A personal take on the best dozen Times crossword clues from the last 5 years
Part nine 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) (this blog)
  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)

Posted by Andy Brown on 11 December 2017

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5th position (from puzzle number 26111)

I'm excited!  We've now reached my top five clues from the last five years.  In 5th position is this beauty:

My dog's nose twitches (8)

I love clues like this: where you look at the clue and wonder how you could possibly read it in any other way than the obvious surface reading.  Then you notice the word twitches, which suggests that some letters need rearranging, and realise that the answer is GOODNESS (another exclamation, like My!).

Another excellent anagram clue which didn't quite make the top 12 is this one:

This paper's theme adapted for The Times, perhaps? (7)

The answer is ANAGRAM, of which this is an example.  Unbelievably, THIS PAPERS THEME is an exact anagram of THE TIMES PERHAPS. 

Sometimes you have to wonder just how long it took the setter to come up with a clue like this!

  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) (this blog)
  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)
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