Panthera

Fiend in feline shape. More nuisance than value. Mostly crosswords, sometimes other puzzles. Not panthchesh. he/they hella gay 🏳️‍🌈

[Panthera @pantherapuzzles]

Pride Month "embodies a source of great evil", and I'm very much a fan! (5)

...is the last clue in my latest, Pride-themed puzzle, which also features:

Manufactured fear around gender designed, absent government leadership, to yield votes (9)

Enjoy!

https://t.co/NXSZXsebJ1

[Panthera @pantherapuzzles]

Okay then, folks, you've got me again - three of the four most recent on MyCrossword are by newer setters, and I'm in two minds as to whether or not to potentially put them on blast... might just wing it, tbh, so we'll figure out what I'm doing come noon!

https://t.co/zRbXZx0qub

[Panthera @pantherapuzzles]

Can you believe it? I put a puzzle on MyCrossword yesterday, my first of the year, featuring:

"Shoe's about to drop", the solver said (5)
Outline potential risk of doing origami naked? (6)
Unrestricted spending, or unchecked decline? (8)

Hope you enjoy!

https://t.co/A7v7s2vsVL

[Panthera @pantherapuzzles]

Hey #CrypticSunday peeps - if you fancy swinging by my stream at noon, you'll most likely find me wrestling with the three latest MyCrossword puzzles, by @SGriew, Longyfan & jugular... either that or coughing. Possibly both.

https://t.co/zRbXZx0qub

[Panthera @pantherapuzzles]

Meanwhile, I'm back in fighting form, albeit a little croaky... so, for some quiet-ish solves of the latest MyCrossword puzzles, you can all come round mine at noon. I'll definitely tackle Meles & Haven, but I dunno if I should touch the Bottom...

https://t.co/zRbXZx0qub

[Panthera @pantherapuzzles]

(ideally I would have done the latest puzzles by Coot/@SGriew, Natrix & Chlorine, so your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to tackle them yourselves in your own time, and give them all the lovely comments and hearts that they undoubtedly deserve)

[Panthera @pantherapuzzles]

Unfortunately, when I said I wanted to try new things for the new year, the monkey's paw curled and gave me covid: while I was tempted to stream, being over the worst of it now, I think I'm gonna follow medical (uh, Rachel's) advice and "take it easy" instead. See you next week!

[Panthera @pantherapuzzles]

I say "baffled" because I was never entirely happy with this specific level, and I'm still not convinced you can't just brute-force your way around the intended solution... but hey, it gives me an excuse to share the wonderful track that it's named for:

https://t.co/GgX42zvbN6

[Panthera @pantherapuzzles]

This online feline was sold on last year's top dog game when I found out it had a stage creator, and indeed I've had great fun with it... but now one of my levels, Rowdy Pup, has only gone and made it onto a longlist in their end-of-year awards. I'm both flattered and baffled!

[HUMANITY - 🎮 Available NOW @HumanityGame]

Today's #2023GoldyAwards spotlight is Best Machines Stage.

Lasers, turrets, missiles, and more threaten your Shiba and human followers in these stages. Brute force, stealth, and puzzles mix so well together.

Play, rate, and favorite your picks in USER STAGES!

[Panthera @pantherapuzzles]

I can't offer a snazzy and topical intro, but I can provide a replacement stream service - the three newest MyCrossword puzzles are by widdersbel, @sirdakka, and Baldur, so at noon I'll see if I'm sufficiently with it to get through them all!

https://t.co/zRbXZx0YjJ

[Panthera @pantherapuzzles]

@roddyhj @Independent @IAmMrMagoo @crypticcracking @bradpittupdates Lots of stuff that made me laugh (13a, 19a & 2d in particular) but for sheer elegance 20d has to take top spot, even if the CtC clue is also *very* good...

[Panthera @pantherapuzzles]

I can't guarantee that it'll be excellent, but I will be providing my usual replacement stream service on my patch come noon. Henri, Baldur & Natrix will definitely be on deck, and I might try and squeeze @Skirwingle's quick crossword in too: we'll see!

https://t.co/zRbXZx0qub

[Panthera @pantherapuzzles]

@CranberryFez @theipaper @enigmatistelgar (my minor complaint is that, towards the end, it felt like you'd smashed two well-formed puzzles together, such that either quote could have sustained the whole thing by itself, given sufficient tweaking, with the 11-letter location left feeling a little like a bait-and-switch!)

[Panthera @pantherapuzzles]

@CranberryFez @theipaper @enigmatistelgar You'll be tickled to hear that 12a was the first clue I honed in on, expecting a nice anagram to get me started... and that you got one heck of a laugh out of me half an hour later when I twigged why the preamble said the non-Chambers entry was "perfectly justified thematically"!

[Panthera @pantherapuzzles]

@Skirwingle As much as I enjoyed the construction and the juxtaposition of so many long entries against others with 1- or 2-letter particles at their starts, by far my favourite clue of the lot was the otherwise unremarkable 17d, 'cause "to hit" had me giggling something awful...

[Panthera @pantherapuzzles]

Things are a little hectic at this end, and it's possible a thunderstorm might knock out my power again, but come hell or high water (at this rate, probably both) I fully intend to tackle the latest MyCrossword puzzles, from Bluejacket & Roach, at noon!

https://t.co/zRbXZx0qub

[Panthera @pantherapuzzles]

(it's pretty clear I'm gonna fall asleep before I finish writing the annotations though so rip to 120% completion I guess)

(...nobody's gonna solve it before tomorrow morning, right?)

[Panthera @pantherapuzzles]

*consults calendar* Huh? Looks like I got some things to clue!

(...which is ironic, but I squeaked in under the wire...)

Perhaps impossible flyer, per a pervasive myth, chiefly hoards silver (6)
Electrician implements piece of apparatus for circuit (6)

https://t.co/9MnETpANDQ

[Panthera @pantherapuzzles]

@MPCryptics @Independent Suitably impressed by the density of the thematic content - I think I can get to fifteen relevant entries? For its elegance, 15d was probably my favourite, but I was rather taken with how cute 26d was too!

[Panthera @pantherapuzzles]

@archelina Big fan of how you suffused the theme throughout, and 17a put a smile on my face... which 15d upgraded to a massive grin! You know I'm a sucker for that kind of thing...

[Panthera @pantherapuzzles]

I shan't begrudge you if you opt for the Lionesses over this one individual lion, but I'll be doing a #CrypticSunday replacement stream at noon; probably three puzzles, two of them from @Skirwingle and Catnip (because how am I supposed to resist catnip?!)

https://t.co/zRbXZx0qub