bridgesong

Born in 1947, I remember as a child tackling the Skeleton in my father’s Sunday Express before moving on to The Times at school with a classmate. For 20 years or so after leaving school I had no time for crosswords but started again in the 1980s, teaching myself to do Azed (with help from Don Manley’s Crossword Manual). Now retired after a career as a lawyer which culminated in appointment as a District Judge, I do the Guardian every Saturday, usually with my friend and neighbour Timon (who introduced me to fifteensquared). I also enter the Azed monthly competitions but have never done better than the very occasional VHC. More recently I have become a subscriber to the Magpie magazine and submit entries monthly, without yet winning a pen. My pseudonym comes from two of my other leisure interests, bridge and singing.

Guardian Prize No 25,682 by Araucaria

Sat July 14, 2012 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

I found this on the easy side for a prize puzzle, although there are one or two traps for the unwary. The theme was easy to spot, and there are one or two … Read more >>

Guardian Genius 109 – placeholder

Thu February 27, 2014 at 12:14 pmMon July 9, 2012 at 3:45 pm by bridgesong

I shall be blogging this puzzle once the deadline for submissions has passed. Solvers who are struggling with it may care to note the slight amendment to the enumeration of certain of the … Read more >>

Guardian Prize No 25,658 by Paul

Sat June 16, 2012 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

No editorial mistakes this week, with a themed puzzle which was, I felt, below Paul’s usual very high standards. The theme was plays by Alan Ayckbourn, and while this offered a wide choice, … Read more >>

Azed No 2086

Sun June 3, 2012 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

A mixed bag this week from Azed. I was able to solve quite a bit on the train (with reference to Chambers when I got home to verify my answers) but I found … Read more >>

Guardian Prize No 25,634 by Paul

Sat May 19, 2012 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

My turn to blog these prize puzzles seems to coincide with Paul’s turn to set them; I think that this is the third in a row. While continuing the trend for prize puzzles … Read more >>

Azed 2,080

Sun April 22, 2012 at 12:02 am by bridgesong

An unusual grid construction in this week’s Azed gave us rather more 4-letter words than usual, as well as the usual quotient of obsolete, foreign (particularly French) and downright obscure words. The 4-letter … Read more >>

Guardian Prize No 25610 by Paul

Sat April 21, 2012 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

This is the second prize puzzle by Paul that has fallen to me to blog in succession, and there are no complaints from me, although I do have a couple of quibbles. This … Read more >>

Guardian Prize No 25,586 by Paul

Sat March 24, 2012 at 8:40 amSat March 24, 2012 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

An enjoyable challenge this week, with much of Paul’s characteristic wit on display. I had expected something of an Irish theme, for a puzzle published on St Patrick’s Day, but apart from a … Read more >>

Azed No 2074 “Forty Years On”

Sun March 11, 2012 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

This puzzle marked the fortieth anniversary of the Azed series, a remarkable milestone. It did not disappoint. At first glance it looked formidable, with a 13 by 13 grid allowing rather more clues … Read more >>

Guardian Prize Puzzle No 25,562 by Puck

Sat February 25, 2012 at 7:29 amSat February 25, 2012 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

We don’t often see Puck in the prize slot and I wonder whether this puzzle was intended as a prize puzzle because it seemed to me to be very much on the easy … Read more >>

Guardian Genius 103

Sun February 5, 2012 at 12:43 pmSun February 5, 2012 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

Lavatch is a setter whose puzzles (in this series anyway) always seem to involve having to change the word before entry in the grid. This time the down clues all included a name … Read more >>

Azed 2068

Sun January 29, 2012 at 9:36 amSun January 29, 2012 at 12:04 am by bridgesong

I found this puzzle distinctly tougher than usual for a plain Azed. I didn’t help myself by my error at 26, especially when it seemed to be confirmed by the crossing letter from … Read more >>

Guardian Prize No 25,538 by Araucaria

Sat January 28, 2012 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

An easier than usual prize puzzle this week, I thought, although it features some quite outrageous (but typical) liberties so far as the clueing is concerned. Once I had cracked the theme, which … Read more >>

Guardian Christmas Prize No 25,514 by Araucaria

Thu January 5, 2012 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

It was my privilege this year to solve and blog this puzzle whose theme was hinted at in the introduction: “Many of the clues are of a kind and may not be further … Read more >>

Azed 2063

Sun December 18, 2011 at 7:31 amSun December 18, 2011 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

I’m feeling even more well disposed towards Azed (and the Observer) this week than usual, having been fortunate enough to win a prize in one of the weekly competitions recently (still waiting to … Read more >>