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A personal take on the best dozen Times crossword clues from the last 5 years
Part thirteen of a thirteen-part series of blogs

In addition to computer training, Andy Brown is also an addict of the Times Crossword. In this blog Andy takes a break from blogging on software to list his 12 favourites clues from the last 5 years of puzzles.

  1. 12 best Times Cryptic Crossword clues of the last 5 years?
  2. 12th position (from puzzle number 26670)
  3. 11th position (from puzzle number 26345)
  4. 10th position (from Sunday Times puzzle 4698)
  5. 9th position (from puzzle number 26796)
  6. 8th position (from Jumbo crossword puzzle number 1171)
  7. 7th position (from puzzle 25442)
  8. 6th position (from puzzle 26322)
  9. 5th position (from puzzle number 26111)
  10. 4th position (from puzzle number 26734)
  11. 3rd position (from Sunday Times puzzle 4687)
  12. 2nd position (from Sunday Times puzzle 4659)
  13. In 1st position (from puzzle 25482) (this blog)

Posted by Andy Brown on 11 December 2017

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In 1st position (from puzzle 25482)

It's not the cleverest clue in this blog, but the surface reading conjures up a picture so tragic that for me it provides the best clue I've seen in the last five years:

For him art comes with a cost, unfortunately (8)

The answer is CASTRATO, the word for a male singer castrated before puberty.

The cognoscenti call this type of clue &Lit, in which the whole of the clue gives the word play and the whole of the clue also gives the definition.

I hope you've enjoyed reading this blog!  For further reading, try these sites:

Website Notes
The Times crossword You may have to subscribe to the Times to view this, unfortunately.
Times for the Times A blog giving the solutions to each day's Times crossword (apart from the prize puzzles on Saturday and Sunday, the solutions to which appear a week later).

I've also created a discussion forum on the Times site for anyone who doesn't want to have to log on to our website to leave a comment.

  1. 12 best Times Cryptic Crossword clues of the last 5 years?
  2. 12th position (from puzzle number 26670)
  3. 11th position (from puzzle number 26345)
  4. 10th position (from Sunday Times puzzle 4698)
  5. 9th position (from puzzle number 26796)
  6. 8th position (from Jumbo crossword puzzle number 1171)
  7. 7th position (from puzzle 25442)
  8. 6th position (from puzzle 26322)
  9. 5th position (from puzzle number 26111)
  10. 4th position (from puzzle number 26734)
  11. 3rd position (from Sunday Times puzzle 4687)
  12. 2nd position (from Sunday Times puzzle 4659)
  13. In 1st position (from puzzle 25482) (this blog)
This blog has 1 thread Add post
horsegunner   Reply to horsegunnerReply
11 Jun 19 at 13:11

Also, CASTRATO is an angagram of (art + a cost) - that's what 'unfortunately' points towards I think.

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