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Hints and tips for solving cryptic crossword clues.
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Clues by Raich and Grid by Calluna Enter the prize draw by 28 February. The background for this puzzle is a Matt Hecht photo of a female footballer performing an athletic kick. This puzzle by Raich uses a conventional 7x5x5 grid by Calluna and one entry is the centenarian theme, while another is the theme’s father. Two… Read more Hints & Tips February 2026
Clues by Carpathian and Grid by Rikki Enter the prize draw by 31 January. The background for this puzzle is a Paco Britto photo of a radio or TV mast and a triangular structure against an orange sunset. This puzzle by Carpathian uses a conventional 7x5x6 grid by Rikki and marks fifty years since the death of… Read more Hints & Tips January 2026
Clues and Grid by Komorník Enter the prize draw by 31 December. The background for this puzzle is a Benjamin Balázs photo of the edge of a bird bath. This puzzle by Komorník uses an unconventional 13x5x5 grid which is essentially an 11x5x5 grid, but with the nearest and furthest 11-letter entries extended by one cell at… Read more Hints & Tips December 2025
Clues by Enigmatist and Grid by Gin Enter the prize draw by 30 November. The background for this puzzle is a Michael Reichelt photo of the moss-covered roots of a tree. This puzzle by Enigmatist uses a conventional 9x5x5 grid by Gin and concerns ten dates of varying historical significance. A document, a dynasty, a heroine, an… Read more Hints & Tips November 2025
Clues and Grid by Shark Enter the prize draw by 31 October. The background for this puzzle is a Bernard Spragg photo of a small wooden church surrounded by trees displaying autumn colours. This puzzle by Shark uses a 7x5x5 grid with a couple of additional cells providing 8-letter rows in the top and bottom layers. It… Read more Hints & Tips October 2025
Clues by Soup and Grid by Komorník Enter the prize draw by 30 September. The background for this puzzle is a Dennis Sylvester Hurd photo of a monkey eating an ice cream in a cornet wafer. This puzzle by Soup uses an innovative conical grid by Komorník consisting of seven progressively smaller dials, the last of which… Read more Hints & Tips September 2025
Clues by Vlad and Grid by Calluna Enter the prize draw by 31 August. The background for this puzzle is an Elijah Henderson photo of a zebra. This puzzle by Vlad uses a conventional 9x7x5 grid by Calluna commemorating those responsible for a movement in a period of British culture. Like Calluna, this movement has a strong… Read more Hints & Tips August 2025
Clues and Grid by Sirius Enter the prize draw by 31 July. The background for this puzzle is a Darkmoon_Art image of a walkway through a dense tropical forest. The rubric is presented as if written in chalk on a traditional school classroom display. This puzzle by Sirius uses an unconventional Eight Dials torus grid, marking the… Read more Hints & Tips July 2025
Clues by Paul and Grid by Absolution Enter the prize draw by 30 June. I seem to hear two repeated notes on low strings… The background for this puzzle is a Jean-Pierre Zill photograph of a great egret reflected in water. …gradually becoming more insistent… This puzzle by Paul uses a conventional 7x5x5 grid by Absolution, marking… Read more Hints & Tips June 2025
Clues by Raich and Grid by Rikki Enter the prize draw by 31 May. The background for this puzzle is a Mike Wilson photograph of a pool of water in a forest. This puzzle by Raich uses a conventional 7x5x6 grid by Rikki, which was part of the World Championship winning entry for 2023. It celebrates the… Read more Hints & Tips May 2025