S&B York 2026 – Friday 23 & Saturday 24 October – IMPORTANT UPDATE

Tue October 20, 2026 at 1:14 pmFri October 2, 2026 at 8:24 pm by Admin

S&B York 2026 – Friday 23 & Saturday 24 October – IMPORTANT UPDATE

Hi again, everyone.

For original post – click here.

Three weeks to go! We’re now at the stage where I need to liaise with the Marcia about final numbers attending and eating. I would be grateful therefore if those of you who responded on the thread of my previous post would check below that I have transcribed your attendance and food details accurately. If there are errors, or your requirements have changed, please let me know in the comments below.

If your details are correct, there is no need to contact me.

But I do need to know about it if you have ordered food and can no longer attend, otherwise I shall have to reimburse the venues from my own pocket (last year there were still a few such cases …).

Even at this late stage, if anybody else would like to attend, you’d be made most welcome, although we may soon reach the limit on pre-food orders for Saturday. If you are not listed for food below, you may of course still order from the pub menu.

Please leave your A-D details on the thread below.

A reminder about the A-D key:

A – your name as you wish it to appear along with, if different from, your real name (unless you wish not to have your real name on your badge – let me know below);
B – attending Friday’s event;
C – as B and partaking of the buffet
D – attending Saturday’s main event at the The Marcia.

Between now and the event, please check this thread regularly in case any details have changed in any way.

Thanks, looking forward to welcoming you all!

