Special, Sunday 22 Mar 2026, IIT (M) Open Final, Ramki Krishnan

Three answers per commenter till 6 PM (Annotations compulsory) 

Please submit all your answers in one comment.  

(COMMENTS ENTERED WITH LESS THAN THREE ANSWERS/ANNOTATIONS WILL BE DELETED WITHOUT NOTICE, UNLESS THE COMMENTER SPECIFIES THAT IT IS A COMPENSATION FOR A REPEAT)

Enjoy.

Special, Sunday 15 Mar 2026, IIT (M) Open Prelim, Ramki Krishnan

Three answers per commenter till 6 PM (Annotations compulsory) 

Please submit all your answers in one comment.  

(COMMENTS ENTERED WITH LESS THAN THREE ANSWERS/ANNOTATIONS WILL BE DELETED WITHOUT NOTICE, UNLESS THE COMMENTER SPECIFIES THAT IT IS A COMPENSATION FOR A REPEAT)

Enjoy.

Chennai Open Online Cryptic Crossword

 

Special, Sunday 31 Mar 2019, Final IIT(M) Crossie Open 2019

Three answers per commenter as usual till 6 PM (Annotations compulsory)
Please provide all your answers in one comment.

This crossword was set by Ramki Krishnan.

Thanks to Kumaresh Ramakrishnan of IIT(M) for sharing this with us.

ACROSS
1   Butcher starting to marinate fish (6)
5   No. 1  in cryptics? He's a member playing ingeniously - our new winner (8)
9   FDA ruled compound to be terrible (8)
10 Opposing extremely crass jokes (6)
11 School pins notice for review (10)
12 Want to massage, say (4)
13 His work could be highly noted (8)
16 In April, days are long, ultimately sultry, scorching sun on top (6)
17 Tricks and passes out, reportedly (6)
19 Unusual mess I clear up (8)
21 Soldier's pledge (4)
22 Showing devotion when welcoming cleric at one time (10)
25 Shape of coarse rug I finally rejected (6)
26 Avoiding exercise (8)
27 A French composer's works out (8)
28 Most painful...therefore, take a break (6)

DOWN
2   Expert wearing an overall (5)
3   Understanding Agra's princely homes (5)
4   Results of massaging feet and face regularly with sulphur (7)
5   Dog runs to a worker of mine (7)
6   Con a good saint to become corrupt (7)
7   Possible workaround, with cunning, talent, and a bit of intelligence (9)
8   Together, they play or box, running around, primarily (9)
14 Frank not quite helping in surgery (9)
15 At first Professor Linnaeus moved to India perhaps (9)
18 Drink's on me? Excellent! (7)
19 Irons Penny's clothes, except the top (7)
20 Annoys, mostly in contests (7)
23 Winning a top (5)
24 They could be used for navigating a golf course (5)

Across Lite version can be accessed at IIT(M) OPEN FINAL 2019

Enjoy.

Special, Sunday 24 Mar 2019, Prelim IIT(M) Crossie Open 2019

Three answers per commenter as usual till 6 PM (Annotations compulsory)
Please provide all your answers in one comment.

This crossword was set by Ramki Krishnan.

Thanks to Kumaresh Ramakrishnan of IIT(M) for sharing this with us.

ACROSS
1   Supporting children to become footballers (8)
5   About to get defeated, runs to Dhoni perhaps (6)
9   Being drunk, signora leans against man (8)
10 Funny airs about America or its rival (6)
11 Animal in an ark at sea carrying 1000 eggs (8)
12 Wife with shoes and rings (6)
14 Acknowledged fashion designer controls firm (10)
18 Brave and polite knight finally makes way for a girl (10)
22 In ship near US city, Queen beams (6)
23 Smart to catch fish that could be lost (8)
24 A girl taken in by subterfuge, endlessly sad (6)
25 No film (8)
26 Protest again - second time in Chennai (6)
27 Gave excellent grades to perhaps Leo the journalist (8)

DOWN
1   Lots of fine hair (6)
2   King's old and angry (6)
3   Queen with a large temper (6)
4   "Spinner's bowling spell ultimately expensive" - Dravid observed (10)
6   Girl upset, hides an expression of disgust in sounding cheerful (8)
7   South American authors reportedly in tension (8)
8   Composed extremely hilarious parody or poem (8)
13 True novels about unselfish folks (10)
15 Blockbuster? (8)
16 They come once a week to play duets, say (8)
17 They help to make buns using Irish pan (8)
19 Loud cheerful greeting in US state (6)
20 Sight Virat Kohli on vacation near Mumbai suburb (6)
21 Yes, it's a sin (6)

Across Lite version can be accessed at IIT(M) OPEN PRELIM 2019

Enjoy.

