Nigh impossible crossword

Crossword puzzles have long served as a favourite pastime for many people - they present a mental task that frustrates as much as it rewards. The puzzle we face today, however, appears far harder than most. When we look closely at the clues, we see that this crossword is not routine. The clues are cryptic and the solver needs wide knowledge - even veteran solvers feel the strain. The struggle itself thrills plus each answer that emerges gives a sharp sense of success. Although the task looks forbidding, we do not retreat. We keep a sharp eye for detail and allow ourselves unorthodox thought, resolved to beat a grid that seems almost unbeatable. Every clue we crack counts as a minor triumph but also renews our resolve to press on until the last square is filled. While we study the grid letter by letter and weigh every potential answer, we admire the inventiveness of the setter. Those constructors have stretched the form well past its familiar limits as well as force us to stretch our minds and widen our knowledge beyond what we once thought within reach.