Quick Cryptic Quintet #18

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• Connor D 4:07 · 2025-04-20T10:40:03.179Z

  Oof, tricky - but I adored 4d.

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  • Retriever constructor · 2025-04-20T12:06:50.575Z

    I'm feeling pretty pleased with myself about that one!

    I think 5a might have been a bit cruel, but hopefully it makes sense!

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    • Connor D 4:07 · 2025-04-21T02:13:48.938Z

      I admit I had trouble, BUT it makes perfect sense. Very fair - just tricky!

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• dilly 2:04 · 2025-04-20T14:43:23.163Z

  I like 5a a lot, but I think the surface should start "Beginning sequence of letters", as it doesn't change the surface sense and is a better clue for ABCDE. 4a is also a lot of fun as well! IMO the definitions in 2d are too similar to really be satisfying. 1d is solid. 3d is fun, but the "vegetable" charade -> "pea" homophone -> P deletion is a bit "two-steppy" in a way that feels unfair by cryptic standards. I'd also point out that the whole puzzle gets a bit harder when your down clues are only 40% checked.
  Anyways, since you asked, the across clues are great, really unique cluing angles.

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  • Retriever constructor · 2025-04-20T19:34:22.674Z

    Thank you, Dilly! Yes, agreed on all counts - I was definitely pushing the boundaries a bit with this one! Thanks for the notes on the structure of the 5x5, too. You're right that it makes things trickier... which I suppose can be hard to see when you have all the answers!

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• nate 🤓2:53 · 2025-04-20T21:29:47.480Z

  Echoing dilly, some clues need tightening up to feel more fair, but there are lots of clever ideas -- nice work :)

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• Melanie Branton 16:19 · 2025-04-21T08:45:57.289Z

  This was great and very, very clever. I had to use the CHECK function, because I got fixated on one answer being something it turned out it wasn't and then couldn't see anything else for tunnel vision!

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