In aid of RNIB and BBC Children in Need
Clues and Grid by Sirius. The winner of the August puzzle is Sheila Brain of Devon. “How does he do it?” the shouts go up, almost unanimously (Mrs Reviewer might say “Why does he do it” but let’s just say we’re very glad he does). To make a grid and clues out of a landmark piece of social history
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. The winner of the July puzzle is Norah Clewes of Cheshire. Setters and designers like to set themselves tasks: for some it is the pangram (or, for the really twisted, the triple pangram); for others the hiding of a theme
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
Nutmeg (Margaret Irvine) has been a marvellous setter for the 3D Calendar from 2014 until 2023. Ten years of consistent brilliance. Three of your current 3D team have had their grids clued by her: Nora (Bozzy) once, Jos (Jolt) twice and myself (Mang) thrice, including this year’s June 2023 puzzle. We are so grateful to… Read more Margaret Irvine: A Tribute to Nutmeg
Clues by Tramp and Grid by Rikki. The winner of the June puzzle is Steve Trollope of South Australia. I must start with the top left of the calendar page, and the remarkable additional clue which Graham Fox—or Rikki, or Jolt?—included in the background picture! Well—to quote the song—whoever it was, I’m a fan.
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. The winner of the May puzzle is Robin Stephenson of London. If a few setters are perhaps justly feared, and if we (speaking both as solver and setter) stand in awe of more than a few, then let it be stated here that Nutmeg is unequivocally loved.
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. Boatman is one of our most consistently original (and difficult) setters. His First Fifty book is my companion whenever I have a compulsory wait somewhere, and when his second book comes out, it will be just as recommendable. Here the letters missing from wordplay guaranteed some head-scratching…