Fortnightly Topic Challenge #46: "Tales From the Cryptic"

Question

This is the fifth installment of the Fortnightly Topic Challenges Rerun described here and the forty-sixth installment of the FTCs overall, with topics suggested and voted on here. This fortnight's topic is ""Tales From the Cryptic"" (suggested by Stiv) and will span from the 27th of December to the 9th of January. During this period, we will compile the list of relevant questions and post it as an answer to this question.

In the meantime, please go and propose and vote on future challenges!

Everyone have fun, and happy puzzling!

_{Link to other Fortnightly Topic Challenges.}

NOTE
The suggestion is copied to this post for posterity.

"Tales From the Cryptic"

I can't see any trace in past FTC's of cryptic-crosswords or cryptic-clues being used (or even suggested) as a theme, so I reckon its about time...

Specifically, this suggestion is a recommendation for combining one of these two cryptic tags with the story tag, and making use of cryptic clues (or a full crossword) within a specific setting or further context (for example, as many of @jafe's more recent 'Gladys' puzzles have done very ably).

If the Cryptic Clue Chat Chains (CCCC) in The Sphinx's Lair chatroom are any indication, we have a flourishing group of very able (or at least very up-for-it!) setters and solvers hungry for cryptics - this should give them something to get their teeth into!

Answer 1

List of all questions published as part of the Fortnightly Topic Challenge #46:

• A Cryptic Tale Indeed! by Dmihawk

• Detective Dad is on the case! by jafe

• A Cryptic Morality Tale by Jeremy Dover

• Not Bluebeard's Castle by Deusovi

• The Maze of Hermes by Graylocke

• Oops! All Acros-- by Deusovi

• In Any Case... by Deusovi

• Shipwreck hunting by Stiv

• add further entries in the form https://puzzling.stackexchange.com/questions/<question-ID> by [username](https://puzzling.stackexchange.com/users/<user-ID>)

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The highest-voted three of these are:

• A Cryptic Tale Indeed! by Dmihawk, with a score of 18 at the end of the fortnight.
• Not Bluebeard's Castle by Deusovi, with a score of 17 at the end of the fortnight.
• In Any Case... : a cryptic crossword by Deusovi, with a score of 15 at the end of the fortnight.

The most viewed three of these are:

• Oops! All Acros-- by Deusovi, with 637 views at the end of the fortnight.
• A Cryptic Tale Indeed! by Dmihawk, with 394 views at the end of the fortnight.
• Not Bluebeard's Castle by Deusovi, with 333 views at the end of the fortnight.