Times cryptic chess clue

[Joey Stewart]

Do you feel that there is an element of needing to be of the same mindset as the clue setters, thus clueing you in to their way of thinking, and is that particular clue one of good quality (i.e. you could only gain a single answer from your interpretation)?

[Kevin Thurlow]

"Do you feel that there is an element of needing to be of the same mindset as the clue setters, thus clueing you in to their way of thinking, and is that particular clue one of good quality (i.e. you could only gain a single answer from your interpretation)?"

If it is properly clued there is only one answer. Some setters are easier to follow. Many years ago, I did a newspaper crossword on the way to work, and you could tell if the setter had changed for that day of the week!

[IM Jack Rudd]

The late Araucaria was always my favourite cryptic crossword compiler, and once you'd gotten onto his wavelength for a particular crossword, it was generally easy to get most of the answers.

[Simon Brown]

Seeing as everyone loves them so much, here's an easy one from today's Times; "Fellow pupil's swimming group taking winning position (10)"

[Paul Habershon]

Seeing as everyone loves them so much, here's an easy one from today's Times; "Fellow pupil's swimming group taking winning position (10)"

Simon, I like the genuine irony in your opening words. Irony - a word often mistakenly used for coincidence. As in 'Ironically the newly transferred goalkeeper's first game for club x will be against his old club y'.

Anyway: SCHOOLMATE
Definition: Fellow pupil; broken down into two further definitions: 'school'=swimming group (of fish) and 'mate'=winning position.

It is said, and I believe it, that ' The Times' cryptic is slightly easier on Mondays.

[John Clarke]

Tricky one from Friday's Guardian cryptic:

"Old Greek king perhaps banking on one retiring" (6)

- but knowing that chess is somehow involved in this one might be helpful. (Just as one looks that much harder in a chess find-the-winning-move position, knowing already that something is "on".)

[Paul Habershon]

Tricky one from Friday's Guardian cryptic:

"Old Greek king perhaps banking on one retiring" (6)

- but knowing that chess is somehow involved in this one might be helpful. (Just as one looks that much harder in a chess find-the-winning-move position, knowing already that something is "on".)

Can't solve this yet and suspect I would need letters towards it. I guess the definition will be an old Greek, and 'king perhaps' may be MAN, as on the chess board; (NAM if governed by 'retiring').

[Simon Brown]

Paul, I think all your guesses are right. Helps that I have visited the specific part of Greece!

[Paul Habershon]

Paul, I think all your guesses are right. Helps that I have visited the specific part of Greece!

Thanks to the above from Simon I have settled on MINOAN, hopefully not spoiling the fun of too many followers of this thread.

[John Clarke]

Dead right, Paul. I was unable to get it (despite having visited Knossos myself). Lacking time to persevere, I eventually resorted to the Reveal button. (And why does it so often happen that: when you need a crosser or two to solve a clue, you can't solve those bloody clues either?! )

[Paul Habershon]

Yesterday's Times 28,488.
21ac: Support position of white knight in resolution (8)
It surprises me that the setter expects non-chessplayers to know that a white knight starts on b1 (solution ends in BONE)

25ac: Man in stronghold (6)
'Man', unfortunately here in my opinion, refers to a chess piece.
Admittedly Collins defines CASTLE as a chess piece which can move forwards, backwards or sideways. Chambers has 'A rook in chess'.
I tell beginners that if they call a rook a castle we will know they are not a chessplayer.

[John Brewitt]

From today's The Times number 28492: 'Turned up to vet, a step towards getting a mate?' (10,5)

[Paul Habershon]

From today's The Times number 28492: 'Turned up to vet, a step towards getting a mate?' (10,5)

The solution is yet another specialist chess term which non-players may or may not know.

I think some setters must be chess players, but I have yet to see equivalent bridge terms such as 'dummy reversal', 'scissors coup', 'strip squeeze' or 'Stayman'. However, the initial letters of East, West, North and South are often used cryptically for partners or opponents, and I imagine a term such as 'slam' is more part of general knowledge, particularly as it's used in other sports.

[Geoff Chandler]

Today’s Metro 13 down.

“Nobody won: ship’s officer was past his best (9)”

Fairly easy but good to see the answer being used in it’s correct context (Nobody won.) Often you see it being used to describe an ongoing game or debate with no conclusion in sight.)

[Phil Neatherway]

Appear unexpectedly to be pawn ahead (3,2)

Taken from the Times Cryptic Crossword Book 1, puzzle 10.