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 No 25,634 by Paul

Sat May 19, 2012 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

My turn to blog these prize puzzles seems to coincide with Paul’s turn to set them; I think that this is the third in a row. While continuing the trend for prize puzzles … Read more >>

Azed 2,080

Sun April 22, 2012 at 12:02 am by bridgesong

An unusual grid construction in this week’s Azed gave us rather more 4-letter words than usual, as well as the usual quotient of obsolete, foreign (particularly French) and downright obscure words. The 4-letter … Read more >>

Guardian Prize No 25610 by Paul

Sat April 21, 2012 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

This is the second prize puzzle by Paul that has fallen to me to blog in succession, and there are no complaints from me, although I do have a couple of quibbles. This … Read more >>

Guardian Prize No 25,586 by Paul

Sat March 24, 2012 at 8:40 amSat March 24, 2012 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

An enjoyable challenge this week, with much of Paul’s characteristic wit on display. I had expected something of an Irish theme, for a puzzle published on St Patrick’s Day, but apart from a … Read more >>

Azed No 2074 “Forty Years On”

Sun March 11, 2012 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

This puzzle marked the fortieth anniversary of the Azed series, a remarkable milestone. It did not disappoint. At first glance it looked formidable, with a 13 by 13 grid allowing rather more clues … Read more >>

Guardian Prize Puzzle No 25,562 by Puck

Sat February 25, 2012 at 7:29 amSat February 25, 2012 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

We don’t often see Puck in the prize slot and I wonder whether this puzzle was intended as a prize puzzle because it seemed to me to be very much on the easy … Read more >>

Guardian Genius 103

Sun February 5, 2012 at 12:43 pmSun February 5, 2012 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

Lavatch is a setter whose puzzles (in this series anyway) always seem to involve having to change the word before entry in the grid. This time the down clues all included a name … Read more >>

Azed 2068

Sun January 29, 2012 at 9:36 amSun January 29, 2012 at 12:04 am by bridgesong

I found this puzzle distinctly tougher than usual for a plain Azed. I didn’t help myself by my error at 26, especially when it seemed to be confirmed by the crossing letter from … Read more >>

Guardian Prize No 25,538 by Araucaria

Sat January 28, 2012 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

An easier than usual prize puzzle this week, I thought, although it features some quite outrageous (but typical) liberties so far as the clueing is concerned. Once I had cracked the theme, which … Read more >>

Guardian Christmas Prize No 25,514 by Araucaria

Thu January 5, 2012 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

It was my privilege this year to solve and blog this puzzle whose theme was hinted at in the introduction: “Many of the clues are of a kind and may not be further … Read more >>

Azed 2063

Sun December 18, 2011 at 7:31 amSun December 18, 2011 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

I’m feeling even more well disposed towards Azed (and the Observer) this week than usual, having been fortunate enough to win a prize in one of the weekly competitions recently (still waiting to … Read more >>

Guardian Prize No 25,490 by Shed

Sat December 3, 2011 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

Shed doesn’t get many outings in the Saturday slot, and I can’t remember blogging one of his puzzles before. I thought this was something of a curate’s egg of a puzzle, with a mixture of … Read more >>

Azed No 2057

Sun November 6, 2011 at 9:39 amSun November 6, 2011 at 12:11 am by bridgesong

A very enjoyable puzzle this week, which I polished off on Sunday afternoon. There are two splendid & lit clues, as well as two hidden answers, both for rather longer words than usual. … Read more >>

Guardian Prize No 25,466 by Araucaria

Sat November 5, 2011 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

A largely delightful and allusive puzzle, with several laugh-out-loud moments, but also one or two quibbles. I’d particularly welcome suggestions for the word play at 11 across and 26 across. I found the … Read more >>

Prize Crossword No 25,442 by Araucaria

Sat October 8, 2011 at 7:01 amSat October 8, 2011 at 12:05 am by bridgesong

A very characteristic offering from Araucaria this week with one of his long poetic anagrams and some typical charades. It took me a little over an hour to complete without resort to a … Read more >>