I can’t help thinking that the Crossword Editor must surely put on one side the crosswords that appeal to him the most, for use in the Championships proper, but also in other high profile situations such as these qualification days. So that would make this example “easy but good,” and I wouldn’t disagree with that as an assessment. I enjoyed it, anyway. At least, I did do until I discovered – via a kind informant – that this crossword has been seen before. It is nearly identical to crossword 25,205 dated 3 July, 2012. The answers are exactly the same, except for 7ac which is HUB(by) instead of HOB. One or two clues are a little different, eg 1ac, but most are unchanged.
That being the case, and since this crossword is now a week old anyway, there seems no point at all in me writing a second blog for it. Instead click here to see the one Topical Tim has already done, for the original version.
If anyone has any queries just ask (here, not on the old blog) and I, or someone, will be happy to answer
At least at the Times Crossword editor’s end of things, I understand this duplication is just an embarrassing mistake. Maybe a file just got misplaced, or something. I have noticed in the past that certain compilers have something of a penchant for recycling individual clues, but I don’t recall seeing an entire crossword duplicated before. Needless to say, I noticed nothing amiss when I solved it, my memory for old clues is terrible. And indeed it is a pleasant enough crossword, as mentioned above. but what with one thing and another, one has to say that the Times has not exactly covered itself in glory or got its 2013 Championships off to a flying start! Most of all, I miss the “vintage” crosswords that were provided last year. I know not everyone likes them but I do, and I particularly love the contrast between their woolly creativity and the tight, disciplined efforts we are given today. It is like watching Fangio, Ascari or Farina racing their Alfa Romeos and Mercedes in the 1950s, compared to Button, Hamilton and Alonso nowadays. Slower, less precise, but I know which I prefer…
I’ll second your call for more of those vintage alternatives. I’ve become much fonder of them in the last year or two and really enjoy the challenge. Solving them involves a lot of intuition and instinct (and a bit of finger crossing, to which probably even Fangio was no stranger).
To add to the cock-up woes, we still don’t have an answer to Penfold’s question about how to enter the Quals via the Club puzzles (http://times-xwd-times.livejournal.com/959699.html). Not that I’m in the stakes.
Edited at 2013-04-24 05:47 am (UTC)
The folk on the Crossword Club forum were more helpful, especially Val Law who posted a link to the entry form which I attached to the grid (printed from the club site) and sent off with my £15. It’s very nice of the organisers to excuse me from paying again when I resubmit an entry.
Edited at 2013-04-24 07:57 am (UTC)
What with this fiasco and the continuing cock-up regarding subscription renewals and Club membership generally, one fears for the future. It’s hard to imagine what can be so difficult to organise the Times crossword activities so that they run smoothly.
After too much unwelcome attention from the IRS, I gave up my UK bank account years ago so I had to ask my sister to write a cheque for me (thank goodness I don’t have to ask her for another) and then scan and email her my entry and personal info (thanks Vallaw) so she could send it in for me. What a complete Horlicks. I seem to remember they used to make the qualifiers non-interactive.
This one took me 17 minutes – as noted above, a way to make fools like me think they can compete. I had no recollection of its twin either.