ximenean

/hɪˈmeɪ.ni.ən/

Etymology

Ximénez or Ximenes + -an

Why this word is great

XIMENEAN — [Adjective] Of or pertaining to the strict, fair, and precise style of cryptic crossword setting as defined by Derrick Somerset Macnutt under the pseudonym 'Ximenes'. From the surname Ximenes (variant of Ximénez, a Spanish surname) + the suffix -an, indicating pertaining to or characteristic of. Unlike "Araucarian" (which permits creative liberties) or "Libertarian" (which flouts grammatical rigor), Ximenean is a covenant of clarity—a vow that every word in a clue must pull its weight, that no definition is obscured by unfair tricks, that the solver’s triumph is earned, not stolen. It is the clean click of a well-oiled lock yielding to the right key, the crisp snap of a ruler laid against a straight edge, the faint but audible sigh of a mind that has just untangled a perfect deception without a single wasted motion. A Ximenean clue is a rare thing: a lie that tells the truth.

adj

Of or pertaining to the cryptic crossword style used and defined by "Ximenes" (Derrick Somerset Macnutt), whereby an acceptable cryptic clue must have a precise definition, a fair and strictly grammatical subsidiary indication, and no redundant elements beyond these.“For example, I did not follow a Ximenean rule that a member of a larger class cannot be used to define the class itself (one poster brought this up).”
Pertaining to the religious teachings and publications of Ximénez de Cisneros.“Speaking of the Ximenean Polyglot, Prescott calls it a “noble monument of piety, learning, and munificence, which entitles its author to the gratitude of the whole Christian world.”—Ferd. 5r Isab., Vol. III., p. 289.”

noun

A cruciverbalist or crossword fan who shares Ximenes's beliefs about fair crossword setting.“I managed to complete a puzzle and as Ximenes enjoyed solving it, and as I thought he might welcome the opportunity to enter a clue writing contest himself, I decided to send the puzzle to a few more Ximeneans and set the name of the author of the quotation as the word to be clued.”