The latest quick crossword, No 17,572, is now available and offers an engaging challenge for puzzle enthusiasts. The clues, which require a blend of general knowledge and wordplay skills, span both across and down directions, presenting a variety of topics to solve.
Across Clues
Among the across clues, players will encounter a nine-letter term for a “distinct earthy smell after rain,” indicated by the anagram “choir pert.” An alternative challenge is a five-letter “mountain range” that could also mean a “book of maps.”
For those keen on cultural figures, there’s a seven-letter clue referencing actor “___ Banderas.” Another across clue requires a phrase meaning “sure,” as in guaranteed success, broken down into components of two, three, and three letters.
Further across entries touch on various topics including a four-letter word associated with “left, bat, or wax,” and a six-letter term for “antenna.”
In the realm of technology, solvers are prompted to think of a six-letter “___ name” associated with the internet. Nature is represented by a four-letter species of Pacific salmon.
There is also an eight-letter clue for “yellow meadow flowers” that amusingly ties in with “whoopsadaisy,” while fans of actors may enjoy solving a seven-letter clue for “Gal Gadot or Natalie Portman, birth-wise.”
A five-letter term for a “large wild ox” and a nine-letter description of doing something “in an essential, unavoidable manner” round out the across clues.
Down Clues
The down section offers its own set of intriguing puzzles, starting with an eight-letter word for being “annoyed persistently.” Gardeners might be familiar with a six-letter “leaves container.” Meanwhile, those with a fondness for expressions of interest can think of a four-letter answer for “keen on.”
Art enthusiasts can tackle a clue for a double-barrelled answer, involving a “French artist” and the anagram “shinier mates,” totalling five and seven letters. A massive twelve-letter term awaits those who enjoy “tidying and sorting again.”
Music fans might recognise a twelve-letter clue linked to fulfilment, borrowing from a famous Rolling Stones’ song.
For a seven-to-five-letter clue, think about a “laundry airer” associated with “dresses Dobbin.” Another thoughtful clue is for eight letters meaning “perhaps.”
Finally, a six-letter term bridges different meanings for “media, climber or worker,” and “meat – complaint” is a four-letter term to solve over a cuppa.
Each clue in this crossword ensures a well-rounded intellectual workout for any puzzle aficionado.
Reporting based on coverage first published by theguardian.com.