bridgesong

Born in 1947, I remember as a child tackling the Skeleton in my father’s Sunday Express before moving on to The Times at school with a classmate. For 20 years or so after leaving school I had no time for crosswords but started again in the 1980s, teaching myself to do Azed (with help from Don Manley’s Crossword Manual). Now retired after a career as a lawyer which culminated in appointment as a District Judge, I do the Guardian every Saturday, usually with my friend and neighbour Timon (who introduced me to fifteensquared). I also enter the Azed monthly competitions but have never done better than the very occasional VHC. More recently I have become a subscriber to the Magpie magazine and submit entries monthly, without yet winning a pen. My pseudonym comes from two of my other leisure interests, bridge and singing.

Guardian Genius No 193 by Jack

Sun August 4, 2019 at 12:03 am by bridgesong

I wasn’t familiar with Jack as a setter, but I have encountered him as Serpent in the Inquisitor series.

Guardian Prize 27,884 by Philistine

Sat August 3, 2019 at 9:30 amSat August 3, 2019 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

Another appearance by Philistine in the prize slot and as it’s exactly 12 weeks since his last appearance it falls to me to blog it again (and it’s the third time this year).

AZED 2,457

Sun July 21, 2019 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

A plain puzzle with an unusual grid, a central horizontal line cutting it nearly in half.

Guardian Prize 27,860 by Shed

Sat July 6, 2019 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

I can’t remember when I last tackled a puzzle by Shed, as he doesn’t feature in the Prize slot very often so I wasn’t sure what to expect, but there were no nasty surprises and it was all over pretty quickly (too quickly for some, no doubt).

AZED 2,451

Sun June 9, 2019 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

A 13 x 11 grid for this month’s Prize Puzzle from Azed.

Guardian Prize 27,836 by Philistine

Sat June 8, 2019 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

A characteristically witty and eclectic puzzle from Philistine for the prize slot this week. If there was a theme, I missed it.

Guardian Prize 27,812 by Brendan

Sat May 11, 2019 at 9:26 amSat May 11, 2019 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

A themed puzzle with a twist from Brendan this week.

S & B Leicester 2019 – Egbert

Sat May 4, 2019 at 2:47 pm by bridgesong

A puzzle with a local theme for the Leicester Sloggers and Betters meeting, compiled by Egbert (half of Bert and Joyce).

AZED 2,445

Sun April 28, 2019 at 6:47 amSun April 28, 2019 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

A tougher than usual Azed for the Bank Holiday, but no Easter theme that I could detect.

Guardian Prize 27,788 by Philistine

Sat April 13, 2019 at 6:45 amSat April 13, 2019 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

An exceptionally witty and entertaining puzzle from Philistine whose mini-theme introduced us to a new word.

AZED 2,439

Sun March 17, 2019 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

A plain 12 x 12 puzzle this week with the usual mix of obscure and more well-known words.

Guardian Prize 27,764 by Paul

Sat March 16, 2019 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

Paul on sparkling form this week, with two outrageous homophones.

Guardian Prize Puzzle No 27,740 / Paul

Sat February 16, 2019 at 10:15 amSat February 16, 2019 at 9:43 am by bridgesong

Many apologies for the late publication of this blog: I only realised I was the scheduled blogger when I logged on to fifteensquared on Saturday morning and realised that the blog for last Saturday’s puzzle was missing!

Genius No 187 by Vlad

Sun February 3, 2019 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

A tougher than usual Genius for January, employing a device that I don’t recall seeing before.

Azed No 2,433

Sun February 3, 2019 at 6:32 pmSun February 3, 2019 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

I only remembered that I was due to blog this puzzle on Saturday evening, having solved one clue on Sunday and then having put the puzzle aside. Panic stations!