Puzzle Notes

Hello, all! As you may have gleaned, the AVCXpansion's schedule this year is three weeks on, one week off. But we here at AVCX Cryptic HQ have got a little something to keep you going in the off weeks: mini cryptics, designed especially for beginning solvers! Besides the normal version of the puzzle, we're also offering PDFs with two different options for folks who want a little extra help. The "With Hints" version of the PDF breaks down each clue into its constituent parts: definition, wordplay, and joiner (if any). (If you're not familiar with any of these terms, check out our solving guide right here.) Then there is also a "With Wordplay Type" version of the PDF, which leaves the clues alone but adds a note after each one telling you what kind of wordplay is used.

Another new feature is our Twitter feed, where you'll find things like answers to the cryptic sign-offs at the ends of our emails, as well as updates about typos and other errors, and probably some sort of cryptic clue contest eventually, we'll see what happens there. Speaking of errors, yes, as some of you wrote in to say, we did have two little glitches last week: a typo in the enumeration of 3-Down, and an incorrect answer explanation to 24-Across (entirely my fault; I was tired and I was drinking barleywine). For those of you who prefer to have pristine archival versions of puzzles that are free from such infelicities, corrected versions can be found in the attached zip file.

Next week we've got a fun one for you from Byron Walden, edited by Stella, so get hype for that!

See you with food in your mouth (4) --

-- Francis (and the AVCX Cryptic crew)