13th Birthday – a teenager at last! – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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13th Birthday – a teenager at last!

by Big Dave  

Big Dave’s Crossword Blog celebrates its thirteenth birthday today!

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The blog has been going for 13 years today, 28th January.  Once again, regrettably, no celebration at the Bridge this year – perhaps in 2023!

I couldn’t have done it without the support of the fabulous team of bloggers who daily give up their time and the thousands of you who read the blog every day of the year, so thank you one and all.

 

50 comments on “13th Birthday – a teenager at last!”

  1. As I wrote in my comment for today’s back-pager, a very Happy 13th Birthday to this wonderful site, with heartfelt thanks to Big Dave for sharing his baby with us all. Daily use of the site has become an indispensable way of life for so many of us.

    Many thanks also to the wonderful team of bloggers, and to everyone who posts comments all of which contribute to the success of the site.

  3. Congratulations, BD, on this auspicious anniversary. And many thanks to all the contributors over the 13 years – I get much enjoyment from both the puzzles and the commentary. I’m currently 3 years in arrears with DT crosswords, and I’m visiting 2017 as I head back in time through the NTSPP archive (a big thank you to all the setters and reviewers) so I have many years-worth of entertaining blog content still to look forward too! :smile:

  4. Thanks for all the hints and tips over those 13 years. An incredible help to an occasional dabbler.

  5. Anniversary for Big Dave’s crossword site: if confused, hint there saves time (10)

    Many congratulations to BD and all the fantastic contributors :good:

  6. Huge congratulations to Big Dave and all his team of wonderful helpers. The blog has helped me become quite a reasonable solver of cryptic puzzles instead of the guy who failed to complete any before I joined. Not only that but I have never before come across such a friendly blog. Here’s to the future! :good: :good:

  11. A very happy birthday to the blog and many thanks indeed to BD for setting it up and to all the invaluable bloggers who have helped to maintain it through the ensuing weeks and months. A lot of us would still be very inferior solvers without your input and many Rookies would never have found their wings.
    A quick mention also for poor Mrs BD who has doubtless put up with a lot over the years since her husband’s hobby became akin to a full-time job!

  12. Happy Birthday from an occasional commentator. All the hard work from everyone is very much appreciated. I came across this site when I retired 11 years ago and find it useful as well as entertaining. Well done to all.

  13. Congrats.
    Would be great if the January get togethers could happen again before we all get too old…

  16. Congratulations and many thanks for all the hard work over the years from BD and the team. Without the blog I doubt I would have become as competent a solver as I like to think I have. Not only is this site a go to point of reference, but also a daily forum for like-minded people, who enjoy being challenged, to meet. Happy Birthday!

  17. Happy Birthday. Thanks to this site, I’ve improved by leaps and bounds. I read every day and comment occasionally. Ta to all.

  18. Happy Birthday! Many, many thanks BD and all the bloggers and contributors – and also especially to Prolixic et al over in Rookie Corner, a wonderful opportunity for would-be setters, always entertaining and educational (and one that has helped me immensely – indeed, has been absolutely vital – in achieving a personal cruciverbal ambition!)

  19. A very Happy Birthday to the Blog, I owe it so much and could have never imagined when I first discovered its existence that, just a few years later, it would be reviewing my own published puzzles.

    Congratulations to BD and all his stalwart bloggers.

  23. Warmest congratulations to BD on his Blog’s 13th Birthday. What a splendid achievement! Most heartfelt thanks to him and all his wonderful bloggers for providing us with this site — truly an answer to a crossword solver’s dreams! And its also indispensible to would-be setters. As Jane has said, ‘many Rookies would never have found their wings’ without it. What a lovely friendly site too! Big thanks to all who contribute — unlike me, alas, who has been lurking of late but greatly enjoying it all.

  24. Happy Birthday to Big Dave et al. I have been inspired and helped by the blogging team and commenters so many times and I really appreciate all the hard work that happens here to keep us going. It is good to see Rookie Corner graduates go on to setting puzzles and the inspiration from setter bloggers and just the friendly chat is great to be part of. I have missed the get-togethers by the canal in Little Venice and hope that as Vera Lynn said;

    We’ll meet again
    Don’t know where
    Don’t know when
    But I know we’ll meet again some sunny day…

    1. I have never been to a get-together, John. I was determined to go to the last one then a certain pandemic came along!

  25. Happy 13th Birthday to the best blog in the world (and to the best inventor of the blog too!)
    I’m not quite sure when I found the blog – all I know is that the first ‘Birthday Day Do’ was the 11th – it was the first time that I’d summoned up enough bravery to go. Then got more courage to get into the train to go to London and find the place etc etc. By the time of all that I’d decided that I must be completely loopy – what on earth was I doing going to meet up with a load of people I’d never met . . . it wasn’t really all so scary after all and it really was quite fun!! Then I’ve been going ever since.
    Thank you! Well done! Happy Birthday, BD!

