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 25,577 / Arachne

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What a lovely surprise on a wet morning to find an Arachne puzzle to blog! It’s all here – the characteristic wit and tricksiness, with some real laugh-out-loud clues [12ac, 25ac, 22dn]. When … Read more >>

Guardian 25,572 / Paul

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This is Paul on the very top of his form, I think. Many thanks, Paul, for all the fun! Across 1   WINDBAG: WIND [gas] BAG [reversal – ‘back’] of  GAB – talk] 5   … Read more >>

Guardian 25,567 / Shed

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A welcome appearance by Shed, to ensure that an eventful week in Crosswordland didn’t end in anti-climax. Shed’s characteristically intricate and inventive cluing provides a puzzle which I found entertaining and amusing. My … Read more >>

Guardian 25,557 / Rufus

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Not quite so many cryptic definitions this morning, which will please those who don’t like them, but plenty of the characteristic double definitions and some excellent anagrams in this fun puzzle to start … Read more >>

Guardian 25,553 / Gordius

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After my blog of the last Gordius puzzle [unbelievably, only twelve days ago – I could think, like Kenneth Williams, that ‘They’ have it in for me 😉 ] I will forgo a … Read more >>

Guardian 25,548 / Brummie

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I thoroughly enjoyed this puzzle from Brummie – I just wish it had lasted longer! There is some clever, witty  cluing, with amusing surfaces, and a number of interesting references for me to … Read more >>

Guardian 25,543 / Gordius

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The usual mixture of some good and some rather weaker clues from Gordius. Regular readers know that he is not among my favourite setters, not least for his cluing of ‘terminal cancer’ some … Read more >>

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 >>