Times cryptic chess clue

[Paul Habershon]

Somewhat tenuous link, but Private Eye 1595 has a cartoon with the Metropolitan Police logo and words, "Potential Crime Pool" alongside. One character explains to two police officers, "A quick win would be to rearrange the letters to better reflect the organisation."

Anyway the anagram was so good I had to share it.

Nice one, Kevin. It's a pity that the Times crossword grid is only 15x15, but it would be ok for the Jumbo.

Re cartoons: not only does the 'Spectator' magazine have Luke McShane's excellent chess column, but it's taken over from the long defunct 'Punch' with its cartoons. Your example above is echoed by a Spectator cartoon of two bewildered members of the public studying a street notice: 'Beware: police operating in this area'.

[Simon Brown]

Here’s a tricky one from today. “Game involving king in victories which are tight? (11)”. I had t as the first letter when I solved it

[Paul Habershon]

Here’s a tricky one from today. “Game involving king in victories which are tight? (11)”. I had t as the first letter when I solved it

Thanks, Simon. I haven't begun today's yet, but that will give me a head start. I certainly needed that T.
The solution prompted me to investigate half-blues at Cambridge University. This particular game is the only one to merit a quarter-blue. I also discovered that chess was the first sport to be granted half-blue status. Lifesaving and Frisbee are among other ones subsequently to award half-blues.

[Simon Brown]

Here's an easier one from today. First one I solved so no letters. "That fellow's blocking Civil Service game (5)"

[Mike Alderson]

The solution is certainly easy, unlike the activity it denotes!

[Richard James]

There was an easy one in Monday's Guardian Cryptic as well:

Powerful piece from rock band (5)

You won't need me to tell you the answer.

[MJMcCready]

Queen I would imagine.

[MJMcCready]

Here’s a tricky one from today. “Game involving king in victories which are tight? (11)”. I had t as the first letter when I solved it

I would be grateful if, when ready, someone could post the answer. I can't get it.

[IM Jack Rudd]

Tiddlywinks, probably.

[Paul Habershon]

Here’s a tricky one from today. “Game involving king in victories which are tight? (11)”. I had t as the first letter when I solved it

I would be grateful if, when ready, someone could post the answer. I can't get it.

Jack's right about TIDDLYWINKS, so your homework now, Mark, is to explain the mechanics of the clue, i.e. parse it. The only chess connection is K for king.

[MJMcCready]

Obviously tidlywinks is a game, with K for king in it.
Victories = wins
Involving = with (K) = winks
Tight victory= difference between competitors is small
Small = tiddly.
Eg, a tiddler is a small fish.

Is the best I can do.

[Paul Habershon]

Obviously tidlywinks is a game, with K for king in it.
Victories = wins
Involving = with (K) = winks
Tight victory= difference between competitors is small
Small = tiddly.
Eg, a tiddler is a small fish.

Is the best I can do.

7/10 for your homework, Mark. Tiddly can mean small, but I think the setter's intention was that tiddly and tight both mean drunk in the sense of tipsy, inebriated etc..
Specifically the K is placed within 'tiddly wins' (=drunken victories) to form the game.
Although the main chess input is K for king (but beware, R is often used for king/queen: rex/regina), the superficial sense of the clue (technically known as the surface) has a chess flavour.

[MJMcCready]

Oh, well that's above my level. Cryptic crosswords aren't my forte.

[Paul Habershon]

Times Monday 29th May
In team playing left half, powerful winger (6)

CASTLE

Here CAST is the team playing (as in the theatre), LE is half of LEFT and 'powerful winger' is supposed to define CASTLE as in chess.

Mentioning this to deplore the perpetuation of the chess rook being called a castle, unfortunately validated by Chambers and Collins dictionaries (among others probably).

Even the concept of the rook being a 'winger' is dubious. Yes, it starts on the edge of the board but thereafter is hardly expected to maintain its position on the 'field' as in football and rugby, for instance. Setters usually use 'winger' for a bird.

There's a Times crossword blog called Times Snitch and contributors there don't like this clue either. It was often their LOI, (last one in).

Incidentally the Sunday Times cryptic clue for KING was simply
I am obliged to avoid capture (4)

Difficult unless you already have ?I?G.

[David Williams]

Incidentally the Sunday Times cryptic clue for KING was simply
I am obliged to avoid capture (4)

Difficult unless you already have ?I?G.

I didn't get it even though I had -I-G.

I assume it works because I AM OBLIGED is TA, and CAPTURE is TAKING, and TAKING avoiding TA is KING, but it's a pretty weak clue, IMO. The definition reading of the clue isn't really accurate.