26 The Sunday Times May 29, 2022
PUZZLES
GENERAL KNOWLEDGE JUMBO CROSSWORD 320
1234567 89 10 111213 1415 1617 18 1920 21 22 2324 25 26 2728 29 30 31 3233 34 35 3637 38 3940 4142 43 44CONCISE CROSSWORD 1784
9910 18 2223WARM-UP VERY HARD — PRIZE 1485 KILLER SUDOKU MODERATE
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SUNDAY2 123 John Smith, etc — to 64343 (UK only). Calls
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In the grid, each
number represents
a letter of the
alphabet — all 26
letters are used.
Use the initial clues
in the code table to
work out the rest of
the code.
STUCK? To get
four random extra
letter clues, call
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(Mon-Fri 9am-
5.30pm).CODEWORD
SUDOKU
Each row, column and 3x3 box
must contain the digits 1 to 9.
Winners will receive a Collins
English Dictionary & Thesaurus.
MEPHISTO (^3222) Across
1 Something done about
dolly became harder to
get? (8)
7 Head off to visit relative (4)
11 Who smiles? Gross boozer
in front of the Queen (7)
12 Rapid reaction force
radically (yes) endowed
with bit of temerity (11,
two words)
13 First of the Chinese that
expresses joy finding
Chennai’s station (6)
14 Run in spirits losing
international earners for
Irish? (6)
15 Disconcerting earful for
staff of command (6)
17 Plant is Irish in the first
place (4)
18 As locals have it net
depression results in this
game (8)
21 Scope in Latin according
to assiduous advocate (8)
23 No longer stick with
current rajah’s seat (4)
24 Fine to avoid woman in
the legal profession on
school project (6)
25 Scaffolder’s support
added to report (6)
26 Date Milton’s previously
mentioned wiped out (6)
29 Buzz about dress and, well,
a good impression (11, two
words)
30 Main ensign becomes
dull (7)
31 Regret spinning old
coinage (4)
32 Strong passion in
pilgrim? (8)
FEEDBACK
Comments about our puzzles can be sent to
[email protected] or Puzzles
Editor, The Sunday Times, 1 London Bridge Street,
London SE1 9GF
Across
1 Flourished (9)
7 Cattle farm (5)
9 Garage access (8)
11 Avoid (4)
12 Using air (9)
13 Exploit (3)
14 Horseplay (4,5)
16 Excessively (3)
17 Midweek, to many (9)
19 Object (4)
20 Gave (8)
21 The same (5)
22 Diplomatic office (9)
Down
1234 5 6
78
910
11
12
13
14 15
16
17 18
19
20
21
22
Each number in the main grid can be formed by adding or
multiplying a pair of numbers in the strip below the grid. Each
pair of numbers should be used twice: once as part of an
addition and once as part of a multiplication. For example, a 10
and 24 in the main grid may be solved by the sums, 4 + 6 and 4
x 6, respectively. Enter each sum in the boxes below its answer.
Any blanks in the strip must be deduced, bearing in mind the
numbers are listed in ascending order.
12 34 567 89
10 11
12
13 14
15 16 17
18 19
20 21 22
23 24
25 26 27 28
29
30
31 32
Post your solution to The Sunday Times Mephisto 3222,
PO Box 29, Colchester, Essex CO2 8GZ, or email
[email protected]
The first correct solution picked at random after next
Saturday wins Collins World Atlas: Complete Edition,
worth £30.The next four will receive £20 Waterstones
gift vouchers. Open to 18+ UK & ROI residents only.
The Chambers Dictionary 13th edition is the primary
reference. Readers may email comments or queries to
Paul McKenna at [email protected]
CLUE WRITING CONTEST 1919: YELLOW CARD
You are invited to write a clue for the word above, in our
cryptic crossword style. The best entry selected after
next Saturday wins a £25 Waterstones voucher. Email
your entry to [email protected].
NAME ...................................................................................
ADDRESS...................................................................................
...................................................................................
2 Weighed down (5)
3 Inducements (7)
4 Exceed expectations (11)
5 Desiccate (3)
6 Concerned (7)
8 Inn (8)
10 Devotees (11)
12 Very small (4-4)
14 Optimistic (7)
15 Small falcon (7)
18 Accounting inspection (5)
20 Special care
(abbreviation) (3)
POLYGON
From these letters, make
words of four or more letters,
always including the central
letter. Answers must be in the
Concise Oxford Dictionary,
excluding capitalised words,
plurals, conjugated verbs
(past tense etc), adverbs
ending in LY, comparatives
and superlatives.