    1. As I said to John in the last comment. Kath I have never been to a get-together. I think I would feel the same as you did – why on earth am I going to London to meet up with people I do not know? Then I realised it’s no different to attending an annual endodontic conference at the Institute of Engineers!

      Pleased that you are doing well. May it continue apace. :good: :rose:

      1. Most of the people looked, and sounded, exactly what you expected them to be – I think only one person was a real surprise – and I think I’ll keep quiet!!!
        It was fun anyway and carried on going every year which must say something – what a shame that the blasted bug scuppered the last couple of years.
        :smile:

    2. Hi Kath,
      It was much before that. I remember seeing you at the 7th anniversary when Prolixic gave us a crossword with all the 7 outside the box.

  27. A very happy birthday to the blog, and an equally big thankyou to BD, who was (and still is) the only person to publish my blocked puzzles – as Sir Humphrey might have said, ‘a courageous decision’! :good:

  28. Happy Birthday to Big Dave and the marvellous blog. It’s become a daily routine for me to do the Quick Crossword and then move on to the Cryptic, not forgetting Saturday’s Prize and Sunday’s General Knowledge. Though it’s often late afternoon before I get chance to check my answers or look at the hints I so enjoy reading the comments. I nearly attended the Birthday Bash in January 2020 but had very similar thoughts to Kath. I haven’t been to London for over 30 years and once out of Euston station I wouldn’t have a clue how to find my way around especially if that involved the underground. So thank you Big Dave for this marvellous site and here’s to Many Happy Returns. Long may it continue!
    .

    1. Hilary. I am sure one of us would be pleased to escort you. It is a lovely walk along the canal from Paddington Station which is far the best way to go so long as you remember which exit to use! I usually manage it.

  29. A huge big Happy Birthday from all us on the side who visit every day but rarely get to comment. I thoroughly enjoyed my trip to the Bridge in 2020 before we had to stop them. May 2023 allow us once again to meet for a few hours and chew the clues!

  30. Many Happy Returns to Big Dave and the Team for this wonderful site.
    I’ve been lurking since at least 2013, as I see from my email archives that around then I recommended this site to a friend needing something to keep her granny, an enthusiastic puzzler, quiet!
    However, though I do visit frequently I very very rarely comment, so perhaps I should change my moniker to “Still a lurker”.
    Thanks once again and let there be many more.

  31. Massive thanks BD. Entertaining and educational, as many others have noted. The Blog gets me through my occasional attempts at solving, with snapshots of weather reports and “family” updates from around the globe.

  32. Congratulations on reaching your ‘teens’! Wonderful achievement and it has been great to follow your well-deserved success almost from the start. Thanks to you and the wonderful team around you, plus all the other contributors, for the fun, knowledge and support you have given over the years. Long may you continue …

  33. Being a habitually late in the day solver and visitor to this blog I have the benefit of being able to read the comments of all you wonderful people who regularly post when I get here. So thank you to Big Dave again, thank you to all the expert reviewers, and thank you to all bloggers on this site everywhere!

    Happy thirteenth birthday – here’s hoping there’ll be many more year’s to come.

  34. Happy Birthday Big Dave. A big thank you from me for inventing and maintaining this site. Thanks also to all the bloggers and contributers. I check in every morning before work, on the previous day’s puzzle. Maybe when I retire I will be able to comment more often. I hugely appreciate all that you do BD.

  35. My morning ritual, coffee and Big Dave, great site always helpful and I always learn something new, keep up the good work.

  37. I regularly read all the posts on this fabulous blog but being a night worker means I am always looking at the previous days comments. I tend not to comment as it would be a bit ‘after the party’ but have found it both hugely helpful and entertaining. Thanks BD et al and sincere birthday wishes.

  38. Well done Big Dave. Let’s hope we can have a gathering in 2023. Little did we know in January 2020 that in under two months we would be locked away. As I recall it was smaller than usual, although still lively. There were problems with trains from the North and also weather problems. I have particularly enjoyed when we have had some of our friends from abroad, which is a wonderful surprise.

  39. Congratulations! It’s great to be able to be part of this global community, meeting to do something so enjoyably silly-serious. Thanks BD.

  40. May it long continue.
    Happy birthday to BD.
    Hope to be able to come to the next bash.

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