Through Thick and Thin 2025

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Across
  1. 3. A digital duel in a 64- square world, your constant, silent mate, it steals your time and tests your nerves, in a never-ending state
  2. 5. We sought the five treasures through whiteout and frozen despair, then stood in the glory of giants, a feat beyond compare
  3. 9. The "Master Hunter" in a dark brown hue, dropped into a blast; we left six of these at the coast, too many to hold or last
  4. 11. A morning ritual in a back-and-forth play, you doubt your own growth while your fitness reveals a new day
  5. 15. An artificial chill for visiting kin, installed in a single day, a gift of air that sparked a frown, but cleared the swelter away (3,12)
  6. 16. A hurried stop in god's own land where the freshly wedded flock, a fleeting glimpse of the cowherd king, against a ticking clock
  7. 17. A three-day 'pre-knot' marathon with a massive, drunken crew, one villa held our 'parting' toast- a feat for me and you
  8. 19. A nectar of oats and blue pearls, crushed for a morning start, a violet draught that is served with zeal, to keep a healthy heart (5,8)
  9. 20. A 'brave' global jester who found himself in the law's cold grip, we took the metro to hear the 'sounds' of his pointed, clever lip (3,3)
  10. 21. A duty of 'sticks' and 'silver' forms to keep the spirit bright, a corner carved from love, to house the divine light
  11. 22. I've cast off the old for a 'fresh identity' delivered to the door, a pink-wrapped rival that leaves me always wanting more (3,2)
  12. 23. A nomad's dream of wood and cloth for a small monthly fee, we filled our halls with borrowed walls, to stay forever free
  13. 24. A floral sparkle and a band of gold, through every store we chased, a stubborn fit on a nervous hand as our 'single' lives were erased (10,4)
  14. 25. We sequence words and secret roles, a collection built by you, a tabletop tradition that we teach to every crew (5,5)
  15. 26. An invited guest for your trip, born of a borrowed flame, three doctors later, the 'silent' puffer's gift finally had a name
  16. 27. We drove to the green and the scary deep, with friends in the car, you dodged the bill for a fancy plate, beneath a fort-bound star
Down
  1. 1. No map is needed for this climb when hunger strikes at night, a plate of mixed delights awaits on a 'summit' within sight (7,6)
  2. 2. We fought through the 'standard' to find our serene retreat, a brilliant yellow beacon that made our long search complete (6,4)
  3. 4. A pool for the future that refuses to move though many have tried, we shunned the hefty fix for my dad's hand as our guide (9,4)
  4. 6. Four of five days she's ailing, yet she rules with a frantic hand, a chattering force of 'stress' you barely can withstand
  5. 7. We seek the 'largest army' now and study global play, game that turns a friendly host to a robber in the fray
  6. 8. We skipped the drowned trails in our 'doubled' moon spree, to seek out the wild and the waves in this land, in the sea (3,5)
  7. 10. It won you a gold and picked your glass, a polymath in the palm; it maps our paths and writes our scripts, with a synthetic calm (4,3)
  8. 12. A 'prime' device you chased with a brand new zeal, now you beg me to trade my dying cell for a more 'fruitful' deal
  9. 13. Your maiden voyage to the steppes where the sands start to hum, you found a new crew amid the canyons, with bread & crumb
  10. 14. After years of "maybe", a flute-player witnessed our vow, amidst hallowed halls and the tears on my father's brow (6,7)
  11. 18. A solo screening near the coast, through a deluge on two wheels, a task for you with 'close' guests on how a drenched drive feels (7,10)