Big Dave's Crossword Blog

The Bloggers

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Gazza

Gazza is 65. His first introduction to cryptic puzzles was with the Guardian in the 1970s.  It took many weeks of trial and error before he managed to finish one, and many months before he could complete them on a regular basis (something like BigDave’s blog, had it been available at the time, would have been a godsend!).

Since then he has been hooked and has tackled one or other of the broadsheet cryptics most days.  He regards himself as a total amateur who is weak on crossword theory.  He is no way competitive, never posts entries to competitions (rumours that this is because he is too mean to buy a stamp are scurrilous!) and does not even own a stopwatch.  These days his favourite puzzles are the ones in Private Eye (because they make him laugh).

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Libellule

The identity of Libellule is a mystery.

All that is known is that he lives in France, and enjoys watching Rugby and doing crosswords.

Like the Scarlet Pimpernel he has adopted a disguise, in his case it is that of a dragonfly.

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Peter Biddlecombe

Age: 48. Crossword Achievements: Times Championship Winner, 2000, 2007.  In the final 7 other times in a total of 15 attempts.  Daily Guardian solver from 1978 to about 2003, then gradual reduction to favourite setters only until autumn 2006.  Now do Guardian on Saturdays and occasional other days.  Indie solved on Saturdays since about 1998, daily since autumn 2006, though sometimes a few days behind if busy.

Times solver for a brief optimistic spell at school, then from about 1983 as part of two-puzzle daily routine.  Regular Azed solver, occasional clue comp entrant – best effort is a VHC for a Printers Devilry clue.  Very patchy Listener record at present – got about 25-30 puzzles right in each of 3 years, early to mid-1990s.  Occasional setter of puzzles but for tiny audiences so far.  Occasional solver of US-style non-cryptic puzzles, currently daily solver of Times Two non-cryptic puzzle.

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Tilsit

I started solving at a very young age and when other young men were discovering different types of magazines, I was discovering the joys of Quiz Digest and Tough Puzzles, although didn’t fully understand many things except Printers’ Devilry puzzles. Cut teeth on Altair in the Guardian and went on to discover the joys of Araucaria and the late Bunthorne, the latter becoming a personal friend.

With the advent of the Internet, I rekindled my joy of solving and with encouragement got into the murky world of Azeds, Listeners and such-like. Became a moderator on Derek Harrison’s excellent site and finally got into compiling, having had puzzles published in the Indy Mag, The Magpie and others. Ambition is to be good enough to be published regularly and to see in print his idea of a Listener puzzle on the works of Barry Manilow, although it has to be said that this may be over the dead bodies of certain Crossword Editors!

Ill-health has slowed me down a little, although I do manage to get to one or two crossword gatherings round the country. I have appeared on Mastermind and Countdown, coming second on both. I set quiz questions for a couple of local quiz leagues and am happy to take on further work in this direction. Other hobbies include playing bridge and assessing football referees.

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Anax

Began composing rudimentary crosswords at 6 years of age, going on to explore cryptics ten years later.  About 25 years old when given his first spot, on the Birmingham Post, by Roger Squires.

After a long break from commercial setting joined The Times in 2007, The Independent in 2009, and the Financial Times in 2010, and actively contributes to most cryptic crossword blogs.  Also supplies Puzzler Media and a number of monthly in-house magazines, and has several puzzles on Free Crosswords Online (the website of FT regular Alberich).

Away from crosswords Anax plays bass guitar for a funk/disco/soul covers band, and is a keen photographer – although 2010 marks his final year as official track photographer for Buxton Raceway in Derbyshire; crosswords, music, his daughter Xana and partner Moonstruckminx are his priorities now.

Future plans include joining the other quality dailies and a weekly spot for his Imperator puzzle (an entry level barred crossword).

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Rishi

A resident of Madras that is Chennai, India; b.1943; retiree; got into solving after the topic of crosswords cropped up in a conversation among a bunch of cousins and friends sometime in the 1960s; to begin with, solved crosswords, mostly U.K. cryptics, in book collections and in reproductions in Indian newspapers.

Have had experience of sending from Madras completed puzzles to the New Statesman and a couple of other journals but my name always remained in the hat. Published works include six quick crosswords in the now-defunct Evening News of London and one cryptic crossword in the Cryptic Clue Workshop at New York Times Forums on the Web, not to speak of appearances in India.

Have taken part in a crossword show on Doordarshan (TV). Have conducted crossword quizzes in colleges. Proud owner of a large collection of crossword books and dictionaries. Co-owner and moderator of a crossword community on a popular social networking website. Originator of Simple Clue-Writing Competition in the Usenet group rec.puzzles.crosswords. Have visited the U.S. and Canada. Like listening to Carnatic music and Tamil film songs and watching Bharatanatyam recitals.

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Prolixic

Prolixic divides his time between being a property lawyer, priest, parent and puzzle addict (and the occasional pint).

It was this final pursuit that produced a plethora of puzzles for Big Dave and his first blog posting.

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Gnomethang

Gnomethang is a controls engineer working in the Building Automation and Controls market. In his spare time he spoils walks around golf courses and has been a regular solver of the Daily Telegraph Cryptics for the last 20 years.

Recently he has also been taking on the Times, Guardian and occasional Independent Cryptic.

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Bufo

Bufo is another of the bearded beer-drinking crossword clan. He is now retired and has been solving crosswords for over 50 years and setting them for over 25 years.

He regularly solves the Times daily and jumbo and the Listener each week. He sets very few puzzles these days but does aim to have a Listener crossword published every couple of years or so.

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Crypticsue

I was first introduced to the Telegraph Cryptic Crossword in 1969 when I left college and  started commuting to London as part of a large group, one of whom did the Cryptic every day and explained how the clues worked.  More than forty years later I am still hooked and feel bereft without my daily crossword fix.

I enjoy completing a grid as quickly as possible while having a giggle or a groan at some of the clues along the way.  I struggle a bit with  the “technical terminology” – for example, it’s only since I  found Big Dave while Googling for an answer to a particularly tough Toughie one day that I discovered the existence of the pangram.

Biggest thrill so far is being asked by Big Dave to be an occasional  blogger as and when my job permits.  Only hope I can live up to his expectations.