The Times crossword has done something for the first time in nearly half a century: featured a hidden message from one reader to another
Other newspapers may sprinkle hidden messages like confetti, but the Times retains moderation and consistency, conceding every thousand crosswords or so and allowing the number of the puzzle to appear in Roman numerals around the perimeter or similar.
1ac Pretty Welsh girl widely thought not to be all there (6)
[ some of the letters of WIDELYTHOUGHT ]
Delyth♀ (Welsh)
Modern: composed of del‘pretty, neat’ + the ending -yth, formed on the analogy of names such as Gwenyth
5ac ‘Will you marry me’, say, that’s forward also rude! (8)
[ type of rugby forward, then anagram (‘rude’) of ALSO ]
[ PROP + OSAL ]
She looked so surprised and didn’t say anything for about 30 seconds, before then saying ‘No’, which she thought was hilarious. But she did then say ‘Yes’ and I had to tell her this was the real Timescrossword, not something I had printed out myself.
I cannot recall precisely what I said, but I remember showing Miss Kenton out of my pantry quite firmly and the episode was thus brought to a close.
This is a one-off. We won’t be doing it again.
6d Dean intends to be naughty during last part of February (2,10,3)
[ synonym for ‘Dean’ + anagram of INTENDS, both inside synonym for ‘last’ ]
[ VALE + NTINESD, both inside STAY ]
