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 145 by Picaroon

Sun August 2, 2015 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

An apparently anonymous puzzle for July, offering an unusual twist on a familiar device. As Gaufrid pointed out to me, the identity of the setter was in fact available by doing an archive search, but not on the page where the puzzle itself was to be found.

AZED 2,248

Sun July 12, 2015 at 11:29 amSun July 12, 2015 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

The July competition puzzle, with perhaps a few more quibbles than usual in what I found to be a harder than usual test.

Guardian Prize 26,615 by Boatman

Sat July 11, 2015 at 8:39 amSat July 11, 2015 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

A suitably-themed puzzle for one appearing on 4th July.

Guardian Prize 26,591 by Philistine

Sat June 13, 2015 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

It was serendipitous for me that I was down to blog this puzzle, in view of its theme.

AZED 2,242

Sun May 31, 2015 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

The usual educational foray into Chambers and the OED from Azed.

Guardian Prize 26,567 by Paul

Sat May 16, 2015 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

The usual eclectic mix from Paul.

AZED 2,236

Sun April 19, 2015 at 9:13 amSun April 19, 2015 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

A straightforward plain puzzle this week, but with one unusual feature.

Guardian Prize 26,543 by Paul

Sat April 18, 2015 at 9:35 amSat April 18, 2015 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

A very straightforward prize puzzle from Paul this week, with two mini-themes.

Guardian Prize 26,519 by Paul

Sat March 21, 2015 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

A plain, unthemed (unless I’ve missed something) prize puzzle from Paul this week.

AZED 2,230

Sun March 8, 2015 at 7:23 amSun March 8, 2015 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

A plain competition puzzle this month from Azed.

Guardian Prize No 26,495 by Paul

Sat February 21, 2015 at 7:25 amSat February 21, 2015 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

An alphabetical jigsaw – with rhyming couplets, no less! – to celebrate what would have been Araucaria’s 94th birthday on Monday of this week.

Guardian Genius No 139 by Brummie

Sun February 1, 2015 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

I should never have said that the December Genius was easier than the Christmas special puzzle; this Genius was much harder than December’s.

AZED 2,224

Sun January 25, 2015 at 7:54 amSun January 25, 2015 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

A harder than usual puzzle from Azed this week, with a 13 by 11 grid, including a higher than average number of & lit clues.

Guardian Prize 26,471 by Picaroon

Sat January 24, 2015 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

This was a really tough puzzle with an appropriate mini-theme.

Guardian Christmas Prize Puzzle No 26,448 by Maskarade

Thu January 1, 2015 at 10:09 amThu January 1, 2015 at 12:01 am by bridgesong

For the second year running it has fallen to me to blog the Christmas special by Maskarade, who now occupies Araucaria’s place as the compiler of the holiday special puzzle. This was a … Read more >>