twencelas

Age 58 - Been doing cryptic crosswords since the early 1980's, started with the Sunday Times and then enjoyed them on a daily basis when the independent was launched. Over several years managed to get the hang of all the original Indie setters. Started attempting the Indie magazine crossword in the early nineties - took me a while to complete one, though - the use of all the squares luring the solver into thinking that its easier than it really is. Continued through the nineties and into this century with the Indie and the odd foray into the murkier world of the Listener - with little success, other than the numerical ones. Spent the last year or so concentrating on the thematics - can now complete most Listeners (tend to limit myself to a starting day and a having slept on it day, if needed), the high 90%'s of the Inquisitor (still my favourite) and Enigmatic Variations. Still have a daily fix of the Indie or Guardian and am pleased to see more and more themes used in the daily puzzles. One day hope to author some puzzles myself, though must admit to being in awe of the precise clueing of the top compilers.