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 Prize 26,830 by Paul

Sat March 19, 2016 at 9:10 amSat March 19, 2016 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

A themed puzzle for this week’s prize competition from Paul, possibly intended to draw attention to Crufts, which was on when this puzzle appeared.

Guardian Prize 26,806 by Puck

Sat February 20, 2016 at 11:36 amSat February 20, 2016 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

Another characteristically witty offering from Puck, with lots of story-telling surfaces.

AZED 2,278

Sun February 7, 2016 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

A standard plain Azed this week, in a standard 12 x 12 grid.

Guardian Genius No 151

Sun January 31, 2016 at 12:06 am by bridgesong

A new setter, Soup, and a novel device in a puzzle which proved to be much easier than last month’s offering, but which unfortunately was beset with technical problems.

Guardian Prize 26,782 by Tramp

Sat January 23, 2016 at 9:54 amSat January 23, 2016 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

It’s been quite a while since we’ve had a Tramp puzzle in the prize slot and this one was certainly worth the wait.

Azed 2272 “Snowflake”

Sun January 3, 2016 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

This Christmas puzzle employs a device that I don’t remember Azed using before. The special instructions state: “In the completed diagram, eight words in jumbled form may be seen radiating from and including the central square, which must be deduced”.

Guardian Christmas Prize Puzzle No 26,759 by Maskarade

Fri January 1, 2016 at 9:59 amFri January 1, 2016 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

This year’s Christmas puzzle was a double alphabetical jigsaw with a twist: half the clues lacked a definition.

Guardian Prize 26735 by Arachne

Sat November 28, 2015 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

A pleasant stroll through the web created by the Spider Woman, with many characteristically concise and witty surfaces.

Azed No 2266

Sun November 15, 2015 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

A 13 by 11 grid for this week’s plain Azed puzzle. Unfortunately, for technical reasons, I can’t include a picture of the completed puzzle.

Guardian Prize 26711 by Shed

Sat October 31, 2015 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

A very straightforward puzzle with no theme this week.

AZED 2,260

Sun October 4, 2015 at 9:00 amSun October 4, 2015 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

Azed gives us 4 12-letter words or phrases in this week’s plain puzzle.

Guardian Prize 26,687 by Qaos

Sat October 3, 2015 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

A prize puzzle with a literary theme from Qaos this week.

Guardian Bank Holiday Special by Maskarade

Sat September 5, 2015 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

A musical theme for this August’s bank holiday special from Maskarade, which was much easier than the epic he devised for us last year.

AZED 2,254

Sun August 23, 2015 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

Another plain from Azed this week, with perhaps more four-letter words (which can be more difficult than the longer ones) than usual in the grid.

Guardian Prize 26,639 by Paul

Sat August 8, 2015 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

A characteristically witty puzzle from Paul, including some of his trademark toilet humour.