This edition covers:

1. A review of the November Extra 2022 Tie-break crossword
2. 2022 3D World Championship results
3. 2022 RPM Trophy results
4. A new award: 2022 OBERTO Solver of the Year
5. Choosing the grids for the 2024 3D calendar
6. Invitation to the 3D Crossword Presentation Lunch 31st March 2023
7. Komorník's crossword challenge
8. A reminder of upcoming deadlines

Clues by Raich and Grid by Bozzy

Theme: 3D Crosswords Calendar

The winner of the November Extra puzzle is Heather Knowles of Leamington Spa.

Raich and Bozzy were not in a vindictive mood when they composed this ingenious puzzle. After all, we don't really want to deprive people of the chance to become World Champion, do we? No, we don't. Appearances may sometimes be very deceptive, but we really are not like that.

However, if the puzzle was on the easy side, it was none the less ingenious. Raich did a fine job in disguising the thematic solutions, so that it was only when the BLIND MICE followed the THREE-DIMENSIONAL CROSSWORD PUZZLES and the MUSKETEERS that the point became clear. Incidentally, the clue for BLIND MICE is one of those cleverly-misleading ones, where a participle which appears to belong to one noun turns out to belong to another. How gratifying when for our crossword purposes the sort of clumsy ambiguity so practised by careless journalists — 'lying at the bottom of the ocean, I can see that the wreck will be hard to salvage' etc. — makes a good cryptic indication. 

It is another feather in the cap of Bozzy that she produced such a thematic grid. Fitting in a lot of three-based expressions is an achievement. And what a lovely, emblematic grid it is! While solving it I began to feel that, rather than a late-autumn tie-breaker, it deserved a place as perhaps a January puzzle, setting out the stall on which later gems would be hung. Perhaps a shame that the grid's shape is now 'out of the bag' — or the glasses-case — but could it not be reused at some point in the future? It has a lot going for it. Although the D part seems to offer many unchecked letters, in fact the grid thereby shows just how three-D puzzles work, since the up/down clues (all down here, but never mind) are so vital to the solving. It's a beautifully relevant and functional grid, as well as offering fertile ground for new creations. Come on, all you ingenious would-be World Champions, what about some other large-scale letters, figures or emblems?

The entries themselves were mostly found without the dictionary, though the surprising TREBLE-DATED had to be found to be believed; TRIAPSAL made sense, but needed checking; OREXIN (does, or did, anyone really ever say 'Nix'?) had to be constructed and then located, but that and the easily-found DOO were the only vertical lights that caused difficulties. I think it is to Bozzy's and Raich's credit that those crucial down entries were generally straightforward words, clued in a friendly manner.

I am confident that if anyone managed (for example) Soup and Shark along the way to collecting a full score, they will not have stumbled here, and they will have had a few smiles along the way. 

AGC

Grid Solution

The two-part challenge resulted in a very close finish between first and second places, and our congratulations go to the winning duo Heather Knowles & Chris Cooper, and to all our competitors. We hope more of you will join in the annual competitions next year; if you don’t have a go, you might never realise your expertise in clue setting and/or grid design.

The clues were judged by Shirley and Charles Curran, whom we thank for their clear and interesting conclusions.

Awards will be presented at a lunch in Cambridge on 31st March 2023.

1. Grid design

The top three grid submissions were:

Heather Knowles & Chris Cooper (Calluna): This is an excellent grid containing a marvellously ingenious idea resulting in a very clever Easter Egg, making it an ideal crossword for our calendar.  A theme of 21% seems low but will make perfect sense when spotted by our solvers.

Garry Stripling (Gin): Another marvellous grid with some excellent snakes, enhancing the overall design.  62% themed cells is high but does not detract from the difficulty or interest of this puzzle.  There is a fun Easter Egg.

Rachel Sheldon (Rikki): A very good theme and an excellent Easter Egg make this a very interesting and well designed grid with a couple of very good snakes. 33% well-chosen themed words.

2. Clues

Two clue submissions received the highest rating of Very Highly Commended. 

From Max Jackson:

Carol is returning fast by Tesla (6,5)

IS rev + LENT + NIGH + T.  By = near = nigh might be a stretch but I think I've seen it used before.

for SILENT NIGHT.

VERY HIGHLY COMMENDED. This is, without question, a challenging pair of words to clue and this setter’s very succinct attempt deserves high praise. The carol definition is deceptively incorporated into the clue. Chambers (which has to be our Bible for all our clues) doesn’t exactly justify the by = nigh (it gives nigh as near to and by as only near) but the lovely surface sense of Carol driving that Tesla home in the dark really produces a smile. 

From Abby Braunsdorf:

Subject of Carol, heathen? Not I among Robin Hood's gang. (5,9)

For MERRY GENTLEMEN.

VERY HIGHLY COMMENDED. We recognize that the compiler requires her solvers to remove I from GENTILE and Chambers gives ‘heathen’ as its third definition of Gentile so this works as a subtle and succinct clue.

From Heather Knowles & Chris Cooper:

Listening in despair — occasional hits on the back ensures no snoring (6,5)

for SILENT NIGHT.

HIGHLY COMMENDED. The clue earned a smile though we had trouble accepting that ‘Silent Night’ was defined by the words ‘No snoring’. Indeed ‘in despair’ was an entertaining anagram indicator and LISTENING was a fine find, with HiTs tagged on at the end to complete the night. Comedy and succinctness earn praise for this clue.

