Everyone knows that The Times is the periodical of choice amongst the worlds intelligence community. Not a day goes by without a Russian agent cutting spy holes in a newspaper or some sultry temptress posting cryptic messages in the classifieds for her suave British agent lover!
So behold what Fleet Street’s finest told us this morning
3 Down: WEB
17 Across: FEAR
4 Down: ENEMY
19 Down: WORLD
13 Across: MARCO POLO
6 Down: CATHAY
Has Paul Vanezis started writing The Times crossword since he went freelance? 15 Down “Venice” is as close to Vanezis as you can get!
Other words: Viable, Ruined, Newsreel, Straggler, Destroyed
The message is clear: Marco Polo was found in a newsreel can alongside Web of Fear and Enemy of the World, however Polo is the straggler because Paul Vanezis (Venice) needed to do extensive restoration to make it viable. It has alas been destroyed.
You heard it here first folks
