Eileen's avatarEileen

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 29,294 / Jack

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A welcome return by Jack, whose puzzles are appearing more frequently. Lots of neat and witty cluing, with some innovative anagram indicators and lovely surfaces, as usual. My ticks were for all the … Read more >>

Guardian Prize 29,284 / Kite

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I didn’t immediately recognise the name on this puzzle but a quick search revealed that Kite has been a fairly infrequent visitor since 2019, when he had an initial run of four Genius … Read more >>

Guardian 29,280 / Picaroon

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Picaroon puzzles are coming thick and fast these days – it’s just a week since the last one and this is the third already this year. I’m not one to complain … Our … Read more >>

Guardian 29,264 / Jack

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It’s only a couple of weeks since I blogged the last Jack puzzle and said, ‘A fairly tricky but enjoyable and rewarding challenge, meticulously clued, with excellent surfaces, from Jack.’ I think I … Read more >>

Guardian 29,258 / Qaos

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It was something of a relief, as well as the usual pleasure, to find a Qaos puzzle today: we haven’t had one since September and I was beginning to be concerned. There are … Read more >>

Guardian 29,251 / Jack

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A fairly tricky but enjoyable and rewarding challenge, meticulously clued, with excellent surfaces, from Jack. There are lots of super clues – I started ticking my favourites but had to give up, as … Read more >>

Guardian 29,235 / Paul

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Paul sets the challenge this morning – and I found it quite a tough one. At one point, I found that I had the bottom half completed and practically nothing in the top … Read more >>

Guardian 29,228 / Brockwell

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Having blogged Brockwell’s first weekday cryptic puzzle (and enjoyed his Grecian in the Indy just yesterday) I’ve been looking forward to my next one and so I was pleased to see his name … Read more >>

Guardian 29,221 / Paul

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It’s unusual to see Paul on a Tuesday but I’m not complaining – I thoroughly enjoyed this puzzle, with a favourite earworm to accompany the solve and blog and to set me up … Read more >>

Guardian Prize / Paul 29,213

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This was something of a departure from my usual routine when solving and blogging a Prize puzzle. As you will know, last weekend was the annual York S and B, this year celebrating … Read more >>

Guardian 29,214 / Brendan

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I blogged a Brendan puzzle only three days ago! (This is by no means a complaint.)   I said on Friday that blogging a Brendan puzzle invariably involves searching for a theme but … Read more >>