STEP 1 I review my notebook of ideas-that-may-lead-to-themes-one-day. Some of them have been there for ten years, waiting for an interesting collision of images or wordplay. STEP 2 Meanwhile, a word or phrase I’ve heard or read somewhere may suggest a clue, and parts of that clue suggest other clues, so we’re off. STEP 3 […]
In the work that I’ve done for 1 Across, you’ll find all manner of tricky theme devices: mystery words, partial definitions, long key phrases, links between clues and structural methods (I think I may have invented a new form in the Alphabetical Takeaway, in which a different letter of the alphabet is ignored in the […]
There’s a small contribution from me in Fred’s Shed, a delightful short film by Stephen Graves. Click here to find out more about Stephen’s work.
On 23 June 2016, the day of the European Union Referendum in the UK, Alan Connor published a blog post on the Guardian’s website containing what appeared to be a normal cryptic puzzle, set by Boatman and Crew. You’d have quickly realised, though, that something strange was happening, as the preamble stated “1,5,17,9 will be […]
Here are the solutions to my three sample entries to the 1 Across clueing competition – I hope you didn’t cheat … Perhaps Chamber’s & Co rather upset? (9) ORCHESTRA Maniac reveals male organ for Doc (3,6) ONE ACROSS Puzzling statement is to be expected at start of article (our editor’s, reportedly) (7) PARADOX […]
1 Across magazine used to run a monthly clueing competition. Before I became a proper compiler, I used to enter and, from time to time, win. Here, for your entertainment, are just a few of my entries. To enjoy the clues, you’ll need to know that the editor at the time was Tom Johnson, who […]
Here are a few older puzzles for you to download from my 1 Across archive. You’ll notice how the themes differ from my work for the Guardian – I’ll be interested to hear what you think of them. Boys & Girls Proverb Where Are The Boatmen? A Well-Known Pair Salty Tales Merry Christmas 2004
During the day, I indulge an annoyingly tempting ability to make a living from financial analysis – you can see my professional website by clicking here – and in my free time I may be found cycling with the Sussex Nomads or playing music. I play something approximating jazz piano and organ, and have been […]
I don’t remember being precociously wordy as a child, though I do remember playing word games with my parents and looking at the Saturday Telegraph crossword in the back of their car during tedious hours of shopping. I used to get two or three clues, I think, and then give up – one stuck in […]
I was born in Lancashire, and I tell people that I kept moving South (showing either persistence or lack of imagination) until I reached the Channel and had to stop—which made a lot more sense when I lived on my boat in Brighton Marina, so I really did live in the Channel. I spent most […]