Category: Meetings

A Mid-Year Blog Bash 17.5 perhaps?

25th July 2026

Following the last Birthday Bash, it was suggested that a mid-year get-together would be a good idea. The Old Joint Stock in Birmingham was suggested, and I have secured shared use of the Mezzanine Balcony for us.… Continue reading

31st January 2026 

The Blog will be celebrating its seventeenth birthday next January 28th 2026.

Hello,

It is getting closer to the next Birthday Bash, and I post this as a reminder. I will be in London from Friday onwards. The main event will be in The Bridge House in Little Venice from about noon on the 31st.  There is a good menu for those were wish to dine. I will be bringing some macarons, but maybe not as ambitious as last year.

You can just turn up as you wish, but it might be helpful if you could let me know via comment here. If you want further guidance let me know here and I will email back.

In the past, things have started to wind up in the pub in the evening (7-8pm) and hardy souls have gone on to a local Chinese restaurant, and that could happen again if you wish.

I have had a go at a crossword to entertain any lulls in the conversation, and anyone else is encouraged to contribute a puzzle/quiz or similar even if they are saved for the train home. If you want me to print out copies, I need them the Wednesday before (28th Jan – the actual date of the launch of the blog in 2009)

I have been to quite a few Birthday bashes over the years and every year, Network Rail and whatever rail companies are involved, have contrived to make January travel a nightmare. I am going to stay over on Sunday as KingsX is a bus transfer to Peterborough! and I will be blogging the Toughie on the Sunday from my hotel.

It has been suggested that a summer get-together may help. The advantage of London is that it provides plenty of alternative diversions for partners (or Mama Bee’s) who don’t do crosswords, but if anyone knew of a suitable venue a bit further north, I will investigate the possibility. Peterborough or Cambridge in the East and somewhere on the West Coast line between Oxford and Crewe come to mind. Suggestions for dates and venues can be made here or at the event.

I will be doing a Teams link again if you like, but bear in mind that communication in a busy pub can be a problem. Let me know if you want to try again

Continue reading “Big Dave’s 17th Birthday Bash”

24th January 2026 

The Blog will be celebrating its seventeenth birthday next January 28th 2026.

I have started the ball rolling with The Bridge House and reserved the bar area we have used in the past for Saturday the 24th January, from noon onwards.

I hope that those who came last year enjoyed it and it should be just as good again, however, I don’t think Mama Bee will be able to cope with a weekend in London again. I expect she will spend a weekend with my sister “babysitting”.

Last year, Smylers provided a quiz, Prolixic a couple of puzzles, Elgar a double toughie and Rahmat Ali contributed too. I am also hoping that as well as Bloggers and Setters, anyone who comments will feel as welcome as I did the first time I came. There is not a lot to do in the way of organising, but an assistant to welcome attendees/manage name tags and Teams links would be great – a volunteer is worth ten pressed men.

Big Dave was very keen on explaining crosswords, and “Putting the words to lights – crossword clues explained in plain English” remains in our banner as his mission statement. Rookie Corner is one of the finest things he initiated, and it has introduced many people who have gone on to set puzzles for The Telegraph and other national newspapers. I invite anyone to consider setting a puzzle for the Birthday Bash, even if they are mainly completed on the train home. My fellow bloggers, and maybe Rossophile and Deansleigh (who cut their blogging teeth on the Telegraph Centenary puzzles), could help with an explanatory blog.

Continue reading “A date for your diary… Big Dave’s 17th Birthday Bash”

BD’s XVI^th Birthday
Teams link is here

https://teams.live.com/meet/9392488449100?p=AHh3AnVcqP3JZ5Om46

I hope to be online soon after noon UK time – The 2K’s have set an alarm to arrive about 2pm

25th January 2025

The Bridge House
13 Westbourne Terrace Road, Maida Vale, London W2 6NG

Now that Elgars Double Toughie perimeter message has revealed the venue I can remind you of the Sixteenth Birthday Bash

The Blog will celebrate its sixteenth birthday next January 28th, 2025. With help from the Guardians of the Blog (Cryptic Sue, MrK, Gazza, and Prolixic) and John and Jane “Elgar,” I am reviving the Big Dave Birthday Bash and want to bring it to the attention of as many of you as possible.

Continue reading “Big Dave’s 16th Birthday Bash”