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 26,527 / Picaroon

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A Tuesday treat from one of my top favourite setters, brimming with a variety of the usual top-quality clues with great surfaces. I thought it was relatively straightforward – but Picaroon’s puzzles worryingly … Read more >>

Guardian 26,518 / Qaos

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It’s been a most remarkable week for crosswords and we end it with one by another of my favourite setters, sparkling with his customary wit and ingenuity. I seemed to be typing ‘anagram’ … Read more >>

Guardian Prize 26,507 / Paul

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This was one of those puzzles which, at first glance, with all the cross-references, cause the heart to sink a little and, at first glance, the two XXs looked a little daunting, too … Read more >>

Guardian 26,511 / Paul

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Lots of chuckles and a touch of déjà vu in a most enjoyable puzzle. Favourite clues: 1, 12,  20,18ac and 16dn. Many thanks, Paul. Across 1 Possibly time to finish messing about with … Read more >>

Guardian 26,504 / Brummie

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I enjoyed solving this one. As one who delights in witty, story-telling surfaces, I’ve sometimes despaired of some of Brummie’s but there are some really interesting pictures conjured up by some of these! … Read more >>

Guardian 26,497 / Brendan

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It’s very good to see a Brendan puzzle again, relatively soon after his welcome return. As I solved this, I felt that he was being rather gentle with us: many of the clues … Read more >>

Guardian 26,490 / Rufus

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Don’t worry – this is not a complete take-over of the Guardian blogging slot: because of the way the rota works, my monthly Prize blog coincided with the overlap of the weekly ones, … Read more >>

Guardian 26,488 / Brummie

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I didn’t know what to expect after a quite remarkable week of puzzles, so, before I went to bed, I sneaked a look at the Guardian website to see who awaited me in … Read more >>

Guardian 26,481 / Paul

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A mixture of some very succinct / straightforward clues [the last three, for instance] which wouldn’t be out of place in a Rufus puzzle, and others which  were typically Pauline ones, in construction … Read more >>

Guardian 26,474 / Otterden

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I’m going to echo Andrew’s preamble to his blog of the most recent Otterden puzzle: ‘I haven’t been particularly impressed by Otterden’s puzzles in the past, and I’m afraid this one has done … Read more >>

Guardian 26,467 / Nutmeg

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I see that in the preamble to my last blog of a Nutmeg puzzle I referred to the elegance of the clues, the silky smoothness of the surfaces and the lightness of touch. … Read more >>