Category
Crosswords
Grids, clues and the people who build them. From Monday-easy to Saturday-stumper, and every argument in between.
Rebus Squares Are Back and Solvers Have Opinions
A look at the divisive trick that packs several letters into one box, and how to clue it so the solver feels clever instead of cheated.
What Makes a Monday Crossword a Monday
Difficulty curves explained, from clue phrasing to word length, using numbers pulled from 400 published grids.
The Case Against the Crosswordese Blacklist
ERNE, OLEO and friends have been banned by convention for decades. It is worth asking what the ban is actually buying.
Cryptic Crosswords for the Rest of Us
Anagrams, containers, hidden words and homophones: a gentle path into the British-style clue, with worked examples.
A Short History of the Crossword from 1913 to Your Phone
One newspaper filler puzzle, a moral panic, a publishing empire and a subscription app. The century that made the format.
Who writes this section
One good puzzle a week. No filler.
New articles, constructor notes and a fresh mini crossword every Sunday. Free, and easy to leave.