Eileen's avatarEileen

I’ve been doing cryptic crosswords since university days, learning how with a group of friends in coffee breaks. The Guardian crossword has been part of my life for most of the time since. Since retiring from teaching (originally Classics and, subsequently, when that was dropped from the curriculum, mostly English and History), having serendipitously stumbled on 15², I discovered that I could get the Indy and FT puzzles online and so I now add those, when they are set by my favourite compilers. Occasionally, I try the Genius and have even submitted a few. (Some years ago, I won a Collins dictionary in the Guardian Prize lottery, which established it as my referred reference.) I don’t take note of solving times: I enjoy taking time savouring the construction and particularly the surface of clues and always feel slightly disappointed when I finish too quickly. My one regret is my complete failure to enthuse any member of my family with cryptic crosswords.

Guardian 27,133 / Picaroon

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Seeing Picaroon’s name this morning made me, if possible, even more thankful that I was scheduled to blog today rather than yesterday. Another excellent and most enjoyable offering from Picaroon, with the usual … Read more >>

Guardian 27,126 / Tramp

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It’s six months since I blogged a Tramp puzzle and wrote, ‘It’s many months since I blogged a Tramp puzzle and so I was delighted to land this one’. Ditto today. Delight was … Read more >>

Guardian 27,119 / Chifonie

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My third Chifonie puzzle to blog in a row, so I’m running out of things to say. Another ‘characteristic medley of charades, anagrams and double definitions’ but with a couple of examples [12ac … Read more >>

Guardian 27,117 / Pan

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Pan has been setting Quiptic crosswords on Mondays ever since their introduction, six and a half years ago and this is his / her [after all this time, Pan’s identity still seems to … Read more >>

Guardian 27,110 / Pasquale

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A fairly typical Pasquale puzzle, meticulously clued, with elegantly smooth, often witty surfaces and one or two less familiar words. I found this to be one of those puzzles that seem rather harder … Read more >>

Guardian 27,103 /Chifonie

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I was quite glad of a fairly straightforward solve this morning, as I have to go out shortly. We have a characteristic medley of charades, anagrams and double definitions, with mostly tight cluing … Read more >>

Guardian 27,096 / Crucible

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I’m always glad to see Crucible’s name on a puzzle, especially when I’m blogging, and this one was no disappointment. I can’t see any anniversary or event to occasion a puzzle on the … Read more >>

Guardian 27,089 / Chifonie

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It’s a different name on the Monday puzzle but Rufus-lovers will not be disappointed, I think: we have a familiar straightforward medley of charades, anagrams and double definitions to ease us into the … Read more >>

Guardian Prize 27,082 / Bonxie

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‘Special instructions’ always cause me a bit of a flutter, especially if I’m  blogging. Here, they were ‘Twelve solutions contain related objects, not further defined in their clues’. This seemed quite straightforward – … Read more >>

Guardian 27,080 / Brummie

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An interesting and enjoyable  puzzle from Brummie this morning, with several less familiar words, which were all gettable, together with a friendly grid to help things along. Brummie’s puzzles often have a theme … Read more >>

Guardian 27,073 / Puck

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A typically puckish Puck puzzle to brighten up a dull morning, with lots of wit and misdirection, as usual. Some very straightforward clues [9ac and 17dn, for example] mingled with some [like 7dn] … Read more >>