very rewarding Prize crossword:-)
4 of 71  -   Report This Post

brendan

2nd August 2025, 01:34
20a - I'm an idiot - please ignore my request for parsing.
5 of 71  -   Report This Post

brendan

2nd August 2025, 01:35
Sorry, I meant 20d (told you I'm an idiot)
6 of 71  -   Report This Post

rogissimo

2nd August 2025, 01:36
Agree with geeker and ilippu. Started far later than usual because I was at a party, hoped to finish it on the train journey home but that was over-optimistic!
FOI 12, LOI slightly ridiculously 1, esp as I got 17 long before.
COD? On reflection so many contenders, but I did like said 17 -but also 24, 5, 6….
Many good surfaces, more please, Fed.
7 of 71  -   Report This Post

rogissimo

2nd August 2025, 01:39
Interesting to see that our CsOD vary so widely on this occasion, which I think only goes to show how good a crossword this is.
8 of 71  -   Report This Post

swarbrules

2nd August 2025, 01:41
Held up for a long time in the north west. Then, eventually, managed to reverse engineer 3 down, which gave the rest.
9 of 71  -   Report This Post

rogissimo

2nd August 2025, 01:42
‘what a good crossword this is,’ I meant. I told you I’d been partying.
10 of 71  -   Report This Post