Anax in the Independent tomorrow

Could be interesting, this. As a setter, when you look over a completed puzzle there are usually a modest number of clues where you say to yourself “That worked well” and, equally, some which elicit a degree of regret because – try as you might – you couldn’t phrase it exactly as you wanted and ended up with something of a compromise. And yet, when it comes to the blogs, you can find that your favourite clues go pretty much unnoticed and the meh ones get raved about. We’re always ready to be surprised.

It’s quite unusual for a crossword editor to pass an overall comment on the puzzle (the editor’s job is primarily to look for errors or looseness) but I was delighted when Eimi used the phrase ‘insanely good’ about the anagrams and realisation of theme for tomorrow’s effort. Two things: obviously, it will be fascinating to see if Eimi’s assessment is backed up by reaction tomorrow but, secondly, it also goes to show that an editor can have a different opinion to the setter. I’m not saying I’m anything less than satisfied with the puzzle (had that been the case I wouldn’t have submitted it) but, on completion, it was for me just a case of being relieved to have got a decent number of thematic references in, and a reasonable number of clues that made me smile. I was happy with it, but not jumping up and down with glee.

Is it the case, I wonder, that when you’re targeting completion of at least three puzzles a week you’re just happy to be sticking to the timetable? You know deep down that a puzzle is ‘good’ but you don’t have time to let that sink in because you’re already making a start on the next?

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