A personal take on the best dozen Times crossword clues from the last 5 years
Part eleven 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) (this blog)
  12. 2nd position (from Sunday Times puzzle 4659)
  13. In 1st position (from puzzle 25482)

Posted by Andy Brown on 11 December 2017

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3rd position (from Sunday Times puzzle 4687)

The clue at third position in my list is this one:

One may take issue with rising fish stocks (9)

Again, the surface reading is impeccable, but has nothing whatsoever to do with the answer.  Here's an alternative way to read this:

Part Clue Notes
Definition One may take issue One's issue are one's children!
Wordplay with rising fish stocks AND is a synonym for WITH, and a KIPPER is a fish.

This gives the answer KIDNAPPER (because the fish KIPPER stocks AND rising, which works if this is a down and not an across clue).

If you're a fan of this type of construction clue, here are a few more to work on:

Puzzle Clue Answer Help
26003 Attractive copse lawman cut with axes (4) SEXY (COP)SE-XY
25966 Twitter revealed I'm not married (9) SINGLETON SING-LET-ON
25975 Place outside Palladium for follower of pop (7) STEPDAD STE-PD-AD

For the last one, PD is the chemical symbol for Palladium, and a stepdad naturally follows a natural father (or "pop").

  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) (this blog)
  12. 2nd position (from Sunday Times puzzle 4659)
  13. In 1st position (from puzzle 25482)
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