How you rate
21 words, average; 29, good;
36, very good; 44, excellent.
Each row, column
and 3x3 box must
contain the digits
1 to 9. The digits
within each group
of cells joined by
dotted lines must
add up to the
figure in the top-
left-hand corner
of each group.
Within each
dotted-line group,
a digit cannot be
repeated.
32 270 27 294
72 55 250 31
26 198 33 69
220 12 207 35
TETONOR HARD
Paul McKenna
1 A soccer player in his own half is always (6)
5 Framework expanding a skirt, fashionable in the 1880s (6)
8 This Japanese city hosted the 1972 Winter Olympic Games (7)
13 Town named after an East Anglian king slain by Vikings (4,2,7)
14 BBC TV series, 2004-2012, starring Robert Glenister and
Adrian Lester as con artists targeting corrupt rich people (6)
15 Barring of pay increases by a government or company (4,6)
16 Woman whose husband is often away for short periods (5,5)
17 Very needy (8)
18 “Whatever piece of business you have in hand [...], do all the
labor it which can then be done” (Abraham Lincoln) (10,2)
20 Type of boat also called a double outrigger (8)
23 Gum-based paint often used by children or beginners (6,6)
24 Michael Collins, Gus Grissom and Helen Sharman, for
example (10)
26 Former BBC North America editor, now the longest-serving
presenter of Today (6,4)
28 BBC TV newsreader, a presenter of Today since 2013 (6,6)
(pictured)
31 The 1960s BBC comedy show The popularised Miriam
Karlin’s slogan “Everybody out!” (3,5)
33 Former BBC political editor, a Today presenter since 2015 (4,8)
34 Not real, deceptive (8)
37 Minstrel in the Robin Hood stories (5-1-4)
39 The Paris Peace Accords signed in 1973 were an attempt to
end this conflict (7,3)
40 In 2019, West Coast replaced former Virgin rail services (6)
41 Stromboli, a volcanic island, is the “Lighthouse of the ____” (13)
42 Children’s modelling compound
developed in Cincinnati in the
1950s, from a wallpaper
cleaning product (4-3)
43 Medium-sized African antelope
which makes spectacular leaps
to avoid predators (6)
44 Excessively or foolishly
affectionate (6)
Across
SUKO
CELL BLOCKS
Place the numbers 1 to 9 in the
spaces so that the number in
each circle is equal to the sum of
the four surrounding spaces,
and each colour total is correct.
2 A decision which is very easy to make (2-7)
3 Haifa, Ashdod or Beersheba resident (7)
4 Hertfordshire town with TV and film studios, where Star
Wars and Holby City have been shot (7)
5 French expression meaning “of course” (4,7)
6 Daily commentator about London life during the 1660s (6,5)
7 Informally, young women recruited for farm work during
both world wars (4,5)
9 Supposed content of a small terracotta trophy awarded to
England cricket captain Ivo Bligh in 1883 (5)
10 Climbing vine with distinctive complex white and purple
blooms (13) (pictured)
11 A principle based on experience rather than theory (4,2,5)
12 An assault on a fortification, using ladders (8)
19 Arresting or stealing (7)
21 Current Today presenter who has previously hosted
Woman’s Hour, Newsnight and The World at One (6,7)
22 Striker who played for Brazil in the 1998, 2002 and 2006
World Cups (7)
25 Instrument used to determine whether surfaces are
horizontal, or vertical (6,5)
26 Czech winner of the 1998 Wimbledon women’s singles (4,7)
27 Travellers’ facilities at Watford Gap, Gordano, Chieveley or
Clacket Lane (7,4)
29 In revolt (2,2,4)
30 Location of the Rijksmuseum and the Anne Frank House (9)
32 Swashbuckling hero of The Three Musketeers (9)
35 Neck cord to which a security badge is often attached (7)
36 Actor who plays Siegfried
Farnon in the Channel 5 series
All Creatures Great and
Small (3,4)
38 In Spanish and Portuguese,
a male friend (5)
Down
Divide the grid into square or
rectangular blocks, each
containing one digit only.
Every block must contain the
number of cells indicated by
the digit inside it.