John

Post #	Name	Pseudonym	B	C	D	E
			Friday		Saturday
2	Mike Crapper	mc_rapper67	*	*	*	*
3	Rob Townsend	Henri/Odo	*	*	*	*
4	Tom Blackwell	Raider	*	*	*	*
5	Jamie Thunder	Amoeba/Weatherman	*	*V	*	V
7	Jack Keynes	Bluejacket	*	*	*	*
8	Rosy Hunt		*	*
9	Matt Holland	UnchEd	*	*	*	*
	Rachel Playforth	Angel	*	*	*	*
10	Chris Evans	Umpire/Potoroo/2	*	*	*	*
12	Simon Griew	Coot	*	*	*	*
	Louise Griew		*	*
13	Mark O’Connor	Cranberry/Fez	*	*	*	*
14	Richard Heald	Square Routes/2	*	*	*	*
16	Emma Dickson	Turnstone/Heron	*	*	*	*
	Jim Dickson		*	*
17	Jez Lundström	Ouroboros	*	*	*	*
18	Michael Benbow	Biggles	*	*	*	*
19	Jennie Willson	Guinevere/Dice/Kybos	*	*	*
	Steve Willson		*
20/21	Becky M	Liari/Pavo/Apus/Potoroo/2	*	*V	*	*V
22	Ken MacKenzie	kenmac/IQ blogger	*	*	*	*
23	John Moody	Johninterred	*	*	*	*
	Dawn Jepson		*	*
24	Josh Roach	Major/Iguess	*	*	*	*
25/27/ 77	Dave Fernley	Ginger Tom	*	*	*
	Vera Lowson	Princess V	*		*
26	Tom Reynolds	Kruger	*		*
	Janet Reynolds		*
28	Andrew Taylor	Andrew	*	*	*	*
	Mark		*	*
	Kate		*	*
	John Jenkins		*	*
	Sarah		*	*
29/30/ 36	Jo Welch	Skylark	*	*	*	*
32	Paul Robinson	Cheeseman	*	*	*	*
33		Shanne	(*)	(*V)	*	*V
		Tabby			(*)
34	Laura O’Donoghue	Elmac	*	*	*	*
	Gary O’Donoghue				*	*
35	Jon Lewis	Check			*
37	Julie Rugg	Mrs Graves	*	*	*	*
39	Nick Huntley	Karla/Leonidas			*
40	Peter Moore Fuller	Bard/Playfair/Glyph	*	*V	*	*V
	Lucy Moore Fuller		*	*V	*	*V
41	Sally Wraight		*	*	*	*
	Anne Lickert		*	*	*	*
42	Keith Sutherland	Noctifer	*	*	*	*
43	John Black	Sloop John B	*		*	*
44	Linda Watson	almw3	*	*	*	*
45	Rob Primhak	Zebedee/Primus	*	*	*	*
	Bev Primhak		*	*	*	*
46/59	Andrew Varney	Brock	*	*	*	*
47	Ian Simpson	Square Routes/2	*	*	*	*
48	Helen Ougham	IQ & EV Solving team	*	*V	*
49	Jim Toal	Vlad/Tyrus/Lato			*
50	Hamish Symington	Soup/Smidgers			*	*
51	Stuart Thomas	Cagey/KGB	*		*	*
52	Dave Howell				*	*
53	Vivien Cohen		*	*	*	*
54	Tim King	Encota	*	*	*	*
55	David Ward	Catnip	*	*	*	*
58	William Snow	Bluebird/Conto/Solomon	*	*	*	*
60	Alan Chamberlain	Komorník 3D Calendar Ed	*	*	*	*
61	Dave Wichall	Wickball			*
62	Angus Walker	Gustav/2	*	*V	*	*V
63	Dan Boxall	Claw/Tack/Tilt/Armand	*	*	*	*
64	Claire Bennie	Ruskin	*	*	*	*
65	Peter Welton	Radler			*
	Polly Welton				*
66	Sean O’Boyle	Leo	*	*	*	*
67		Smylers			*	*
68/N21	Andy McCarroll	Eccles	*	*	*	*
69	Erik Dawid	Demios	*	*	*	*
70/72	Gary Cole		*	*	*	(*)
71	Zoe Varney		*	*	*	*
73	Dave Lavan		*	*	*	*
74	Ms Cat	Kitty	*		*	*
75	Peter Chamberlain	Cephas/Pedrock			*	*
76	Sil van Hoek	Dalibor			*
	Beth				*
Email
	Mike Hutchinson	Eimi/Independent editor	*	*	*	(*)
	Janet MacKenzie				*	(*)
	Frank Paul		*	*V	*	*V
	John Henderson	Enigmatist/Nimrod/Elgar/Io	*	*	*	*
	Jane Teather	Jetdoc	*	*V	*	*V
New 6	Rich Davis	Blah/Bottom	*	*	*	*
New 7	Pete Maclean	FifteenSquared 1000	(*)	(*)	(*)	(*)
New 11	Mark Kelmanson	Monk/Harpo/Sparks			*
New 13	Eddie Winslow	Magpie tester			*
New 18	Ben Law Smith		*	*	*	(*)
New 20	Richard Grafen	IQ & EV Solving team	*	*	*	(*)
New 28	St John Daly	Astonvilla1			*	(*)
New 30	Jonathan Warschauer	maninsuit	*	(*)	*	(*)
New 31	Charlie Methven	Chameleon/Methuselah			*	(*)

36 comments on “S&B York 2026 – Friday 23 & Saturday 24 October – IMPORTANT UPDATE”

Comment #1
⚠️ This comment was deleted or is awaiting moderation.
Longitude

#2 - Sat 3rd Oct 26, 12:25

Disappointed that I can’t make it due to some trains to/from York being replaced by buses that weekend (Sat-Sun; Fri & Mon fine). Just mentioning it in case it affects anyone else and they weren’t aware.

Have fun all!
flashling

#3 - Sat 3rd Oct 26, 12:58

Sadly I doubt Cath and I can make it this year again, hope it all goes well.
Shanne

#4 - Sat 3rd Oct 26, 13:37

Shanne’s daughter would like to be known as Tabby, please. And sorry, I should have said vegetarian for me (although I eat fish).

(We are coming up by train, but on the Friday, and staying for a bit into half term, so we can meet local-ish friends and relations.)
Sloop John Bee

#5 - Sat 3rd Oct 26, 13:45

Please Sir – Can I be excused from the Friday Buffet? I will still be around early and late, but I have secured a ticket for Steve Hackett at the Barbican.
I will still be there on Saturday and will require feeding as previously.
Blah

#6 - Sat 3rd Oct 26, 16:22

Hi John,

Late to the party as usual but will now be attending,

A – Rich Davis (Blah/Bottom)
B – yes
C – yes
D – yes
E – yes

If no room left for the Friday buffet or Saturday food not a problem just let me know.

