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 Puzzle No 25,921 by Araucaria

Sat April 20, 2013 at 7:14 amSat April 20, 2013 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

There are two mini=themes in this puzzle, brought together at 20,21. One is the Shakespearean quotation, and the other is the centenary of the crossword. I solved this one on the plane to … Read more >>

Azed No 2128

Sun March 24, 2013 at 6:23 amSun March 24, 2013 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

A reasonably straightforward plain puzzle this week, but I do have a couple of quibbles about the cluing, and one where I may not have understood the wordplay at all, so suggestions are … Read more >>

Guardian Prize Crossword No 25,897 by Enigmatist

Sat March 23, 2013 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

As might be expected from a puzzle set by Enigmatist , this proved to be a challenge and although I did eventually manage to solve it on the day of publication, it took … Read more >>

Guardian Prize No 25,873 by Araucaria

Sat February 23, 2013 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

Another wide-ranging puzzle from Araucaria, with a mini-theme of early British kings, and references to Armstrong-Siddeley and Michael Winner, to name but two. As always, the surfaces are immaculate, but I have noted … Read more >>

Azed No 2122

Sun February 10, 2013 at 9:32 amSun February 10, 2013 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

Another relatively easy puzzle by Azed standards, I thought, although it took me some time to parse all the answers. Two Hebrew terms (both in Chambers) and two French (also in Chambers) along … Read more >>

Guardian Genius No 115 by Puck

Sun February 3, 2013 at 7:56 amSun February 3, 2013 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

The preamble read as follows: Ten solutions can also be 30, initially. Any secondary definition or wordplay in their clues leads to the solution as it might appear if it were, indeed, 30 of any 26 12 before 22 down 22 across. … Read more >>

Guardian Prize Puzzle No 25,849 by Araucaria

Sat January 26, 2013 at 8:36 amSat January 26, 2013 at 12:02 am by bridgesong

It’s an even greater pleasure than usual to blog an Araucaria puzzle on the day the Guardian published an interview with him. Despite his recent revelation, there is no sign of any decline … Read more >>

Azed No 2116 Christmas Devilry

Sun January 6, 2013 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

This year Azed’s Christmas puzzle combined an old favourite (although not of all solvers), Printer’s Devilry, for the across clues, with something entirely new for the down clues. These were normal clues made … Read more >>

Guardian Christmas Prize No 25,826 by Araucaria

Fri January 4, 2013 at 6:40 amFri January 4, 2013 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

A characteristically allusive and wide- ranging puzzle for our Christmas delight, with much to appreciate in the 21 x 21 grid. As one might expect there was considerable ingenuity in some of the … Read more >>

Guardian Prize Crossword No 25,802 by Paul

Sat December 1, 2012 at 7:32 amSat December 1, 2012 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

This puzzle kept my solving partner Timon and I pleasantly occupied on a very wet Saturday afternoon, but we couldn’t adequately explain a couple of the clues. I think that I have managed … Read more >>

Azed 2110

Sun November 18, 2012 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

A reasonably straightforward Azed this week, with no particular problems (except one!) and a very friendly grid (only 2 unches in an 11 letter word). The problem is 10 across, which refers to … Read more >>

Guardian Prize No 25,778 / Paul

Sat November 3, 2012 at 8:55 amSat November 3, 2012 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

A harder than usual prize puzzle this week, I thought. A theme exploiting two meanings of an old chestnut which often crops up in cryptic crosswords. Thanks to Paul for a satisfying challenge. … Read more >>

Azed No 2104

Sun October 7, 2012 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

Another straightforward puzzle from Azed, with the usual quota of obscure and historic words, necessitating many checks in Chambers. I haven’t attempted to explain the meanings of the answers, just tried to show … Read more >>

Guardian Prize No 25,754 by Qaos

Sat October 6, 2012 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

I think that this is the first puzzle by Qaos to appear in the prize slot on a Saturday, and certainly the first which I have blogged. Like Andrew a few months ago … Read more >>

Guardian Prize No 25,730 by Picaroon

Sat September 8, 2012 at 7:53 amSat September 8, 2012 at 12:02 am by bridgesong

The first puzzle by Picaroon that I’ve seen in the prize slot, and the first one of his (hers?) that I’ve had the pleasure to blog. I had previously encountered one of … Read more >>