1 A long lead for hounds? (5)
2 Drink, spirit mostly, that’s
kept in a fancy wagon (9)
3 See story about one
covering boat race in
Docklands? (4)
4 Skunk perhaps behind
low-quality paper plant (7)
5 Home somewhat over-
shadowed by Balmoral? (7)
6 A part of church that
liberal’s left, possibly (9)
7 A flash republican covering
up university affair (5)
8 You might say the Dutch
are ones up for change (9)
13 A berk drunk on table
topless gets smashed
easily (9)
14 What might ruin mother
in a tribunal battle (9)
16 Relief maybe created by
overturned cup result (9)
18 Toff with trapped wind
seen by island capital (7)
19 As a Kent prison closing
early, run to get inside (7)
21 Large piece of egg found
underneath bird book (5)
23 Actively oppose taking
fifth examination (5)
24 Hard to avoid Escort or a
person on horse, say (4)
Down
KENKEN
All the digits 1 to 6 must appear in every
row and column. In each thick-line
“block”, the target number in the top
left-hand corner is calculated from the
digits in all the cells in the block, using
the operation indicated by the symbol.
CROSSWORD 5009 David McLean
12345678
9 10
11 12
13 14 15 16
17 18 19
20 21 22 23
24
25 26
27
Winner 1916: Terry Neale, Orton, Cumbria
Trompe l’oeil: Misleading image of sprawling metropolis is removed and lie rebuffed
For a full report, visit thesundaytimes.co.uk/cluewriting
NAME ...................................................................................
ADDRESS...................................................................................
...................................................................................
1 Reportedly where one
might see vinegar
everywhere (3,4,3,5)
9 Agency work’s attractive if
a bit short on time (7)
10 Type of jacket Barnet
tradesman picked up (7)
11 Rent’s more expensively
priced, so I’m told (4)
12 Walk in America and
berate path in bad
condition (4,3,3)
13 Will possibly split by a good
man and a bad one (7)
15 Land fish around section of
the Thames endlessly (7)
17 Leader of evil movement
creates strong feeling (7)
19 Ways a heavenly body has
earl in its thrall (7)
20 Is thickset criminal more
vulgar than anyone
else? (10)
22 Parrot and primate seen
close to reindeer (4)
25 Not all grab at tutor’s
Italian chopped herbs (7)
26 Great meals, but not any
drinks put on by hotel (4-3)
27 I head to town on tail of
oddly eccentric ruler (8,7)
Across
Down
1 With one steamer
departing doubt
remains (4)
2 Cassio’s to go round
forming new list (7)
3 Pressure on witticism lifting
union agreement? (6)
4 Pay up for heating vessel (4)
5 Grey one’s turning out
sweets (8)
6 Rector’s away making
rubbishy composing, as
before (6)
7 Otherwise again good to
go about neat lack of vital
sine qua non? (6)
8 Out again ringing royal
one up in millions of
cases? (11, three words)
9 Charge is very informally
beyond doubt (8)
10 Change course with career
causing harm? (11, three
words)
15 Nothing in reduced excuse
will support weary staff (8)
16 Overbearing being
egregious about matter
that’s been raised (8)
19 Separate and plunge
once (7)
20 Mahmood’s last in bat,
with one wicket
remaining, giving a nod of
readiness (6, two words)
21 Positive positions for those
of the working class (6)
22 Adult in charge, an early
Asian prince (6)
27 Centre for arrivals
opening in Lerwick? (4)
28 Driver accepting gold
challenge in the
Highlands (4)
The first correct solution opened after next Saturday wins a Cross Townsend black
PVD finish micro-knurl fountain pen worth £175. Three others win £125 Townsend
matte green PVD finish micro-knurl ballpoint pens. All the pens have lifetime
guarantees and embody classic elegance and finesse. Post solutions to: The
Sunday Times Crossword 5009, PO Box 29, Colchester, Essex CO2 8GZ, or email:
[email protected]. Open to 18+ UK & ROI residents only.
BARBARA HALL
We are sorry to tell you that Barbara died recently, aged 99. She started writing crosswords for us in 1973,
was our crossword editor from 1977 to 2010 and launched our concise crossword, clue-writing contest,
and the Bookwise literary quiz. Her life, which included being Africa’s first agony aunt as well as writing
crosswords for many years and in many publications, was described in The Times’s obituary on May 16.
Today’s clue-writing contest details are under the Mephisto crossword.