Guardian Quiptic

Hectence is a long-standing setter of the Quiptic and can always be relied on to produce an easy-end puzzle that fits the bill for those new to cryptics. This was a pleasing and … Read more >>

Anto is providing our entertainment today: mostly straightforward with a few tricky moments. I made steady progress with this, then realised I’d got absolutely nothing in the SW corner. That held out for … Read more >>

Always a pleasure when I see Matilda’s name on opening up the Quiptic. I found this an entertaining puzzle, with one or two clues requiring a bit of head-scratching; but it was all … Read more >>

Thanks to Carpathian for a good introductory crossword – quick and cryptic. Definitions are underlined in the clues. Across 1 Rolling dice proven to show foresight (10) PROVIDENCE : Anagram of(Rolling) DICE PROVEN. … Read more >>

Always a pleasure to see Hectence’s name come up when it’s my turn to blog the Quiptic. Another delightful puzzle that fulfils its brief, with some elegant surfaces to enjoy.       … Read more >>

Thanks Pan for a Quiptic that’s just at the right level. Definitions are underlined in the clues. Across 8 Not old enough to destroy deer with a gun (8) UNDERAGE : Anagram of(to … Read more >>

Anto’s first offering of 2020, which didn’t have much to recommend it as a Quiptic, in my opinion. As always, you may think otherwise.       Abbreviations cd cryptic definition dd double … Read more >>

Thanks Matilda for a fun Quiptic. Definitions are underlined in the clues. Across 1 Know-how that hurts in the media (7) PROWESS : OW!(exclamation when something hurts one/That hurts!) contained in(in) PRESS(the media, … Read more >>

Apologies for the late blog, but blame the Grauniad, not me. A fine end to the Quiptic year, with a puzzle from Carpathian that does exactly what it says on the tin. For … Read more >>

This morning’s Guardian Quiptic has not yet appeared on the paper’s website (although the cryptic has).  I will be on the case with the blog when it does show its face. Pierre

Another excellent Quiptic from Hectence today. There’s a wide variety of clue constructions, including many old favourite tricks, but nothing too obscure; the surfaces are very good too. If you’re trying to introduce … Read more >>

Another delightful Quiptic from Pan, doing just what it says on the tin.         Abbreviations cd cryptic definition dd double definition cad clue as definition (xxxx)* anagram anagrind = anagram … Read more >>

Thanks to Anto. Definitions are underlined in the clues. Across 1 Reserve able to control movements in very large area (12) SUBCONTINENT : SUB(short for “substitute”/a reserve player in a competitive team) + … Read more >>

A fine Quiptic from Matilda this morning. One or two clues to stretch the target audience of ‘beginners’, but all fair. I have tried to explain in detail how all the clues work, … Read more >>

Carpathian provides a very good example of how a Quiptic should be. The clues are all elegantly concise, there’s nothing too obscure, and while some solutions are not straightforward they’re all “obvious when … Read more >>