Starter for February

[Jack Harrison]

The Guardian Crossword clue 1st February. "Comma or gatekeeper, perhaps"

Another clue was "Breathe in (anag)".

Comma as imago, Gatekeeper as larva. Humans unfortunately, not at all (but would be useful).

Jack

[zigzag_wanderer]

I was struggling for a while there Jack as I thought they were different clues (maybe cryptic and quick) to the same word !

I take old copies of the Saturday jumbo cryptic to work in case the weather's bad at lunchtime. This one was from a couple of weeks ago.

Kinky stiletto heels for burly trucker initially ? Delicate creature (13,9)

[Padfield]

Kinky stiletto heels for burly trucker initially ? Delicate creature (13,9)

Another hibernator ...

I subscribe to the Times and the Torygraph. There was a cryptic, butterfly-related clue quite recently, but I've forgotten what it was.

In a lifetime of doing cryptic crosswords, I've submitted thousands and never won a thing. I knew a woman who had two Sunday Times pens, though, so it is possible!

Guy

[zigzag_wanderer]

Ha ! Yes, I've sent off a few Saturday Times Jumbo Cryptics with the same result as you, Guy. My only ever win was a £3 postal order in 1975 for a joke published in Tiger comic (thankfully the Tiger staff didn't read The Sunday Post, where I'd borrowed it from).

My father's weekends in the 70s and early 80s were taken up with horse racing (Saturday) and crossword solving (Sunday). He sold horse racing systems as a side-line. Our small study was full of Sporting Chronicle yearly results roundup annuals going back to the early 30s, from which he attempted to determine foolproof systems. He called himself Form Master as a nod to his actual job of geography teacher. Needless to say, these convoluted schemes which just about worked in retrospect were less lucrative going forward and I can even recall one angry punter turning up at our house demanding his money back !

But that same analytical mind really helped him when doing The Sunday Times and Observer (Azed) toughies. He absolutely loved those, especially coming up with an alternative clue in the monthly Azed comp. He used to spend ages setting those, trying to get the clue to scan perfectly. He won a few times and I can recall him sometimes disparaging the clues other winners had come up with

It was just a shame that the things he loved doing meant sitting in his armchair all weekend (bar driving to the bookies). Combined with 60 fags a day it wasn't a great recipe for longevity. But he was a far better crossword solver/setter than I'll ever be !

[millerd]

Ha ! Yes, I've sent off a few Saturday Times Jumbo Cryptics with the same result as you, Guy...

So I'm not the only one who spends grey and cold winter weekends without butterflies tussling with the Times Jumbo Cryptic crossword. My success rate for submitted entries is exactly the same - zero! I regularly send in the standard Saturday prize one as well, with similar (lack of) results. I suppose it keeps us off the streets...

Dave

[millerd]

I see another species appeared in this Saturday's Jumbo Cryptic... (A fluttery type, Miss London SE5?)

Dave

[zigzag_wanderer]

My knowledge of London postcodes isn't great, but in butterfly common name terms, it doesn't really need to be !

[David M]

No...it's an obvious one!