It could work…

9A Strangely, height encumbers superman (10)

I don't think I've ever seen it in the UK (I see Superdrug stocks it, but Boots doesn't seem to). I'm aware of the brand but I think mostly from references on US TV shows. It's not so obscure as to be unfair but it depends how difficult you want the clue to be!

I think it’s that although it wouldn’t usually mean that, it *could* mean that. But there’s just no way of getting from eg “last leg” to “g”

“Essence” means petrol in French, as well as, well, essence. So “its existence precedes the essence/the oil” - sounds vaguely philosophical, but also means roughly “it’s where you get petrol from”

1d in today’s FT is “Expel from Starmer’s front bench (4)” - the setter was so close to looking psychic!

“[noun] perhaps” isn’t usually “find me an example of this noun”, though: it’s “find me a thing *of which this noun is an example*”.

So “Paul perhaps” is “find me a group (denoted by a shared surname) of which there is a [famous!] Paul”

Dunno if this still counts as RIGHT NOW, but I can if you like

Also &lits. usually do well - which again can be excellent, and display the setter’s skill, but as a solver I also really enjoy clues that totally lead me up the garden path. The nature of an &lit. means they’re often pretty easy to solve

Hate freeloaders who join in the New Year's Eve countdown for the last 10 seconds. I've been doing this all year. Where were you back in May

Sure

What were the grumbles? I mostly found them on the easier end (except for the disemvowelled composers one, that was tough), but didn't think that was a problem. You don't want the clues to be too hard in a jumbo or it will take you all holiday

I'm inclined to say no. I always struggle with one-way links like that though. Might "identifies" work as a possible synonym that could work in that direction?

Yeah, I've been to that one. It's pretty good!

Happily

Catch-22! Milo Minderbinder, the entrepreneurial mess officer

(Points if you can recognise/guess the books)

Mine is the name of characters in two of my favourite books (the illustration from one of which is also my profile pic over there <—)

So far it has been described as “fun”, “mean”, and “rather cheeky” - which is a combination I’m happy with. (I’m doing a full cryptic next and trying not to be as mean)

Mini crossword No 186 · MyCrossword Solve Mini crossword No 186 on MyCrossword. 7x7 grid with 6 clues by Milo. Published Wed 10 Dec 2025. Features annotated solutions. Free to solve online.

Why not welcome Wednesday with a midweek Milo mini on @mycrossword.co.uk?

mycrossword.co.uk/mini/186

The TA and NUT no longer existing doesn’t seem to stop them appearing in puzzles, mind (I don’t recall seeing CAB lately)

You're looking at it the wrong way round, it's an I for Island. Because it is where you land

Definitely something off with those numbers. They say 8% of people go every week; 8% of the adult pop. is ~4.5m. There are ~40,000 pubs in the country. That would mean a pub quiz with over 100 attendees, at every pub, every week, with no overlap in attendance

Boatman - the first 50 reportedly makes a great present or holiday read, exemplified by this image of the book opened to show the story behind the Shipping Forecast puzzle, on display on Brighton beach. Reviewing Boatman - the first 50, Alan Connor (The Guardian's crossword editor and the brains behind many of BBC2’s quiz programs) says: "This is one to savour. Boatman's puzzles are witty and ingenious. It is an extraordinary pleasure to read how his unique mind works. The first 50 is a book I never knew I needed in my life. Gift it to yourself and to the word-lovers in yours". Hugh Stephenson (Alan’s predecessor at The Guardian) says: "This is a unique book of crosswords" and Henry Morris: "a Boatman crossword is like a theme park. Each daunting line is a rollercoaster ... He scares you witless. But you can't wait to do it all over again".

Boatman - the second 50 contains another 50 puzzles from The Guardian, with five bonus puzzles previously only available online and including puzzles, solutions and the ideas and stories behind them, exemplified by this image of the book opened to show one of the stories, which is accompanied by a picture of a large cow. Reviewing Boatman - the second 50, Gyles Brandreth says: "If you want a fiendish crossword, you want the best - which means you want Boatman, because he is the best" and Brian Bilston: "Cracking crosswords - each puzzle a delightful daily workout for the brain and a welcome tonic for the soul".

It's the Seasonal Reposting Competition! Repost this over the weekend, and on Sunday one lucky person will win a signed copy of one of my books. For you or the #crossword addict in your life: 50 fiendish @theguardian.com #puzzles and all the stories behind them:
boatmancryptics.co.uk/crossword-bo...

Counterpoint, at least, has a series currently in the works. And there's a tender for a new production company for BoB. It could stand a little updating, but I hope they don't fiddle with the format too much (I'm a past semi-finalist and want another go!)

Are you *currently* on a boat?

Are you in a venue that could, under some definition, be described as a pub itself?

Yeah, I’m less strict than you but it’s a definite no from me as well. If the letters were together I’d be more forgiving but even then I’d consider it a stretch

Involved = complicated. But it can only be used as an anagrind in adjective form; “involves” or “involving” won’t work

Semi-&lits. are often good for long multi-word anagrams and/or composite anagrams, I find

I agree, although I think sometimes people use CAD to refer to extended definitions like that one as well as &lits. (There's also the semi-&lit.: for a true &lit. every element should be both definition and wordplay; the semi-&lit. has a definition that is simply something like "this")