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 28,702 / Picaroon

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Picaroon rounds off a good week of puzzles with an entertaining medley of ingenious constructions, witty definitions and amusing surfaces – a typical Picaroon puzzle, then. I learned new expressions at 12ac and … Read more >>

Guardian 28,695 / Paul

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It’s Paul back today, less than a week after his Saturday Prize puzzle. I must admit to feeling not only exasperated at having to dot all over the grid, chasing Paul’s characteristic linked … Read more >>

Guardian Prize 28,685 / Brummie

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It’s four months since Brummie appeared in the Saturday slot and that puzzle also fell to me to blog. It had Special Instructions, with eight clues producing one of a pair of commonly … Read more >>

Guardian 28,688 / Philistine

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It’s five months since I blogged a Philistine puzzle, so I was very pleased to see his name on this one. I thought this was Philistine in slightly less tricky mode, apart from … Read more >>

Guardian 28,681 / Crucible

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I’m always pleased to see Crucible’s name on a puzzle I’m down to blog and this one was as enjoyable as ever, with a nice range of clue types, clever constructions and smooth, … Read more >>

Guardian 28,674 / Pan

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It’s Pan starting the week today.       A straightforward puzzle with just a couple of new words for me at 7dn and 27dn. There are some nice surfaces throughout the puzzle. … Read more >>

Guardian 28,672 / Enigmatist

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My apologies for the late (and woefully inadequate) blog – nothing really to do with the fact that it’s an Enigmatist puzzle, when I was quite confidently expecting a Paul, since we haven’t … Read more >>

Guardian Prize 28,661 / Vlad

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This, for me, was a real Saturday Prize puzzle – challenging to solve and parse and very satisfying to complete, with some smiles along the way. There’s the usual good variety of clue … Read more >>

Guardian 28,665 / Pasquale

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It’s six months since I blogged a Pasquale puzzle and I enjoyed this tussle. Pasquale is noted for introducing us to less familiar / obscure words, almost invariably meticulously, so fairly, clued. This … Read more >>

Guardian 28,658 / Paul

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Every so often, Paul produces a puzzle that reminds me of why he used to be one of my favourite setters. Today is one of those days. There is an overt, but not … Read more >>

Guardian 28,651 / Imogen

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I blogged last month’s Imogen puzzle, where I said, ‘Imogen sets the challenge today, with his customary medley of straightforward and some more tricky clues.’ I think that holds good today, too. I … Read more >>

Guardian 28,644 / Vulcan

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Vulcan fills his customary fortnightly Monday slot to kick off a new week and new year of puzzles, with a typical medley of clues. Thanks to Vulcan for the puzzle. Definitions are underlined … Read more >>

Guardian 28,642 / Harpo

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We appear to have a new setter to end the year – Harpo has set us an interesting challenge. I really enjoyed this puzzle but I’m afraid I didn’t manage to get entirely … Read more >>

Guardian 28,636 / Brendan

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It’s good to be seeing Brendan’s name on the puzzle rather more often these days. I, for one, am not complaining. Brendan has, thoughtfully, indicated the theme of the puzzle in the clue … Read more >>

Guardian 28,629 / Imogen

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Imogen fills the mid-week slot, with a generally straightforward puzzle … … apart from a couple of (for me) unknown words at 15 and 17dn, gettable from the clues. The perimeter clues were … Read more >>