Crossword roundup: Wimbledon's ace
A much-loved children’s TV presenter and an annual tennis treat featSuch a cynical take on the noble enterprise of campaigning in the Times’ clue …3dLie etc, to change single ruling party? (11)[...
View ArticleCryptic crosswords for beginners: the Greek alphabet
Next in our collection of tips and tricks: watching out for the Greek alphabetThe previous entry in this helpful series reminded us that those who set cryptic crosswords enjoy using letters from the...
View ArticleCrossword roundup: honouring Austen like a boss
Intentional and unintentional coincidences make up our pick of the best of the broadsheets’ cryptic cluesWhen the Guardian’s Tramp gave us this ...16ac Fixnovel, after bending back cover (7)[ title of...
View ArticleCrossword blog: meet the letter L
In a sister feature to our Meet the Setter series, we find out which words are used in cryptic crossword clues to indicate each of the letters of the alphabetYou’ve met A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J and...
View ArticleCrossword blog: even clues fail to provide refuge from the news
Once you accept there is no escape from the likes of Donald Trump, at least crosswords can offer an aide-memoireAh, the puzzle page. Refuge from the terrifying contents of the rest of the newspaper....
View ArticleCrossword blog: Cracking the Cryptics in real-time on YouTube
Is cryptic solving a spectator sport? You decideA few tournaments back, I used these pages to describe the experience of watching its serial champion winning still another Times Crossword...
View ArticleCrossword roundup: Who coined the term 'neologism'?
Bojo, Corbo, and a whole lotta haiku feature in our pick of the best clues from across the broadsheet crypticsThe setter Punk – known locally as Paul (Q&A here) – seems to be discussing national...
View ArticleCrossword blog: anagrams of proper nouns
Sometimes, the answer is a proper noun, rather than a ‘dictionary word’. Reader/setter Chris Miller has been discussing this recently, especially anagrams of proper nouns that most anagram finders will...
View ArticleCrossword roundup: DJs hiding in the corners
A lot of classical music, a couple of giants and a little bit of fringe politics in the best of the broadsheets’ cryptic clues …A tweet of delight from Classic FM’s Tim Lihoreau:The solution to...
View ArticleCrossword blog: American puzzles – a word to the sceptical
Never tried American crosswords? Think they probably lack the wit and authorship of British cryptics. We’re here to helpWhat makes you think I’m a sceptic?Continue reading...
View ArticleCrossword roundup: sobriquet, an unlovely word for an unlovely thing
May, Merkel and, well, Phyllis Diller are the stars of our collection of the best of the broadsheets’ cryptic cluesAs Theresa, Boris and the rest packed their bags pre-flight to Florence, Arachne in...
View ArticleCrossword blog: can you be cryptic in German?
How do cryptic puzzles work in the German language? Schroduck, a familiar name from our cluing competitions, is the right person to ask about the Kreuzworträtsel. So, that’s what we didThe majority of...
View ArticleCrossword roundup: dosh, dosh, loadsamoney
Slang terms for money, disrespect for Potus and a pair of very special grids feature in our collection of the best cryptic cluesPerhaps there exist some clues and themes somewhere in crosswording that...
View ArticleCrossword blog: Let's make US puzzles work in the UK
American crosswords are different, addictive and smart. Try out a locally flavoured version and let us know what you thinkSo, I recently eulogised American-style crosswords. These witty, moreish...
View ArticleCrossword roundup: bucks and quids
Various meanings of BUCK and modern terms from EARWORM to SELFIE STICK in our collection of the best cryptic clues We have been treated to some strikingly curt definitions in the Independent. Here’s...
View ArticleCrossword blog: a vintage murder mystery with a bizarre twist
Seventy-eight years after his death, an old Torquemada puzzle returns, with a hefty prize for the first to solve it. Could you identify both the killers and the victims?The Observer’s first crossword...
View ArticleCrossword roundup: pumpkin and mash with nuts
Russian leaders and older creeps in our collection of the best cryptic cluesFrom Wiglaf, a spooky Independent puzzle for Halloween that works even for those who eschew the celebrations, as it takes in...
View ArticleTry our American-style crossword puzzle #2: Cheers!
The second instalment in our attempt to make puzzles in the US style but made up of British-friendly referencesThanks for your feedback about our first American-style crossword. You were kind.So the...
View ArticleCrossword blog: do ostriches hide their heads in the sand?
Ostriches are joined by dogs – and a pig or two – in our roundup of the cream of the cryptic cluesAs we wait for Uma Thurman “to feel less angry”, a heartwarming image from Scorpion in the Independent:...
View ArticleCrossword blog: a graphic novel about crosswords
A Q&A with Paolo Bacilieri, crossword historian in cartoon formPaolo Bacilieri has written a graphic novel that’s in part a mystery story and in part a history of crosswords across different...
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