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 25,437 / Rufus

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It’s Monday, it’s Rufus and I’m saying no more today, except,’Thank you, Rufus’! Across 7   SOFT PEDAL: cryptic definition Edit: I completely missed the anagram [‘regulating’] of ADOPT SELF [thanks, Neil and Geoff] … Read more >>

Guardian 25,433 / Gordius

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My second blog of a Gordius puzzle in less than two weeks – and it’s another rather mixed bag … Across 1   REPEATING: REP [agent] EATING [having lunch] 6   EACH: contained in tEACHing … Read more >>

Guardian 25,428 / Orlando

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An Orlando puzzle with the usual good variety of clues and some brilliantly misleading surfaces, with a number of smiles to boot. ‘Wit’ and ‘elegance’ are the epithets that most naturally spring to … Read more >>

Guardian 25,423 / Gordius

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A fairly typical Gordian mixed bag, I think – some clever clues, together with some very loose definitions and one glaring inaccuracy. Older solvers may have found this puzzle rather easier. 😉 Across … Read more >>

Guardian 25,413 / Orlando

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After Araucaria’s Bank Holiday double challenge, a very pleasant diversion from Orlando for the holiday itself. I didn’t find this too taxing but there’s much to admire here: the usual wit, elegance and … Read more >>

Guardian Prize 25,406 / Brummie

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I was away for the weekend and took my Guardian with me. I was, naturally, amazed and disappointed to find the previous day’s Araucaria’s puzzle when I opened it to solve the crossword!  … Read more >>

Independent 7,751 / Phi

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My first blog of an Indy puzzle – as a one-off substitute for flashling, who’s been away setting off spectacular fireworks. I know to expect a Nina or theme from Phi and the … Read more >>

Guardian 25,404 / Boatman

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It’s five months since I blogged a Boatman puzzle and I commented then that we don’t see him often enough. There have been only two in between, so that’s certainly true! We know … Read more >>

Guardian 25,389 / Rufus

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It’s Monday,  it’s Rufus – say no more!   Across 1   POINTLESS: double definition 6   COPE: OP [work] in CE [Church of England] 8   COLOSSUS: LOSS [no profit] in [is taken] CO [firm] … Read more >>

Guardian Prize 25,382 / Paul

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I thought this was rather on the easy side for a Paul crossword, especially a prize one. The number of double definitions [eight!] was more typical of a Rufus puzzle but there were … Read more >>

Guardian 25,385 / Araucaria

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My second Araucaria blog in less than a week. I’ve learned a couple of new words, where the cluing fortunately made them gettable, and wrestled with several of Araucaria’s characteristic long clues, which … Read more >>