Cheers,

Rich.
Pete Maclean

#7 - Sun 4th Oct 26, 12:14

On Saturday 24 October, if all goes well, I will write my one thousandth blog for FifteenSquared. These blogs comprise 998 FT Weekend puzzles spread over 20 years plus two jumbos. And I wish I could be in York to celebrate the occasion. That looks difficult however because my wife will be undergoing surgery in the next week or so. Is there actually a strict deadline for registering?
Rosy Hunt

#8 - Sun 4th Oct 26, 12:34

Sorry, I now can’t come to Saturday at all. Please cancel my food! Thank you – Rosy
John H

#9 - Mon 5th Oct 26, 13:56

Pete @7: I’m sure you can be accommodated, especially to celebrate such a milestone!

John
Bard

#10 - Tue 6th Oct 26, 11:44

Thanks John, we’re both Veggie (Peter and Lucy – row 40!)
Monk/Harpo/Sparks/The artist formerly known as CheeseCracker

#11 - Tue 6th Oct 26, 15:29

Ta J^2 for yet again organising this. Aiming to be at the main Saturday event, almost certainly with wordy buddy Eddie (as per last year).
Ginger Tom

#12 - Tue 6th Oct 26, 16:31

Re 25/27/77
Both Vera and I will be attending the Marcia, event on Saturday, so Vera should have an asterisk in column D. I’m assuming the unkeyed column E refers to the hot lunch and you have correctly left this column blank for us
Monk et al.

#13 - Tue 6th Oct 26, 19:28

PS re #11, if you’re doing badges my mate is “Eddie Winslow”, and he’s now a numerical-puzzle tester for The Magpie, as well as an avid GCHQ Annual Quiz entrant and fellow winner (along with SRx2) of last year’s KenMac jazz-mag quiz. We’re both in only category D on your list.
John H

#14 - Wed 7th Oct 26, 06:29

Comments 1-13 all updated on my master copy, folks.

John
Anne Lickert

#15 - Wed 7th Oct 26, 10:09

Hi, please can you record me as Anne Lickert rather than Spratling? I think I still have a badge.
Admin

#16 - Wed 7th Oct 26, 19:02

@14 Table updated in accordance with your instructions
PostMark

#17 - Thu 8th Oct 26, 08:54

Sorry, John, but I’m not gonna be able to make this now. Hopefully this is in time to cancel my lunch for the Saturday. If not, let me know what I owe you.
Ben Law Smith

#18 - Fri 9th Oct 26, 18:15

A – Ben Law Smith
B – yes
C – yes
D – yes

Don’t worry about food, I can order from bar, looking forward to meeting people in the crossword community, thanks!
DKG Cryptics

#19 - Fri 9th Oct 26, 19:32

Blah @6 you can have PostMark @17’s dinner 😀 – good to hear you’ll be there Rich but we’ll miss you a lot PM!
Richard Grafen

#20 - Fri 9th Oct 26, 22:16

A – Richard Grafen
B – yes
C – yes
D – yes

Sorry to be late signing up. Happy to improvise on food if I am too late.
Eccles

#21 - Fri 9th Oct 26, 23:38

Hi,
To confirm, I will be there on the Friday, too,

Andy
beery hiker

#22 - Sat 10th Oct 26, 08:18

Sorry John – a family thing which I can’t really get out of has cropped up, which means I can no longer make it. Happy to pay for the food if nobody else wants it.
duncanshiell

#23 - Sun 11th Oct 26, 12:42

Unfortunately, I dislocated my right shoulder as a result of a fall at the local parkrun yesterday. It is very unlikely that I will be fit to drive in two weeks’ time. My wife also has a leg problem that precludes driving long distances, so I regret that I will have to withdraw.

There is an added complication: I have been co-ordinating all the puzzles submitted for the event. I have 12 puzzles which are all accessible from a fifteensquared post entitled ‘Puzzles distributed at York Sloggers and Betters 2026’ that I have scheduled for publication early on the morning of Saturday 24th October.

