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.

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 >>

Guardian Prize No 25,490 by Shed

Sat December 3, 2011 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

Shed doesn’t get many outings in the Saturday slot, and I can’t remember blogging one of his puzzles before. I thought this was something of a curate’s egg of a puzzle, with a mixture of … Read more >>

Azed No 2057

Sun November 6, 2011 at 9:39 amSun November 6, 2011 at 12:11 am by bridgesong

A very enjoyable puzzle this week, which I polished off on Sunday afternoon. There are two splendid & lit clues, as well as two hidden answers, both for rather longer words than usual. … Read more >>

Guardian Prize No 25,466 by Araucaria

Sat November 5, 2011 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

A largely delightful and allusive puzzle, with several laugh-out-loud moments, but also one or two quibbles. I’d particularly welcome suggestions for the word play at 11 across and 26 across. I found the … Read more >>

Prize Crossword No 25,442 by Araucaria

Sat October 8, 2011 at 7:01 amSat October 8, 2011 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

A very characteristic offering from Araucaria this week with one of his long poetic anagrams and some typical charades. It took me a little over an hour to complete without resort to a … Read more >>

Azed 2051

Sun September 25, 2011 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

An exceptionally tough Azed this week, with a very high proportion of unfamiliar and downright obscure words. A knowledge of French was required for a couple of clues as well. I confess to … Read more >>

Guardian Prize Puzzle No 25418, by Paul

Sat September 10, 2011 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

After last week’s stinker of a double puzzle from Araucaria, this was much easier, all the more so once the theme had been guessed (which didn’t take long). All the “John’s” references were … Read more >>

Azed 2045 Plain Competition puzzle

Sun August 14, 2011 at 8:10 amSun August 14, 2011 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

I found this a little harder than usual for an Azed, although on reflection it is just the unfamiliarity of many of the words that creates the difficulty. As always, there are no … Read more >>

Guardian Prize Puzzle No 25,394 by Paul

Sun August 14, 2011 at 7:48 amSat August 13, 2011 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

This was the hardest prize puzzle that I can remember for quite some time, made even harder by the schoolboy blunder at 20 down. I see that the web version now has a … Read more >>

Guardian Genius No 97 by Tramp

Mon August 1, 2011 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

It was my privilege to blog Tramp’s first published puzzle (I think) which appeared in this series six months ago (Genius 91). Since then he has published non-prize cryptics in the Guardian (and … Read more >>

Guardian Prize Puzzle No 25,376 by Araucaria

Sat July 23, 2011 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

With help from my friend Timon, this took us less than an hour to complete, although getting started took me longer than usual. No particular theme (as far as I can see) but the … Read more >>

Azed No 2039

Sun July 3, 2011 at 12:22 am by bridgesong

I found this a fairly tough challenge, with even more unfamiliar words than usual. I have on several occasions simply quoted the definition from Chambers without any additional comment. It was a … Read more >>