Special, Sunday 03 Apr 2016, Ramki Krishnan

Three answers per commenter as usual till 6PM (Annotations compulsory)
Please provide all your answers in one comment

ACROSS
1   Unusual stuff found in old, tattered coat one is wearing (7)
5   Lost the mace, getting another weapon (7)
9   Illiterate nut toured all over the place (9)
10 Son's lazy to steal (5)
11 Intellectual folks’ detailed discussion (6)
12 Desperately aching to hug wife and talk (7)
14 Best energy drink (4)
15 Important people who could be seen at an accident site? (10)
19 Fussy to remove clothes at the outskirts of temple, say (10)
20 Priest gets a haircut presently (4)
22 Makes beautiful arrangements to sleep with former girl-friend, say (7)
25 Old man leaving for New World (6)
27 For starters, restrict extravagant, unnecessary spending - easy way to conserve environment (5)
28 A cat bows, welcoming  leader of mice - they could cause great damage (4,5)
29 Buried in smoky ash? make a veil to cover your face (7)
30 They worship snakes without capturing them essentially (7)

DOWN
1   Founder of ancient city beheaded birds (4)
2   Without delay, leg spinners brought back to control two hard-hitting English openers (2,3,4)
3   Completely at home with a dog from Kansas (2,4)
4   Footloose flirt dives headlong into a puddle - he's the victim of a hoax (5,4)
5   Doctor claimed to be transformed after leaving LA (5)
6   Strong criminal outside a prison... (4-4)
7   …will die with a cry of pain (5)
8   Dressing in green is good and stimulating (10)
13 Extremists of Sialkot reportedly stealing fruit (10)
16 Each can date, spending nothing in a restaurant perhaps (6,3)
17 Amusing or funny fool (9)
18 I am going around crèche sadly... hour wasted in getting something that the children love (3,5)
21 Two leaders from Stanford ably led firm (6)
23 Defeats knights protecting the king (5)
24 Loose pieces of coal (5)
26 Snakes like empty pits (4)

Across Lite version can be accessed at RAMKI 5

Enjoy.

Special, Sunday 20 Sep 2015, Ramki Krishnan

Three answers per commenter (Annotations compulsory) till 6 PM
Please provide all your answers in one comment.

ACROSS
5  Sleep, removing glasses, and swallowing drugs for a forceful discharge! (6)
7  Provide endless bonds / stocks (8)
9  Bird, losing two tail feathers, is eating, sleeping and standing (8)
10 Beg girl's boyfriend to switch sides  (6)
11 Swear words exchanged during a match (8,4)
13 Curious kid is likely to succeed (4-2)
15 Philosopher's not initially happy to fiddle (6)
18 Saying "Shame!" "Ruin!" "Rot!" "Undone!" (2,3,2,5)
21 Drop John's group? Not quite (6)
22 On reorganization, most of Google will shortly become a child's toy (8)
23 Just wrestling? Use a bind! (8)
24 Concoction of essentially walnuts, sugar, chocolate, fruit - a sweet, ultimately! (6)

DOWN
1  Pressurized to come back for ice cream and pudding perhaps (8)
2  Chap is next to a doctor from the east in a flight (6)
3  Medicinal plant possibly grown in excess? Not good! (8)
4  Having love inside, prevents signs of ageing (6)
6  Some woman or man, dying in a battlefield (8)
7  Old, gnarled tree in English county (6)
8  The peer's fencing weapon (4)
12 Mole (n): A footloose chap, almost a killer? (8)
14 Unnecessary jabber on ship (8)
16 Reportedly tie hostile American sea creature (8)
17 Fellow's stiff is cold… (6)
18 …poison! Sound the alarm! (6)
19 Farewell melody about love lost, primarily (2,4)
20 Warring Ninja abandons weapon at last, becomes a non-violent person (4)

Across Lite version can be accessed at RAMKI 4

Enjoy.

Special, Sunday 23 Aug 2015, Ramki Krishnan

Three answers per commenter (Annotations compulsory) till 6 PM.
All answers to be provided in one comment, preferably.