I intended to bring 50 paper copies of each puzzle with me to York. I regret that someone else will now have to produce the paper copies. I can e-mail the original puzzles to whoever can print them.

The blogs for these puzzles are being produced for publication on Sunday 25th October, so no additional action is required for those.

I was looking forward to the event and am frustrated that I can no longer make it. If I have cancelled too late, I am happy to cover the cost of my lunch.
John H

#24 - Sun 11th Oct 26, 13:15

I’ll email you, Duncan.

So sorry we won’t see you. GWS!

John
John H

#25 - Tue 13th Oct 26, 09:19

Comments 15-24 updated on my master file, folks.

Sorry we won’t be seeing Mark, Hugh and Duncan this year.

John
eimi

#26 - Tue 13th Oct 26, 14:28

Mike Hutchinson/eimi

Y Y Y N plus curry night
kenmac

#27 - Tue 13th Oct 26, 18:56

Fortuitously, Saturday 24th October is Cider Appreciation Day in accordance with the Pastafarian calendar.

As a dedicated Pastafarian, I’ll certainly try at least one glass of the amber nectar.

To learn more about the world’s fastest-growing carbohydrate-based religion, click here.
St John Daly

#28 - Wed 14th Oct 26, 17:55

Hi John and all. Late entry/request. I would like to attend on the Saturday please.

A) St John Daly (Astonvilla1)
B) No
C) No
D) Yes
E) Yes to curry.
Smylers

#29 - Thu 15th Oct 26, 22:19

Anybody who’d like a signed copy of Alys Cummings’s new book Murder Most Cryptic† and doesn’t have a way of getting one, if you let me know before Sunday morning, I’d be happy to pick one up for you at this Ilkley Literature Festival event.

Let me know:
1. exactly which name(s) you want as the inscription in your book
2. that you will be at the Saturday daytime Sloggers & Betters event at The Marcia
3. that you will pay me back the £16·99 cost of the book

Or, of course, simply come along to Ilkley and meet the author yourself!

† Detective novel, with each chapter title being a cryptic clue to a word in the text of that chapter. One character has recently taken up cryptic crosswords though another thinks “he could have chosen something more interesting”. Some pets have names familiar which will be familiar to those here. And there look to be some actual crosswords at the back (which I’m avoiding looking at till I’ve finished reading the story).
Jonathan Warschauer

#30 - Thu 15th Oct 26, 23:55

A Jonathan Warschauer (maninsuit)
B Yes
C Yes
D Yes
Late to the party, soquite ok to skip the buffet.
Will also skip the curry.
Charlie Methven

#31 - Sat 17th Oct 26, 23:14

I’ll be there on Saturday. Sorry to be confirming so late – I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to make it.

A – Charlie Methven (Chameleon / Methuselah) (happy to forgo badge if too late)
B – No
C – No
D – Yes (I’ll order from the pub menu)
John H

#32 - Sun 18th Oct 26, 02:49

Comments 28-31 updated on my master file.

John

PS no need to bring old badges, we’re doing sparkling new ones
PPS please bring cash on Saturday to settle for food
PPPS at some point today/tomorrow, we’ll post a link for map/buses/taxi numbers – keep an eye on this thread
jetdoc

#33 - Mon 19th Oct 26, 15:14

You can now download the itinerary (including transport info) and map from .

Don’t worry that the link says ‘2024’ — the documents are up-to-date!
jetdoc

#34 - Mon 19th Oct 26, 17:03

Somehow the link that I am trying to post is not working. Trying again.
jetdoc

#35 - Mon 19th Oct 26, 17:04
jetdoc

#36 - Mon 19th Oct 26, 17:10

Aargh! Selecting the ‘link’ bos and pasting in the URL doesn’t work. Here it is as plain text.

https://www.jetdoc.co.uk/york-sloggers-and-betters-2024

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36 comments on “S&B York 2026 – Friday 23 & Saturday 24 October – IMPORTANT UPDATE”

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