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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 31 January. The background for this puzzle is a Graham Fox photograph showing a gull perched on a rock sticking out of the sea. This puzzle uses a conventional 7x5x6 grid by Calluna and marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of a much-loved but… Read more Hints & Tips January 2024
Clues and Grid by Komorník Enter the prize draw by 31 December. The background for this puzzle is a Graham Fox photograph that I find difficult to describe: it may be a time-lapsed picture of a firework display, or it could be a waterfall; at any rate it gives the impression of clouds of steam billowing round… Read more Hints & Tips December 2023
Clues and Grid by Soup Enter the prize draw by 30 November. The background for this puzzle is a Graham Fox photograph showing a meal of alphabetti spaghetti on toast. This puzzle uses a modified 7x5x5 grid by Soup in which the central 7-letter entries have been extended to 9 letters. Clues are given in… Read more Hints & Tips November 2023
Clues and Grid by Shark Enter the prize draw by 31 October. The background for this puzzle is a Graham Fox photograph showing a firework display viewed from the ramparts of a castle. This puzzle uses an innovative grid by Shark based on an incomplete 5x5x7 grid with some additional features and with a separate 3×5 grid… Read more Hints & Tips October 2023
Clues by Imogen and Grid by Gin Enter the prize draw by 30 September. I seem to hear the strains of Henry Hall and his Orchestra:Away with dull care, the day is set fair, a wireless set near to bring us good cheer! The background for this puzzle is a Graham Fox photograph consisting of the outline… Read more Hints & Tips September 2023
Clues and Grid by Sirius Enter the prize draw by 31 August. The background for this puzzle is a CC0 image representing a magnetic diamond set in a polarised force field. This puzzle uses an eight dials torus grid with the dials presented on top of each other as a cylinder, modelling a cylindrical magnet in a… Read more Hints & Tips August 2023
Clues by Enigmatist and Grid by etc Enter the prize draw by 31 July. The background for this puzzle is a Graham Fox photograph showing the quayside in an English port. This puzzle uses a conventional 7x5x5 grid by etc and marks the 250th anniversary of an event (this should give you the year, but the event… Read more Hints & Tips July 2023
Clues by Tramp and Grid by Rikki Enter the prize draw by 30 June. The background for this puzzle is a Graham Fox photograph showing several coloured ceramic bowls with a small inset depicting a fiery bird. This puzzle uses a conventional 7x5x6 grid by Rikki and marks the 20th anniversary of a publication. Six thematic clues… Read more Hints & Tips June 2023
Clues by Nutmeg and Grid by Mang Enter the prize draw by 31 May. The background for this puzzle is a Graham Fox photograph showing the centre of a plasma ball. This puzzle uses a conventional 5x5x5 grid by Mang and concerns a process by which in past eras someone might have dreamed of using the yellow… Read more Hints & Tips May 2023
Clues by Boatman and Grid by Calluna Enter the prize draw by 30 April. The background for this puzzle is a monochrome blue Sharon Garber photograph showing a pyramid. This puzzle uses a conventional 7x5x5 grid by Calluna and marks 100 years since Day 14 captured the public’s imagination (to be precise April is the 100th anniversary… Read more Hints & Tips April 2023