Eileen

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 26,008 / Brendan

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A pleasant surprise to find Brendan’s name on this puzzle, with another ingenious theme, succinctly indicated at 19 ac. I found the solving of this rather easier than usual for a Brendan but … Read more >>

Guardian 26,003 / Paul

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Lots of fun and games today – not all to do with solving / parsing the puzzle! Technical problems at the Guardian made providing the clues for the blog a little more problematic … Read more >>

Guardian 25,998 / Gordius

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I don’t know how many times I [and others] have described a Gordius puzzle as ‘a mixed bag’. Well, here’s another. Those who found Paul’s puzzle yesterday a bit of a struggle will … Read more >>

Guardian 25,988 / Chifonie

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It’s Chifonie, not Rufus, providing the ‘gentle start to the week’ today, so there’s more in the way of simple charades than double and cryptic definitions, which will please some people. There’s a … Read more >>

Guardian 25,984 / Brendan

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Another delightful puzzle from Brendan this morning, with a panoply of inventive constructions and witty, story-telling surfaces, with lots of smiles and ahas along the way, revealing an ingenious theme. It’s too difficult … Read more >>

Guardian 25,979 / Tramp

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It’s always a delight to see Tramp’s name on a puzzle that I’m down to blog – but, as time has gone on, and as he has increasingly demonstrated his prowess in writing … Read more >>

Guardian 25,964 / Rufus

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Another typical Rufus offering, with a fair sprinkling of anagrams and double and cryptic definitions, all elegantly gift-wrapped with the usual silky surfaces. Thank you, Rufus, for a pleasant start to a sunny … Read more >>

Guardian 25,960 / Paul

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Vintage Paul, with  witty,  ingenious cluing, providing lots of laughs and a couple of groans.  Many thanks, Paul – I thoroughly enjoyed it. Across 1 Grub knocked back, American fool DOOFUS reversal [knocked … Read more >>

Guardian 25,955 / Bonxie

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A marvellously misleading menagerie of clues from Bonxie! Every clue, across and down, contains the name of an animal but Bonxie has cleverly exploited the diversity of the English language to the full, … Read more >>

Guardian 25,950 / Arachne

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What a lovely end to the week – Arachne on top form – and aren’t I lucky to get two excellent puzzles to blog in one week? It’s all here – great story-telling … Read more >>