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 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 >>

Guardian 25,940 / Rufus

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A pretty typical Rufus puzzle for a sunny [!] Bank Holiday morning – lovely surfaces throughout, a fair sprinkling of anagrams and cryptic [some not so cryptic] definitions, some clever clues, like 24ac … Read more >>

Guardian 25,936 / Paul

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Another very entertaining puzzle [squeaky-clean today!] from Paul, with some clever clues, as usual, providing a number of smiles along the way. Many thanks for the fun, Paul – I really enjoyed it … Read more >>

Guardian 25,931 / Paul

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I think this is one of the easiest Paul puzzles I’ve solved – but no less enjoyable for that –  and, after yesterday, that’s perhaps a bit of a relief. Clues such as … Read more >>

Guardian 25,916 / Rufus

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The familiar Rufus medley of anagrams and double and cryptic definitions.  Some witty misdirection and the usual silky surfaces made this an entertaining puzzle for me – a couple of unusual words, but … Read more >>