Hints & Tips May 2021

May 2021 puzzle page

Clues by Tramp and Grid by Max Jackson The background for this puzzle is a Graham Fox photograph showing some colourful flowers, possibly lupins. This grid by Max Jackson celebrates the 70th anniversary of a cultural institution. There are ten undefined thematic entries, divided into a quartet and a sextet. Three of the quartet portrayed… Read more Hints & Tips May 2021

2021 puzzles

Happy New Year solvers! The 2021 3D crossword puzzles will be made available progressively throughout the year. The deadline to enter the prize draw for regular monthly puzzles will be the last day of that month. Extra puzzles will be added from time to time and will have later, mid-month deadlines.

Hints and tips for each puzzle will be published sometime in the middle of each month. Subscribe to the Hints & Tips newsletter to receive them by email.

Solvers who buy the calendar and correctly solve 12 puzzles by the due date each month will be eligible to enter our annual tie-break competition for the 2021 3D Crosswords World Championship. If you have been entering the monthly competitions, you can check your progress towards the tie-break qualification.

grid design in progress
April Extra 2021

by you

April Extra instructions

Deadline for entries: 31 May

June 2021 puzzle page
June 2021

by Imogen and Max Liversidge

June Hints & Tips

View June solution

2021 Puzzle of the Year

You are invited to vote for your favourite puzzle of the year from the 13 puzzles featured in the Calendar (the extra puzzle was Sirius and Enigmatist’s tribute to Araucaria) plus the August extra puzzle.

You are allowed to allocate a total of 3 votes. All 3 may be allocated to one puzzle, or two votes to one puzzle and a single vote to a second puzzle, or one vote each to three puzzles.

All our solvers and contributors are encouraged to vote. The only rule is that setters and designers don’t vote for their own creations, magnificent as these might be.

2013 Puzzles

MonthSetter / DesignerDownload
JANRufus / AramisJAN puzzle
JAN solution
FEBEveryman / BozzyFEB puzzle
FEB solution
MAREnigmatist / 45MAR puzzle
MAR solution
APRArachne / Marianne CantleyAPR puzzle
APR solution
MAYCurmudgeon / Curmudgeon?MAY puzzle
MAY solution
JUNTramp / SiriusJUN puzzle
JUN solution
JULPasquale / TrailmanJUL puzzle
JUL solution
AUGColumba / LinxitAUG puzzle
AUG solution
SEPPuck / PhilostrateSEP puzzle
SEP solution
OCTTyrus / ObertoOCT puzzle
OCT solution
OCT ExtraSiriusOCT Extra puzzle
OCT Extra (Directed) puzzle
OCT Extra solution
NOVAnax / SiriusNOV puzzle
NOV solution
NOV ExtraOgre / Sirius?NOV Extra puzzle
NOV Extra solution
DECSiriusDEC puzzle
DEC solution

2015 Puzzles

MonthSetter / DesignerDownload
JANRufus / SiriusJAN puzzle
JAN solution
FEBEveryman / LinxitFEB puzzle
FEB solution
MAREnigmatist / 45MAR puzzle
MAR solution
MAR ExtraSiriusMAR Extra puzzle
APRTramp / 45APR puzzle
APR solution
MAYCurmudgeon / ChaliceaMAY puzzle
MAY solution
JUNPasquale / BozzyJUN puzzle
JUN solution
JUN ExtraSiriusJUN Extra puzzle
JULSiriusJUL puzzle
JUL solution
AUGSamuel / ChaliceaAUG puzzle
AUG solution
SEPNutmeg / AramisSEP puzzle
SEP solution
SEP ExtraMalteser / Sirius?SEP Extra puzzle
OCTAnax / AramisOCT puzzle
OCT solution
NOVRaich / PhilostrateNOV puzzle
NOV solution
DECPuck / ObertoDEC puzzle
DEC solution
DEC ExtraSiriusDEC Extra puzzle
DEC Extra solution

2018 Puzzles

MonthSetter / DesignerDownload
JANArachne / GinJAN solution
FEBVlad / BozzyFEB puzzle
FEB solution
MARShark / ChaliceaMAR puzzle
MAR solution
MAR ExtraEcologue / LogogriphMAR Extra puzzle
APREnigmatist / PicklesAPR puzzle
APR solution
MAYPasquale / PhilostrateMAY puzzle
MAY solution
MAY ExtraBozzius / BozzyMAY Extra puzzle
JUNAnax / PicklesJUN puzzle
JUN solution
JUN ExtraPicklesJUN Extra jigsaw puzzle
JUN Extra directed puzzle
JULNutmeg / AramisJUL puzzle
JUL solution
AUGTramp / etcAUG puzzle
AUG solution
SEPSiriusSEP puzzle
SEP solution
SEP ExtraEncotaSEP Extra puzzle & solution
OCTEcologue / LogogriphOCT puzzle
OCT solution
NOVCurmudgeonNOV puzzle
NOV solution
DECPuck / BozzyDEC puzzle
DEC solution
DEC ExtraSiriusDEC Extra puzzle
DEC Extra solution

2020 Puzzles