ACROSS
1   Confused person reaches here finally to get an answer (8)
5   Exit from topless retreat (6)
9   Thrashing century in just six balls? (4-4)
10 Queen's attendant's let off project (6)
12 Match tip of electrical coil (5)
13 Temporary worker used to take notes quickly (9)
14 Eats heartily to understand gluttony, for example (4,2)
16 Sweet husband leaves dance for love (7)
19 Members of cabinet are possibly returning to work (7)
21 Uproar created by shouting "Howzatt"? (6)
23 Kill insect with an injection of sodium (9)
25 Completely gave up at the end of the game (5)
26 Strong, firm chap (6)
27 Variable rate bonds could be bargains (8)
28 Arrest revolutionary philosopher (6)
29 "American Company used defective packages" -  Counsel finally admits (8)

DOWN
1   Cyclone from the south almost inundates very big shelters (6)
2   Offer: "New cars provided in case of emergency" (9)
3   One going around empty menagerie for fresh air (5)
4   Harshly treats a less favoured child (7)
6   Relative is initially glad about a kid (5-4)
7   Minor artist without talent could be rejected (5)
8   Fixed sink in place (8)
11 Little woman goes on vacation and exercises (4)
15 Shopkeeper burst into tears (9)
17 Humiliated leader undergoing a sex change, becomes strong (9)
18 You may need them to see your friends, for instance (8)
20 Dash in street, going from one end to the other (4)
21 Fat baker playing host to bishop and you, say (7)
22 Period when chaps should exhibit sensitivity, to start with (6)
24 Good to enter Martian vehicle? Not very, but okay (5)
25 Shake a bird (5)

Across Lite version can be accessed at RAMKI 3

Enjoy.

Special, Sunday 24 May 2015, Ramki Krishnan

Three answers per commenter (annotations compulsory) as usual till 6 PM

ACROSS
1   Common man can perform miracle, at last (4,3)
5   Mean to wear torn dress (7)
9   Reportedly look at channels to protect river fish (9)
10 Scoff at one who runs away (5)
11 Revolutionary does initially sing about a Russian city (6)
12 Waves in desert sun - a mirage! (7)
14 Doctor dies in the middle of the month (4)
15 Shipwrecked, a wild lion reaches a Caribbean island (10)
19 Anthem about one who promotes mercy, finally (10)
20 Woman's love? (4)
22 Meeting leader of Spain inside? Sounds revolting! (7)
25 Wet clothing worn by a communist (6)
27 Love a Malayali being shown on TV (2,3)
28 Sick, at home, with lots of time for chit-chats (9)
29 Immortal bird drowns in fermented ale (7)
30 Actress accepts suitable part (7)

DOWN
1   Only project about origin of science (4)
2   Ambassador to focus on Panama, for example (9)
3   Revoke a promise, extremely sleepy and tired (6)
4   Possibly easiest to consume bits of cocaine and sugar for thrills (9)
5   Hate? No-no, adjust! (5)
6   Flowing in funnel, it is liquid (8)
7   Swelling a bit, excitedly made out (5)
8   Killer's condition to enter Iran, possibly (10)
13 It could be used to blow up stuff in the lab (10)
16 “Father dear, I’m terribly cold – call him for help!” (9)
17 Careless supervision? (9)
18 Troops in formation for a small charge (8)
21 Millet or maize, for example – each helps protect the eyes (6)
23 Smooth, except around a hair-pin bend (5)
24 Scientist's first break during Christmas (5)
26 King of performing arts (4)

Across Lite version can be accessed at RAMKI 2

Enjoy.

Special, Sunday 08 Mar 2015, Ramki Krishnan

Welcome to Ramki. Hope to see many more from him.
Three answers per commenter (with annotations) upto 6 PM.

ACROSS
1   Cunningly traps a bureaucrat (6)
4   Shows maturity, wearing trousers (8)
10 Ever undo a wrong? Try! (9)
11 Slip drinks to the audience (5)
12 Animals sailing at sea (7)
13 Hurt about the childish retort (2,5)
14 Greek characters in charge of melody (5)
15 No restriction on banal, common statement of selflessness (8)
18 Dispatched a worker outside - he is not there (8)
20 Shelter for a violinist? (5)
23 Warm fabric to gain the affection of a girl lacking brains (7)
25 Eggs one on about finishing first, to get applause (7)
26 Attempts to do taxes (5)
27 Models worth 20 cents, say (9)
28 "Sweetheart, these old withered roses.. They're ugly!" (8)
29 Genius dies sadly with no love reciprocated (6)

DOWN
1   Men truss broken bones (8)
2   Clergyman in exotic stole walks unsteadily (7)
3   Throwing up volcanic liquid, he can possibly create a flood (9)
5   How Anand and Carlsen shook hands, in general? (6,3,5)
6   Style of some upset, temperamental celebrities (5)
7   Pied Piper connects partners with children (7)
8   Reporter interrupts: "Breaking news in Europe!" (6)
9   Endless homework at the French capital city (14)
16 Excited newlywed, without a dowry, initially taken to task (9)
17 Young relative's out-of-tune song, describing South African capital (8)
19 I'm bored to make up a cliché (7)
21 They could be used to close the door after wife complains (7)
22 Hit high over top of extra-cover (6)
24 What a cowboy uses to capture a girl with love (5)

Across Lite version can be accessed at RAMKI 1

Enjoy.