There will be crosswords today! (Possibly interrupted by various painkiller alarms and waving the Kid off as they head back to uni. We're middle-aged.) But please join us at 12 to help solve cryptics by @someguyinthefridge.bsky.social and Baldur! #CrypticSunday twitch.tv/crypticsunday

Out for a walk

Pleasing indeed! Nb 22d in today's debut Hat cryptic has given me an earworm, is this affecting any other solvers of a similar vintage...?

I’m excited for the latest issue of Unch, v much looking forward to the puzzles, and delighted to be interviewed in it talking about crosswords, crime and Murder Most Cryptic 🙌🏻 Thank you for having me @unchcrosswords.com Teddy is excited as it’s teatime.

A SHORT CROSS-LINGUISTIC POEM ABOUT FOOD… An English cheese is good But a Dutch cheese is gouda An English sausage is bad But a German sausage is the Wurst An English egg leaves you hungry But a French egg is un œuf In English you fancy some bread But in Spanish you’re pan sexual

'I am not here to give a website respect.' 🔥 I keep seeing articles in supposedly serious medical journals referring to AI as a 'team mate' or 'collaborator' and honestly what is wrong with these people.

I have a box full of these in my bedroom please buy some so I can move the box, I am worried I will fall down in the night and break my hip.

Issue 3 has arrived back from the printer! If you didn’t buy a copy on pre-sale, now’s your chance. Limited stocks, so get yours now at unchcrosswords.com

Would anyone like to test solve the slightly silly themer I've ended up with?

We're not deliberately picking alliterative setters, but today turns out to be Gennaro and Gumboot on #CrypticSunday - join us at 12 noon for collaborative crossword chat! twitch.tv/crypticsunday

Looking forward to hosting duties at the next Needlewriters event on Thursday, a poetry special featuring Naomi Foyle, Barry Smith, and Kay Syrad. Just £5 on the door if you want to come along! needlewriters.co.uk/2026/02/21/n...

Come on everyone, we can do it again. I believe in us.

I never could get the hang of Thursdays.

Happy 8th anniversary to the tweet that changed us forever. Look at this absolute unit.

Art heist alert! My framed drawing Akron Ladders III was stolen from a gallery in East Sussex. It’s a very distinctive drawing that was shown in the RA Summer Exhibition 2024. Let me know if you spot it anywhere. It’s hard enough being an artist at the moment without having to deal with thievery.

Well wishes your way, of course, and if folks have nothing better to do with their own long weekends, they can pop round mine at noon for a #CrypticSunday Replacement Stream Service feat. @andrewt.net, Ozpiper, Baz and maybe a puzzle from yesterday if I have the time: www.twitch.tv/pantherapuzz...

No #CrypticSunday stream today sorry, I am making the most of the long weekend by being ill instead 😞🤧

Cryptic crossword aficionados and printed periodical enjoyers! The new issue of Unch magazine is out very soon Make sure you get your copy here: unchcrosswords.com

“Stop the brain rot! 12 ways to stay sharp in a mind-frazzling world” www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...

Hot cross buns, anyone? Artist: Harry Wingfield (1971)

Okay this is pretty cool --- Li-Sci-Fi: IFLA100 Library Science Fiction Short Story Competition www.ifla.org/news/li-sci-...

Just checking this... yep ⏫

The two types of librarian conflict management as illustrated by Richard Scarry. Which are you?

Hopefully getting Issue 3 finals off to the printer this evening, so if you were thinking of doing a pre-order now would be a VERY GOOD TIME to do that! unchcrosswords.com

"AI is here, we can't put the toothpaste back in the tube." When I accidentally squeeze out too much toothpaste, I don't then shove it all in my mouth. I wash it down the plughole. #UKSG2026

Happy #PencilDay! Time to get the yellow stripe redone I think...

I'm not remotely connected to this job but I think it looks cracking and you should apply - "Are you a poet with a developing national and/or international profile for whom a poetry fellowship would make a significant artistic and professional difference?" jobs.leeds.ac.uk/Vacancy.aspx...

Just misread an auto-reply as 'I am out of the office due to AI' and honestly who would blame them.

Somehow it is already 12 noon in this thing called British summer time, so we're going live! #CrypticSunday

All aboard for ALP and Abdul! Bring your best BST brains and collaboratively crack crosswords with #CrypticSunday! @adamlp.bsky.social @abdvl.bsky.social twitch.tv/crypticsunday

OK everyone - we have a cover sorted out and pre-sales are open! Roll up and buy one now at unchcrosswords.com Please do repost and share where you can, I'm really keen to get these excellent puzzles in front of as many people as possible...

Why is Cryptick so good? ