@iguesscryptics.bsky.social
24-year-old cryptic crossword setter. Found in the Independent (Major) and on MyCrossword (Iguess)
Grateful to have set todayโs Guardian.
www.theguardian.com/crosswords/c...
Awesome Liari congratulations!
24.02.2026 09:19 โ ๐ 1 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
Back in the Independent today.
puzzles.independent.co.uk/games/crypti...
Are you a Star Setter on MyCrossword? We need you.
Our featured crossword pipeline has run a bit dry, and we want to showcase more of the brilliant work our setters are producing.
Please submit your puzzles for consideration.
Just watched this one solved on @crackingthecryptic.bsky.social's Friday masterclass - 10a is a clue of the year contender!
20.02.2026 15:11 โ ๐ 5 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 2 ๐ 0I'm thinking of doing a #CrypticSunday spinoff video thing.
Are you (or someone you know) new to cryptics or have you been doing them for a little while but still not feeling like you're properly confident?
Fancy doing a joint solve with me on a Zoom call - pre-recorded not streamed?
Offenders like U/non-U are less satisfying to me where they lack contemporary grounding. I'm hardly a cricket fan, but I consider it a positive to retain abbrevs that are established peculiarities of the sport (LEG = ON side etc.) If setters start conjuring abbrevs from the Eton wall game however...
15.02.2026 01:38 โ ๐ 0 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0For sure a useful comparison with e.g sports & music in how historical quirks are retained/developed without detriment of the players.
15.02.2026 01:21 โ ๐ 0 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 1 ๐ 0Hear, hear! No issues with that use of 'British' within the framework of fair clue construction and understand the solver response accordingly, but thought it was a particularly interesting comparison for a novice
15.02.2026 01:09 โ ๐ 0 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0Echo general view of others here that radically doing away with building blocks of established references would be problematic. In very unsophisticated terms, I try to seek a balance: neologisms/modern references might be clued with conventional wordplay devices and vice versa.
15.02.2026 01:04 โ ๐ 1 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 1 ๐ 0@potatocubed.bsky.social not sure if Charlie has plugged already but would strongly recommend his guide to contextualise when you come across unfamiliar abbreviations - I use it likewise as a setter to justify my use/non-use of them charliemethven.com/abbreviations
15.02.2026 00:34 โ ๐ 3 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 1 ๐ 0(spoilers) Must be a certain absurdity to outsiders that including the most subscribed YouTuber (plainly defined) is apparently unreasonable, but use of 'British' in the wordplay is fair game: legitimately Chambers supported despite dubious origin per @charliemethven.bsky.social's helpful guide
15.02.2026 00:27 โ ๐ 1 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 2 ๐ 0Thanks for streaming my puzzle just catching up now :)
10.02.2026 20:24 โ ๐ 1 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0Second Bard's (@petermoorefuller.bsky.social) puzzle as a really fun one for anyone starting their copy of Issue 2 - kept me busy through time in A&E last week
09.02.2026 07:14 โ ๐ 3 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 2 ๐ 0Blog will be up later on fifteensquared.net. Special thanks to @mycrossword.co.uk for this brilliant new feature and all of the dedicated work put in to maintain MyCrossword. It has been a big part of a setting journey for myself, as I'm sure it has for many others also.
09.02.2026 07:03 โ ๐ 4 ๐ 1 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
New featured puzzle up on MyCrossword - by the excellent @iguesscryptics.bsky.social!
www.mycrossword.co.uk/featured/4
Glad to have set MyCrosswordโs Featured Crossword #4 with clues including:
Suspended when investigation's head probes (2,3)
Unattractive Conservative posing no threat (9)
Close item worn formally? Quite the opposite! (7)
Solve here: www.mycrossword.co.uk/featured/4
unch unch unch
@unchcrosswords.com
@iguesscryptics.bsky.social o/ A delightful puzzle in Monday's Independent - thank you for setting it.
22.01.2026 22:54 โ ๐ 4 ๐ 1 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0Congratulations!
22.01.2026 14:24 โ ๐ 2 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0Thanks Rachel
20.01.2026 09:26 โ ๐ 0 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
OK so if you bought a copy of Issue 2 it will be in the post by end of day tomorrow.
UK copies should start arriving by the end of the week.
Orders are still open on the website - buy now while stocks last!
unchcrosswords.com
#CrypticCrosswords
Congratulations!
19.01.2026 09:07 โ ๐ 1 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
(to my pleasant surprise) I set today's cryptic in the Indy. Including:
Start of transmission where ad's naughty? (9)
Chicken or fish sandwiches campaign (6)
Good job to deliver step of cheese making process? (3,2,2)
Solve for free here: puzzles.independent.co.uk/games/crypti...
My first #cryptic #crossword in a while is a quick one. Is there a theme? Maybe!
Sample clues:
Let's join army - erm, not properly (5,2)
Scam catches setter out? You're kidding (4,2)
Happy Birthday!
10.01.2026 10:59 โ ๐ 2 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
With regard to getting answers, new year, new you? (11)
Setter becoming single โ time to lose weight? (4)
Bury playwright, Harold, without his head? (5)
Dice Quiptic today ๐ฒ๐ฅฐ Keen for these to be accessible as a next step from the Quick Cryptic, so feedback very welcome!
#cryptic #crossword
Both delighted and proud that my 100th puzzle on MyCrossword is also the first in the new collaboration between mycrossword.co.uk and fifteensquared.net.
The puzzle can be found here: www.mycrossword.co.uk/featured/1
I hope you enjoy it.
Wishing the best to the family and yourselves ๐๐
25.12.2025 22:20 โ ๐ 1 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0Sounds like a lovely plan but also on the road with various festivities so sadly won't be able to pop in - send a Merry Christmas from me to everyone else! ๐
21.12.2025 10:15 โ ๐ 2 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
