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 28,157 / Tramp

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Tramp sets the challenge today, with some straightforward charades and anagrams in the long answers to get things going. There’s characteristic ingenuity in other clues and wit in the misleading surfaces, making for … Read more >>

Guardian 28,150 / Puck

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I’m lucky enough to draw a Puck puzzle again today – and I think it might prove to be a marmite one. The theme is overtly musicals, which I know are not everyone’s … Read more >>

Guardian 28,143 / Brummie

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Brummie provides an enjoyable challenge today, all fairly clued, with just a couple of less familiar words. Brummie’s puzzles often have a theme. All I can see here is a mini-thread at 1ac, … Read more >>

Guardian 28,134 / Paul

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It’s Paul to round off the weekday puzzles – a reasonably stiff challenge, with lots of great clues, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Many thanks, Paul. Definitions are underlined in the clues. Across 9 … Read more >>

Guardian 28,127 / Qaos

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I’m always pleased to see Qaos’ name on a puzzle – but there’s always the niggling worry, when I’m blogging it, that I’ll miss the theme, since he always has one. [It has … Read more >>

Guardian 28,120 / Boatman

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It’s Boatman providing the mid-week challenge on another wet morning – we’d got quite unused to those. I found this generally straightforward to solve but I need help with the parsing of 5dn. … Read more >>

Guardian 28,113 / Brummie

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It’s Brummie laying down the challenge today.     Part of the challenge with a Brummie puzzle is discovering whether there’s a theme or not. Today, it’s a fairly straightforward one of parts … Read more >>

Guardian 28097 / Puck

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My second Puck blog in a row – and I’m not complaining. We’re sadly in need of Puck’s wit and puckish playfulness just now and there’s plenty of it here – lots of … Read more >>

Guardian 28,090 / Brummie

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Brummie sets an interesting and enjoyable challenge today. Brummie’s surfaces are not always the most elegant but I thought there were some neat ones here. His puzzles often have a theme but I … Read more >>