Happy 4th May

As always, lovely from Dean Mayer/Anax in today's ST She is a sort to go flying (3,7) Distributed spades? (6,3)

What's Cher's favourite meal? Is it stroganoff?

I had to tell you this clue, which came out of a meeting with crossword folk this week, I couldn't believe it at first, but there you go... 'Girlfriend In A Coma' - a cracking hit single (10,8)

Simon’s Seat today. Good grief, that was tough.

Stan Moody=early Gilbert O’Sullivan

From the Private Eye archive. Issue 1597, May 2023.

What a singer www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Some absolutely cracking clues from Anax/Dean Mayer in today's ST crossword PIN Number? (4,3) God can shut up minister (4,5,4)

Occasionally while doing crosswords, one comes across new interesting words, with interesting definitions.

Pelican in clothes store: "Do you have any beak-warmers?" Shopkeeper: "Certainly, this one should fit the bill"

It's the Classic FM Hall of Fame day, and so... People complaining about Gershwin (8)

Huge spice offer - mixed metaphor? (6,2,6)

After all these years I've just realised that Billy Bragg stole the opening lines of A New England from Simon & Garfunkel's Leaves Are Green. What a bastard.

Enduring programme in cooking gas profession (5,2,6)

I calculate the 30,000th Graun crossword will be on Thursday 8th May. I remember where I was for the 20,000th - at Holyhead waiting to travel to Ireland for work - this would have been mid-November 2002.

Lovely from Imogen in today's Graun... Their chosen meal flies (10)

@vizcomic.bsky.social still got it. This made me snort my tea.

From an old Viz. Still relevant.

I know I say this every year, but...

Why do we say zero minutes but one minute?

Quiz question - what have Venezuela and Iran got in common? Hmmm.

The March Prize Puzzle on the Crossword Centre is the 18th Round Robin. Tour Party by Arcadia has 40 clues, each one composed by a different volunteer clue-writer. crosswordcentre.blogspot.com/2026/02/marc...

This is wrong. Very wrong.

You learn something new every day.

Belter of a clue from Anax in today's ST... Lily Allen's first LP eh? Sod off (8)

While looking at locations on the way to Stornoway for an upcoming trip, I saw this on Google Maps. I literally have no idea what's going on here. maps.app.goo.gl/GnEbzK62X9UC...

Nominative determinism strikes again. And he's probably a racist. Probably. nliveradio.com/council-accu...

Proud to be associated with this place over decades... www.theguardian.com/music/2026/j...

Why should the US administration’s account of what happened in Minneapolis carry any more legitimacy than anybody else’s? We all saw the same thing. #minneapolis #alexpretti

Reform isn’t building a party of government. It’s building a retirement home

I remember where I was when I did the Guardian Crossword no. 20,000 - at Holyhead travelling to Ireland for work. It's coming up to crossword no. 30,000 now. Quick calculation - that was 32 years ago (I think) and I would have been 26. Good lord, where does the time go? Hope 30,000 is a special one.

Bet Infantini's feeling an absolute chump right now

I guess Donny ain’t getting the Nobel Peace prize now.

Not gonna happen, is it?

A bit late this year, but we got there in the end... www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_jR...

Season's greetings, or...

@alanconnor.bsky.social are we getting a Maskarade (or other) Xmas special puzzle in the Guardian? A little surprised not to find one in today's paper. Tomorrow online, perhaps?

I guess that collaboration with Dire Straits won't be happening now.

A canamble is an amble on the canal. Obviously. Here's Elland bridge from today's canamble.

Well done, Tesco.

On a happier note, I wrote for the @newstatesman1913.bsky.social Christmas issue on my 2025 mission to learn how to do cryptic crosswords. Welcome to a world of anagrinds and homophones, red herrings and old slang, niche subcultures - and very tricksy Hobbitses www.newstatesman.com/culture/life...

You know it's nearly Christmas when you hear this... www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6zy...

@tramp1.bsky.social Just done the Graun prize today. Bravo for cramming so much thematic content in both answers and clues. The outrage is palpable, and rightly so.

At this time of year, I like to quote Araucaria's amazing anagram... "O hark the herald angels sing the boy's descent, which lifted up the world", which produces "WHILE SHEPHERDS WATCHED THEIR FLOCKS BY NIGHT/ALL SEATED IN THE GROUND" www.theguardian.com/crosswords/c...

Love this clue in today's Times cryptic... Description of fair racecourse? (7)

Shamina Begum must be held accountable for her actions when she was 15. Whereas I should not, because I was a mere child.