Times Clue of the Day Bonus Crosswords by Anax
These puzzles are exclusive to
the Times COD Forum.
While set according to (mostly) Times rules, these are not Times
crosswords, so a few more risks are taken with clue content.
This may turn out to be a one-off but, using the puzzle name Imperator, I'm having a bash at introducing a 12x12 barred puzzle which I hope will bridge the gap between the moderately tough 15x15 blocked cryptic and the tougher barred puzzles. While some of the answers are quite obscure (in Chambers though) I've tried to avoid obscurities in wordplay and, I hope, have provided a generous number of gimme answers.
I'd really, really appreciate feedback on this. How hard is the puzzle? How fair are the clues compared to other barred crosswords? Are they more entertaining, smoother? Or are they a pile of pants? Don't hold back - please let me know your thoughts. Here's Imperator #001: