Since posting yesterday, I have been inducted into the world of Online Cryptic Crossword fandom.

IN LOVE (especially with CrypticSunday gang and @jonathancairns.bsky.social who all provided exquisite feedback)

BEHOLD!

It's now available to do online or print out!

mycrossword.co.uk/cryptic/2629

The Independent's Cryptic Crossword | Play Online for Free | Independent Play The Independent's Cryptic Crossword instantly online. The Independent's Cryptic Crossword is a fun and engaging Online game from The Independent. Play it and other games from The Independent.

I set today’s crossword in the Independent.

puzzles.independent.co.uk/games/crypti...

Hope you enjoy!

Prize crossword No 29,769 Prize crossword No 29,769

If anyone has even the slightest interest in a cryptic crossword, have a go at today's Brendan in the Guardian. It's not too hard, but it is utterly magnificent in its creativity and execution
www.theguardian.com/crosswords/p...

If something (only) begins, you only have its first element. It only works for a first letter, X ends doesn't work as if the word has ended you have all its letters!

If it's a noun it need something to connect it to the fodder (e.g. "of" or 's etc).

But I've seen neither before (probably seen 1) but not with a coherent grammatical justification) so you'll probably need to make the argument & the combo might be overkill for some!

There are two things going on here, worth splitting out.

1) X begins - this is ok for me, we say "X starts late/fails to finish". Could be made even clearer with "only begin" but not essential

2) Separately, the treatment of plural fodder elements. I also agree this is ok.

The Independent's Cryptic Crossword | Play Online for Free | Independent Play The Independent's Cryptic Crossword instantly online. The Independent's Cryptic Crossword is a fun and engaging Online game from The Independent. Play it and other games from The Independent.

I set today’s cryptic crossword in the Independent.

Sample clue:
What’s close to eight, closer to nine, and closer to eleven too? (3)

Solve it FOR FREE at puzzles.independent.co.uk/games/cryptic-crossword-independent

Join me for an afternoon learning how to solve cryptic crossword puzzles in the fine city of Norwich on the 7th September.

Tickets here:

thehollowaynorwich.com/events/RVb6g...

Shares and word of mouth appreciated!

Do it!

Telegraph Puzzles Telegraph Puzzles - Play daily online games including crosswords, sudoku, kakuro, codewords, PlusWord and more

I set today’s Daily Telegraph Toughie crossword
www.telegraph.co.uk/puzzles/

‘Absolutely Fabulous’ and another sitcom ... ‘Not Going Out’? (4,4,7)
Hitherto elegant, posing naked (2,3,10)
In general, US nincompoops turning xenophobic? (7)

The Independent's Cryptic Crossword | Play Online for Free | Independent Play The Independent's Cryptic Crossword instantly online. The Independent's Cryptic Crossword is a fun and engaging Online game from The Independent. Play it and other games from The Independent.

Mystery wide brick? (8)

My puzzle today in The Independent, free at puzzles.independent.co.uk/games/crypti...

Lovely puzzle from Leonidas in the FT today: app.ft.com/crossword

Cryptic crossword No 2,600 · MyCrossword Solve Cryptic crossword No 2,600 on MyCrossword. 15x15 grid with 32 clues by PostMark. Published Fri 1 Aug 2025. Features annotated solutions and special instructions. Free to solve online.

I've just published my second Bedrock Magazine cryptic on mycrossword.co.uk.

Sample clues:

Cave reached across rocks at first (6)

Girl falling back on penultimate piece of seaside rock (7)

Rock almost sure to tumble (10)

www.mycrossword.co.uk/cryptic/2600

I set today’s cryptic crossword for the Financial Times.

Sample clue:
I spent a morning in bed, which is unusual (5)

You can solve it FOR FREE…
- at ft.com/crosswordapp
- by printing it out at ft.com/crossword

Cryptic crossword No 29,762 Cryptic crossword No 29,762

I set today’s Guardian cryptic crossword, he said with a triumphant cry!

American people putting up with monster (4)

Mark E. Smith’s head rattles (6)

Granny and her daughter saved by outlaw superhero (9)

www.theguardian.com/crosswords/c...

The Independent's Cryptic Crossword | Play Online for Free | Independent Play The Independent's Cryptic Crossword instantly online. The Independent's Cryptic Crossword is a fun and engaging Online game from The Independent. Play it and other games from The Independent.

I set today’s Indy cryptic: puzzles.independent.co.uk/games/crypti...
Sample clues:
Case of animal lust - tell her to go wild? (10)
Clue to get her love as there’s no more Mr Nice Guy (3,6,3,3)
A guy free from anxiety (2,4)

No spoilers, ta!

unch unch

🥁🥁🥁 Coming Soon — a brand new cryptic crossword magazine we’re calling Unch. Interested? Sign up for email updates at unchcrosswords.com to find out more. And we’d love it if you could repost this to your own followers 👍

A fitting #CrypticCrossword to celebrate 100 years of daily UK newspaper crosswords: puzzlesdata.telegraph.co.uk/pdf/puzzles/...

Simultaneously a very sad occasion: Crossword Editor Chris Lancaster, who has MND, announces this is his final puzzle: bigdave44.com/2025/07/30/d...

Thank you, Chris. xx

This is brilliant. And also feels like a nice tribute to Tom Lehrer, who used the same template for The Elements.

Ha I've got myself all tangled here. I read it as the *former*! I suppose the list could work, but it seems quite odd.

I've always read it as the latter - otherwise, I don't see how the final part connects.

The Independent's Cryptic Crossword | Play Online for Free | Independent Play The Independent's Cryptic Crossword instantly online. The Independent's Cryptic Crossword is a fun and engaging Online game from The Independent. Play it and other games from The Independent.

Guinevere makes a second appearance in the Indy today - hope you enjoy!

Where you can get work temporarily?(7)

As some Glaswegians' speech can be - deceptively angelic but missing a point (6)

God is aggrieved after holy man has a last night of debauchery?(4,2)

#cryptic #crossword #independent

What

Oh no!
R.I.P. Tom!

The Independent's Cryptic Crossword | Play Online for Free | Independent Play The Independent's Cryptic Crossword instantly online. The Independent's Cryptic Crossword is a fun and engaging Online game from The Independent. Play it and other games from The Independent.

Thrilled to debut today as Major in the Indy. Including:
Old enough for starters to purchase cigarette? (2,3)
Free type of takeaway's set aside cold (5)
With special thanks to @amoebacrosswords.bsky.social and @catnipxword.bsky.social
Solve for free here: puzzles.independent.co.uk/games/crypti...

Quick crossword No 273 · MyCrossword Solve Quick crossword No 273 on MyCrossword. 13x13 grid with 28 clues by Coot. Published Sat 26 Jul 2025. Features annotated solutions. Free to solve online.

Apropos of very little, I thought I’d try my hand at a Quiptic. Interested to see what folk think.

www.mycrossword.co.uk/quick/273

Thanks as always to @mycrossword.co.uk

#crossword #nottootricky

Another roll of the 🎲 for anyone? Bonus Summer Puzzle Pullout in the Guardian today!

The tails of common hipppotami hypntic and inimitable - lovely! (4)

Item used to dry bedraggled owlet (5)

When agitated, God sure complained (7)

…and a lot more summer fun!

I wrote the Jumbo cryptic crossword in today’s Guardian Puzzles Summer Special. It’s a bit of a brute in places:

Whopper made of unknown meat? (5)

Family tent is a big mistake (7)

Rogue wife gatecrashes function (5)

Minimalist style of Soprano family boss (8)

There are some surfaces (e.g. Knut) that make views quite clear, but it's kinda incidental to solving the clue, so fine. And I don't think "success" could give you BREXIT, even in the Toughie - and rightly so!

More generally, it's much better not to ask a solver to 'inhabit' a political viewpoint, however briefly, to solve a puzzle. Surfaces alone are fine, and calling PC/woke synonymous is below the threshold imo, but tread carefully. E.g. cluing BREXIT as "disaster" is fairly clearly beyond the pale.