Eye Solved Cyclops
I am a long-term subscriber to Private Eye but since I have moved to Ireland the issues occasionally get lost. This morning I found No. 1527, published on 31st July. It’s too late to send in the crossword for the £100 prize, but I did the puzzle anyway.
I remember a while ago staying with a friend of mine – also an Eye subscriber, but not a crossword fan – and with his permission I did the puzzle in the copy he had lying around. When I showed him the solution he said that even with the answers he didn’t understand it. I think this is not an uncommon reaction from people who don’t attempt cryptic crossword puzzles regularly, so I thought it might be fun to post my solution to this one along with the clues so perhaps you can see how they work. I don’t think the Eye puzzle is really all that difficult, as cryptic crosswords go, although there are some in-jokes and there is quite a lot of fairly coarse humour!
If anyone wants any of the answers explained then please let me know through the comments box.
Incidentally, the person who sets the crosswords for Private Eye under the pseudonym Cyclops is called Eddie James and he also sets crosswords for the Guardian under the pseudonym Brummie. Presumably he’s from the Midlands.
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August 21, 2020 at 6:08 pm
If you solved it, you must have been a good pupil. It is in English, though now you’re living in Ireland, and with Iris citizenship if I recall correctly. Don’t anyone dare say that my puns are cornea.
August 21, 2020 at 9:30 pm
Makes almost no sense to me! People at work poke fun at me for doing the Irish Times Simplex every day, especially if I have to look up the last 1-2 words. But I enjoy doing simple crosswords, and I believe it truly helps with writing and teaching, especially when one has already said ‘distinguish between’ three times
August 23, 2020 at 2:19 pm
I’ve been doing the Crosaire puzzle off and on recently. It’s not bad once you get used to the lack of anagram indicators…
August 21, 2020 at 10:46 pm
What other cosmologist is a big crossword fan? (Hint: it’s a matter of public record.)