High spirited Cavaliers found in the King’s Head at closing time (5,9)

For MERRY GENTLEMEN.

In the English Civil War both the Roundheads (Parliamentarians) and the Cavaliers (Royalists) used to billet their troops in alehouses, taverns and inns. As the progress of the war swung in favour of one side and then the other, an alehouse would change its name from say, the King’s Head to the Nag’s Head and back again.

HIGHLY COMMENDED. This clue stands out because of its very succinct and appropriate definition. The compilers’ little historical note is there to justify the compilers’ placing of these merry gentlemen in the ‘King’s Head’ but this historical text is slightly redundant in the context of a crossword clue where the wordplay ideally needs to verbally enhance the definition rather than give a second or double definition.

Overall World Championship Winners

Combining both grid and clue results, first, second and third places for the World Championship are:

⭐ 1st: Heather Knowles & Chris Cooper — Grid 1st=; Clues HC/HC

⭐ 2nd: Garry Stripling — Grid 1st=; Clues C/HC

⭐ 3rd: Max Jackson — Grid 4th; Clues C/VHC

The competition was so close that to give separating marks was very difficult and from 1st to 4th the quality was high. We do hope more people will give this a go in future as there is no entry requirement of puzzle solving or any other consideration.

⭐ Winner: Nick Inglis (etc)

This grid is a thing of beauty and I had to ensure I judged it on its merits and not its looks.  The 40% themed words can be interpreted in several ways so that nothing is made too obvious too early.  All the words fit neatly into the grid, and there are a couple of interesting Easter Eggs.

⭐ 2nd: Heather Knowles & Chris Cooper (Calluna)

A really well designed grid with a high percentage of themed words: 65%.  The theme does not lend itself to easy solving so the percentage enhances the puzzle.  All words fit neatly into the design and there are two very good Easter Eggs.

⭐ 3rd: Garry Stripling (Gin)

A very interesting grid with an excellent  Easter Egg and some really good snakes.  This grid’s only negative is the large number of clues which make it more difficult to fit into a calendar.

⭐ 4th: Pam Dudgeon (Patch)

An attractive grid with a theme our solvers will enjoy.  Good Easter Eggs and a couple of very good snakes add to the enjoyment.

OBERTO, aka Robert Boot, who sadly died in 2021, was a super-solver and grid designer, and had been a member of our 3D Crossword Community since the early days. We thought an award in his name was a fitting way to remember him, and that he would appreciate an award given to one of 3Ds super-solvers. We recognise that not all our solvers wish to enter into the World Championship or RPM Trophy competitions and so the names of those who qualified for the World Championship with at least 12 correctly solved puzzles were put into a hat and a name drawn out to receive the ‘2022 Oberto Solver of the Yea Award.’ I am pleased to announce that the first recipient of this award is Jac Corbett of Shoreham.

Nora Boswell

Now that the 2022 grid design competition results are in, we begin our preparation of the 2024 calendar in earnest. The first and most exciting task is to choose the grids for the Calendar. The winners of the two autumn competitions are automatic entries so we have a puzzle from Calluna (WC) and one from etc (RPM) already lined up. 

No calendar would be complete without a contribution from our President Eric Westbrook, in his guise as Sirius. Sirius’ brilliant and unconventional approach makes him a difficult man for our crossword editor to channel. As 3D founder and lynchpin he has special licence and I’m delighted that he’ll be back in his preferred August slot for 2024.

I am also delighted to confirm that from the professional ranks Curmudgeon, Shark and Soup will be providing both grids and clues for 2024. 

In some of the early calendars Sirius designed and clued many of the puzzles. Now we have a wider choice of designer. We are so lucky that you, our solvers, in the WC and RPM autumn competitions keep coming up with innovative new themes and grids for the calendar. The balance of the grids will come from this rich source. 

We like to choose the grids to include a variety of 3D options including the sphere, torus and 7 dials cylindrical grids. Historically we’ve celebrated anniversaries as the primary source of inspiration but any theme that helps generate an interesting grid and clues is welcome.

Key to the success of the calendar is the quality of the clueing. As always the clues for most of the puzzles will be set on a voluntary basis by professional setters, normally of Guardian and/or Independent notoriety. We are so grateful that these stars of the crossword firmament are willing to give of their talents in such a good cause. Thank you.

Alan Goddard

There will be a few spaces open for any of our solvers (and partners) who would like to attend the 3D Crossword awards lunch in Cambridge at 12.30 on 31st March. It will be held at the Market House Restaurant, 12/12A Market Hill, Cambridge CB2 3NJ. Please contact Nora on email: calendarpuzzles@btinternet.com or mobile ‭07743 509539‬ if you are at all interested. We can promise that it isn’t at all a highbrow get together. It is rather a gathering of friends with an interest in common, etc. Places will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

Alan Chamberlain (aka Komorník - see December), our new crossword editor, writes:

If one devious puzzle a month is not enough for you, how about having a go at Komorník's Crossword Challenge? It's a sort of hybrid between crosswords (sorry, only 2D) and a treasure hunt, and may appeal to those who like toughish cryptics and all sorts of wordplay. If you would like to give it a try, just send a simple request to this address: komornik1cryptics@gmail.com and you wiĺl receive the package.

Note to anyone who attempted last year's version: this year's is much better, more solvable and will be sent to you without any further request.

Entries for the February puzzle by Puck and XAM are due by February 28.

3D Calendar Puzzles
3dcalendarpuzzles.co.uk