Catnip

Thank you. I thought it was astonishing that 12a was solved without crossers. All being equal, I'd never use that word, but dropping it would have cost me at least one and possibly two thematic entries.

Thanks @illogicaljoker.bsky.social and sorry for the various British content!

They're thinking too small. Why not just drill a pipeline through the earth to save having to go the long way around the surface?

I can, but much better with the right. It's all Roger Moore's fault.

This is one of a number of phrases that are common currency Chez Catnip, despite dating from long before any of us were born.

Sometimes with this one it's just the natural rhythm of what you're saying that brings it unavoidably to mind.

This is interesting. So far, I'm solving and then trying to work out how to manipulate the interface to get it to my answer.

As I was playing around with it, the thought occurred that it might be useful for setters with a tendency to overcomplicate (*ahem*), as it makes the steps more obvious.

In nominative determinism news the former head CIA spy in Moscow was called John Sipher.

Ah, you're right. I only half-parsed the clue, and I forgot about the A. I was thinking "Republican views", using it as noun for wordplay and adjective for surface.

OTOH, Republican = R is fine and dandy, and would be an easy change.

Well done all. @clairebennie.bsky.social seems to be having quite a week.

Sobering to find that I didn't trouble the scorers. 🦆

I think the total of puzzles mentioned was 4,000. By the time they got onto the mazes, I was fully assuming it was going to make no sense.

A mutually supportive nerd commune sounds lovely, and I think accounts for a lot of the book's appeal. I'd love the opportunity to try it, but I'm sure it would be impractical on so many levels, even with a huge inheritance as a starting point.

Yes, I'm sure there are plenty who could be persuaded to offer some thoughts and advice. Do it properly or not at all.

A cryptic schedule for the evening, taken from the book. The two events are: Initially, a round door really introduces new knowledge slowly (6) And: Buff etcher contains a spread (6) Let's say, for the sake of argument, that these assorted puzzle geniuses need something trivial to help them to the answer. That still doesn't excuse the awful surfaces, or most glaringly, the definition apparently lurking in the middle of the wordplay in the first clue.

Not much cryptic content, which may be a blessing. A key character is a legendary Times setter, known by a pseudonym even in the 90s. But in the story, she uses a Quick crossword to convey a message, and what we see of her cryptic skills doesn't inspire much confidence.

Cover of "The Fellowship of Puzzle Makers" by Samuel Burr

Just finished this book, and it feels rather Ludwig. Kind of nice, but also ridiculous, and probably easier to read if you don't know too much about the area.

Hard agree. I arrived at 4 Green after 4 guesses, with most letters eliminated, and stared at it for ages because none of the remaining options were real words. IMNSHO.

That was DROPOUTS - a slightly loose definition, but worth it for the surface.

Anagram (plastic) of POS+TUDOR

"Maybe everyone leaving before the end is plastic P.O.S." - Tudor (8)

#cryptic #crossword

*A bit of both.

But seriously, it was incredibly helpful just to tell myself I had to come up with something and stop fiddling, and that's down to you.

Mini crossword No 225 · MyCrossword Solve Mini crossword No 225 on MyCrossword. 7x7 grid with 8 clues by Catnip. Published Thu 26 Feb 2026. Features annotated solutions and special instructions. Free to solve online.

No real point to this one, except to make myself write something, anything, with a time limit. I have no idea how good it is in general, but some of it was a pleasant surprise.

mycrossword.co.uk/mini/225

I really relate to the comment around 2:30, about test solving both sharpening your thoughts and making you think/realise (delete as appropriate) you suck.

Any time I've done one, there have been a few clues that made me think I'd never come up with something that good.

I don't know about anyone else, but I use the tags primarily to check that I'm not using a device too often or in clusters. I'd use "French" (or better still "Foreign" to include other languages) and "Whimsy" tags, but if I was overdoing them, it should be obvious without tags.

That's ABSTINENCE.

Anagram (mad) of CABINET + SEN - sent almost.

I think it's a much better (if slightly loose) definition of "sexual economy" than whatever's in Kruger's head.

Well, the reason I hate it is also the reason I probably need it, so 🤷‍♂️

I'd like to try to set something in a short timescale (as SFD), but being realistic, that's likely to be a mini to start off with.

Ah, I think it's a great idea in principle, especially for unblocking creativity in perfectionists. But in practice it gives me major ick - see above. 😂

Impressive. I wish I could work at that speed on anything, let alone a fun, interesting idea.

Starting to get curious now.

Cabinet sent almost mad supplying sexual economy? (10)

👏🥳

Yay for Sideways Slippy-Slidy Downhill BMX Pairs, or whatever it's called. 🥇

Oh, why did I have that wrong in my head? Jolly good stuff either way.

I've said in the past that part of the trouble is solvers. Not you, but the body of lifelong solvers who've learnt conventions and definitions that were rather dated even when they started solving.

What the median solver understands and appreciates effectively sets boundaries for a setter.