Spectator 1863

[kettledrum]

I have completed this puzzle, but feel that the setter, Doc, has not been entirely fair with his readership.

I am a subscriber to The Spectator, so this is not my problem, but I do feel that any crossword that is available to the general public on a one-off basis should not include words / phrases that are not equally accessible to the whole readership on that date.

The title is 'Contained within', but the answers to 11d, 12a & 36a were not contained within this week's issue. Although they are regular features that would be familiar to regular readers, anyone buying a copy for a flight, train journey, weekend reading or whatever would be put at a distinctly unfair disadvantage.

What does anyone else think?

[Rapparee]

I agree entirely, Kettledrum. As a Spectator subscriber myself I experienced the uneasy feeling of unfairness as I got the penny-drop, which is why I mentioned the inhouse character of the title in my post yesterday morning.
Anyone who only obtains the crossword online will be at a distinct disadvantage and I am prepared to give the unclued answers to anyone who asks for them.

Questions on a postcard please to [email protected]

[bathtub]

As a non-subscriber, I found the crossword quite 'do-able' with a bit of Googling. I don't object to this as a one-off: The Spectator is under no obligation to put its crossword on-line free for everyone to access, and it's entitled to draw people to its website or even prod them to go out and buy a copy.

[kettledrum]

Thank you both for your replies.

I entirely agree with Bathtub that the Spectator has no obligation to people who access the crossword via the internet. I was thinking more of people who had spent good money (�2.95) on buying an occasional copy, and to whom the relevant information was not available.