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 26,647 / Arachne

Tue August 11, 2015 at 11:36 amTue August 11, 2015 at 8:57 am by Eileen

What a wonderful surprise to wake up and see the much-missed Arachne’s name on this puzzle! The trademark witty, story-telling surfaces and ingenious, intricate wordplay made for lots of smiles/laughs and ahas as … Read more >>

Guardian 26,640 / Rufus

Mon August 3, 2015 at 3:10 pmMon August 3, 2015 at 8:55 am by Eileen

The usual Monday mélange from Rufus – with surfaces as satiny-smooth as ever and a couple to tickle this former teacher. Thanks to him for a typically genial start to the week Across … Read more >>

Guardian 26,638 / Brummie

Fri July 31, 2015 at 9:31 am by Eileen

For some reason, I found this puzzle in some parts more challenging than any this week but it was hard to see why at the end. Brummie is not known for the smoothness … Read more >>

Guardian Prize 26,627 / Puck

Sat July 25, 2015 at 12:02 am by Eileen

I know I’m not the only one to be sorely missing Saturday ‘Araubeticals’ [© Muck] and it was a real joy to find this one from Puck, one of my favourite setters. It … Read more >>

Guardian 26,631 / Paul

Thu July 23, 2015 at 1:37 pmThu July 23, 2015 at 9:33 am by Eileen

It was something of a surprise to see a Paul puzzle with a theme that was so overtly stated and that at first sight seemed rather daunting. Paul had a wealth of outlandish … Read more >>

Guardian 26,624 / Qaos

Wed July 15, 2015 at 9:06 am by Eileen

The usual fun from Qaos, with a nice variety of clues and good surfaces throughout. One of the challenges with a Qaos puzzle is spotting a theme but this one was fairly easily … Read more >>

Guardian 26,617 / Imogen

Tue July 7, 2015 at 11:37 amTue July 7, 2015 at 9:17 am by Eileen

I always enjoy Imogen’s puzzles but I was rather alarmed, since I was blogging this one, not to have entered a single across clue on the first pass. However, 1dn got me started … Read more >>

Guardian 26,610 / Chifonie

Mon June 29, 2015 at 9:37 amMon June 29, 2015 at 8:50 am by Eileen

Not Rufus today but a similar medley of anagrams, double [but no cryptic] definitions, charades and insertions from Chifonie, to give the customary gentle start to the week. There are one or two … Read more >>

Guardian Prize 26,603 / Shed

Sat June 27, 2015 at 4:21 pmSat June 27, 2015 at 12:02 am by Eileen

Preambles of blogs on Shed puzzles often include the words ‘welcome return’ or some such expression. It’s six months since we had Shed in the Prize slot. I remember how years [and I … Read more >>

Guardian 26,608 / Picaroon

Fri June 26, 2015 at 9:05 am by Eileen

Once again I get to blog a Picaroon puzzle – and I’m still not complaining! Lots of innovative and witty clues, as usual, with lovely surfaces throughout, making a most enjoyable and amusing … Read more >>

Guardian 26,601 / Crucible

Thu June 18, 2015 at 9:22 am by Eileen

The theme of today’s puzzle has been so much in the news even before today that there shouldn’t be too much difficulty in spotting this one. A few weeks ago, in a comment … Read more >>

Guardian 26,594 / Picaroon

Wed June 10, 2015 at 5:33 pmWed June 10, 2015 at 9:01 am by Eileen

Once again I get to blog a Picaroon puzzle and I’m certainly not complaining. We’re still not being allowed to forget the election: there are a number of political references here, with some … Read more >>

Guardian 26,587 / Pasquale

Tue June 2, 2015 at 9:02 am by Eileen

As usual, Pasquale gives us a handful of less familiar words to keep us on our toes – but, as ever, these were scrupulously clued, so nothing to complain about there. I’m not … Read more >>

Guardian Prize 26,579 / Picaroon

Sat May 30, 2015 at 11:03 amSat May 30, 2015 at 12:02 am by Eileen

It’s always a delight for me to see Picaroon’s name on a puzzle and, once again, I was not disappointed. With Picaroon, we can often expect a theme – and here it became … Read more >>

Guardian 26,580 / Rufus

Mon May 25, 2015 at 9:57 am by Eileen

A typical Rufus Monday medley of double definitions, cryptic definitions and anagrams, with some nifty misdirections in 9 and 11ac and 1dn. Thanks to Rufus and a happy Bank Holiday to him and … Read more >>