Eileen

I’ve been doing cryptic crosswords since university days, learning how with a group of friends in coffee breaks. The Guardian crossword has been part of my life for most of the time since. Since retiring from teaching (originally Classics and, subsequently, when that was dropped from the curriculum, mostly English and History), having serendipitously stumbled on 15², I discovered that I could get the Indy and FT puzzles online and so I now add those, when they are set by my favourite compilers. Occasionally, I try the Genius and have even submitted a few. (Some years ago, I won a Collins dictionary in the Guardian Prize lottery, which established it as my referred reference.) I don’t take note of solving times: I enjoy taking time savouring the construction and particularly the surface of clues and always feel slightly disappointed when I finish too quickly. My one regret is my complete failure to enthuse any member of my family with cryptic crosswords.

Guardian 28,778 / Nutmeg

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A typically elegant and witty puzzle from Nutmeg this morning, with some straightforward,  but clever, charades to help the solve along and some chewier clues to keep the interest. I particularly liked the … Read more >>

Guardian 28,764 / Vulcan

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Vulcan starts the week with a typical Monday medley of charades, anagrams and double and cryptic definitions. A pretty straightforward solve, I think, with some nice surfaces throughout. Thanks to Vulcan for the … Read more >>

Guardian 28,762 / Paul

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So after Mitz’s musings @44 on yesterday’s blog, it turns out that it’s Paul who ends the week and we don’t have a new record of more than sixteen different setters on the … Read more >>

Guardian 28,753 / Nutmeg

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Another stylish puzzle from Nutmeg.     There are several straightforward charades and some neat anagrams to help with the solve, with some rather chewier parsings to keep the interest. Lovely surfaces throughout, … Read more >>

Guardian 28,748 / Pasquale

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Pasquale fills the midweek slot with an interesting puzzle. As usual, we have a few less familiar words and names, as usually, helpfully clued, in particular 24ac, the only one unknown to me, … Read more >>

Guardian28,734 / Vulcan

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Happy Easter, everyone! I hope you have had / are having an enjoyable weekend (and aren’t 11 across 😉 ). I found this puzzle something of a mixed bag – mostly straightforward clues, … Read more >>

Guardian 28,732 / Paul

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Paul rounds off the week with a fairly straightforward puzzle, written in characteristic style. I learned a couple of new expressions today but they were easy enough to solve and parse. Thanks to … Read more >>

Guardian 28,725 / Fed

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I have enjoyed Dave Gorman’s puzzles since his first offerings as Bluth in the Indy and have been looking forward to blogging a Fed ever since he came over to the Guardian nine … Read more >>

Guardian 28,718 / Nutmeg

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A mid-week appearance from Nutmeg, offering a typically elegant and witty puzzle, with lots of ingenious clues and lovely surfaces, as ever. I liked the combination of the 6s, 10, 11, 17, 19, … Read more >>

Guardian 28,711 / Brummie

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It’s Brummie setting today’s challenge, so is there a theme today? You never know what to expect with him. I thought at first that 10ac and 4dn might be leading us somewhere but … Read more >>