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 25,529 / Paul

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A fun puzzle and fairly steady solve from Paul, with some ingenious and amusing clues, and one or two easy ones to get / keep things going and to help with less familiar … Read more >>

Guardian 25,524 / Puck

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After the delightful Arachne yesterday, another welcome post-Christmas present to off-set the foul weather, in this quite challenging and entertaining puzzle from Puck. The characteristically witty and ingenious cluing provided a number of … Read more >>

Guardian 25,519 / Araucaria

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A pleasant Araucaria puzzle for my last blog of the year, which was less taxing than it first appeared, since the gateway clue at 5ac was pretty straightforward. There are a number of … Read more >>

Guardian 25,509 / Rufus

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Since I started blogging, just over three years ago, this is the third Rufus pre-Christmas puzzle that has fallen to me and, once again, Rufus has managed to include a seasonal allusion in … Read more >>

Guardian 25,505 / Arachne

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We know from Arachne’s numerous Marathon achievements that she’s not one to baulk at a challenge and this is her response to the gauntlet thrown down at the Sloggers and Betters get-together in … Read more >>

Guardian 25,501 / Puck

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I commented on the most recent Puck puzzle that it seemed to lack his characteristic playfulness. No such complaint with this one, which I found fun to solve. There is a range of … Read more >>

Guardian 25,485 / Rufus

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Apologies for the rather later posting today: I’ve been whiling away two hours at the surgery between glucose-tolerance blood tests. It’s a pretty straightforward Rufus for a grey morning, with perhaps even more … Read more >>

Guardian Prize 25,478 / Paul

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An entertaining pot-pourri of a puzzle from Paul, to round off an excellent week: a mini-theme of Dad’s Army  and mini-mini-themes of pastas, Prime Ministers and flowers. Just right for a Saturday, I … Read more >>

Guardian 25,481 / Paul

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There’s much to admire, enjoy and laugh [or groan] at in this typically Paul puzzle. Not much more to be said – I hope you enjoyed it. Many thanks, Paul. Across 9   PEPPERONI: … Read more >>

Guardian 25,476 / Boatman

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This time yesterday, I was thanking my lucky stars that I wasn’t blogging the Enigmatist. [Well done, Andrew – I was among those who had a busy day and had to come back … Read more >>

Guardian 25,471 / Tramp

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I’m certainly not complaining today at having landed the third of a recent handful of a setter’s puzzles to blog! This time it’s Tramp and, in fact, this is only his fifth Guardian … Read more >>