PostMarkCryptic.bsky.social

Very enjoyable but quite a tough one.

I *think* Umpire and @liari.bsky.social are pals with a teenager who sets??? I may have that wrong

Clash of the titans. (Resisting the urge to say something involving dinosaurs 😉)

Cryptic crossword No 2,899 · MyCrossword Solve Cryptic crossword No 2,899 on MyCrossword. 15x15 grid with 31 clues by PostMark. Published Sat 29 Nov 2025. Features annotated solutions. Free to solve online.

New PM published this morning on my crossword.co.uk

Sample clues:

Roman Catholic priest visits Shroud of Turin? (5)

Popular piece, artist's first picture (4,3)

Hostile ace served up (7)

www.mycrossword.co.uk/cryptic/2899

Couldn't agree more but also taking the opportunity to wish you and daughter all the best in the circumstances.

Many happy returns

Ha ha ha

Very pleased indeed to have had the opportunity to compile today's Times Crossword.

www.thetimes.com/puzzles/cros...

Try shouting that out to call your dog from 100 yards away on a windy day and you'll soon discover why the only ones called Unch have run away ...

Mark it with a D

Painful though it is to agree with Blah in public, I am with him all the way on this one - and for me, FODDER first never works.

The one I find tricky is eg Roman leader. I feel comfortable (as solver) with that indicating R but would feel less so with ruthless leader = R.

What? That you've begun to study grammar?

Land HERE

Not sure about location but you may well be in the running for best set of pins ...!

Thanks for giving this a go, @liari.bsky.social . I enjoyed watching the solve later. In answer to your observation at the end, yes Bedrock have asked for 'Telegraph back page level of difficulty' which is what I aim for. Looks like that's about right, given your swift solve of yesterday.

Sorry Liari but I cannot join you today. I have work commitments this afternoon kicking off at 1.00. I hope you enjoy and will catch up on the video later.
PM

I can recommend the puzzle on the right hand page

Philip Larkin’s this be the verse mangled into Ozymandias, the text reads They Oz you up, your mandyias. They may not mean to, but they do. They give you vast and trunkless legs A sunken shattered visage too. But they were Ozzed up in their turn By Mandyias upon the sand Who half the time had wrinkled lips And half in sneering cold command. Oz hands on mandyias to man. Like mighty works atop a shelf Look on them early as you can Ye mighty and despair yourself

Hmmm. Depends on which PM you aim to dampen. I shall refrain from passing judgement or anything else until I have seen the clue in its natural environment ...

Nice job, Matt. Welcome to the dark side. You now have no excuses. For anything, really.

Cryptic crossword No 2,803 · MyCrossword Solve Cryptic crossword No 2,803 on MyCrossword. 15x15 grid with 32 clues by PostMark. Published Wed 29 Oct 2025. Features annotated solutions and special instructions. Free to solve online.

After a two month hiatus, a new PM is out on my crossword.co.uk. Samples:

Slower on road, son went behind papa (5,4)

One such as Dracula inspiring conclusion of classic tale (7)

African sign of disapproval is to turn around (5)

www.mycrossword.co.uk/cryptic/2803

A cup that floweth over ...

Congratulations, Rachel. They are lucky to have you.

Thanks @thirty-sixborough.bsky.social . Yeah, that was intended to be tongue-in-cheek in response to the idea of being cancelled by customs officers. I am lucky enough to be in a couple of publications but your overall point is certainly well made.

I guess I'm used to my puzzles being rejected by editors, testers and solvers but border guards and/or customs officers is surely a new low ...

A real shame. Was looking forward to meeting you. Mind you, it takes a major storm to disrupt European travel: Network Rail is managing to do that job in York all on its own ...

?

Clearly, you will put no store whatsoever by a PM perspective but, fwiw, when I do encounter either A = AN or AN = A when solving, it feels unsatisfactory even though the words are equivalent.

They were made of hard stuff back then ...

Nothing here yet, Matt