Last time, we shared some old milestone puzzles in anticipation of Guardian cryptic No 30,000. That crossword has since been published: and here, in the order it happened (that is, how solvers experienced it but in reverse), is its tale.
The timeline to 30,000
In 2024, seeing that we are approaching the last half of the 29,000-numbered puzzles, we decide the best way to celebrate it is to have some fun. Messages start to appear in the bottom rows of the cryptics. The first is by James Brydon (AKA Picaroon) setting as Ludwig, and is explicit – WELL DONE – so that solvers will later notice it and start looking in the same place for more: Imogen's BRAVO and Paul's HERE. Then, to avoid anyone noticing too early, we move away from having real words in uncrossing cells. The next is IN CONCLUSION as its own entry, followed by some fragments of words which will only make sense much later.
29581 WELLDONE 29587 BRAVO 29599 HERE 29611 INCONCLUSION 29629 ISOURF 29633 INALCH 29641 ALLENG 29663 EAREYOU 29669 KEEPINGUPGREAT 29671 THEREWI 29683 LLBEAWON 29717 DERF 29723 ULPRIZ 29741 EBUTFIR 29753 STYOUM 29759 USTENT 29761 ERARAC 29789 ENOTAN 29803 ACTUALATHLETIC 29819 RACEOFC 29833 OURSETH 29837 ATWOULD 29851 BEWEIRD 29863 NOTTHAT 29867 ITSACER 29873 EBRALRA 29879 CEINTHE 29881 FORMOFA 29917 CROSSWORDPUZZLE 29921 ITSAGEN 29927 IUSPUBL 29947 ISHEDAT 29959 NOONBST 29983 TOMORROW 29989 GODSPEED
Along the way, some new names appear: the first Serenos is John Finnemore, who we hope will return with a name of his own ("Serenos", of course, invites you to read it as "SERE no S", and remove an S from a synonym of "sere", THIRSTY minus its S being THIRTY). The last two are by setters already well established elsewhere, Rob Jacques and The Void, and their more obvious bottom rows are disguised as apparent pairs with the letters in the top rows.
To start solvers on the breadcrumb trail – and to specify which puzzles to look at – a message is concealed in the first letters of the sentences of the Guardian editorial on 30,000's publication day: LAST THIRTY-FIVE PRIMES. And to get solvers who might miss the editorial peering at it, there is a message in the perimeter of the same day's quick: Guardian quick crossword 17,473, "Leader I tailored badly" [definition: leader] [wordplay: anagram ('badly') of ITAILORED]. The direction to this message comes, of course, from 30,000 itself …
Guardian crossword 30,000 … which also includes the entry ACROSTIC as subliminal help with the editorial. The puzzle is the first in a while from Arachne and it is a mark of solvers' affection that many quite reasonably think that simply seeing her name is a big enough deal to mark the milestone.
Geniuses
The celebration was a team effort and the Guardian's team is the best. Last to take part was Enigmatist, whose Genius duly appeared at the appointed hour; winner details to follow. In the meantime, we're due a solution grid for May's other Genius. Odo was asking us to look at the middle letters of extra words in clues; they spelled out … CHORUS OF STEALERS XXVI ACROSS VIII … which, with reference to the other clues indicated, gives "Chorus of Stealers Wheel ditty": with alterations we end up with synonyms for "clown" in the left of the grid and actors who played the Joker on the right, with the centre column depicting being, as they say, Stuck in the Middle with You.
June's Genius awaits your attention.
Cluing conference
Many thanks for your clues for THIRTY THOUSAND. The audacity award goes to Batteredmullet for the brazen "Chew hot, nutty radish – MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!". The runners-up are Harlobarlo's "Original hit? Try Twist and Shout number" and Labour_pal's "Cryptic on Thursday hit what finally?". And since the nonsense above all kicked off on a Thursday, the winner is the even-more-splendid "Fitting hint to Thursday's number". Kludos to Nestingmachine; please leave clues for BREADCRUMBS below, along with any favourite clues or puzzles you have spotted. Alan Connor is the Guardian's crossword editor. His book 188 Words for Rain is published by Ebury (£16.99). To support the Guardian, order your copy at guardianbookshop.com. Delivery charges may apply.
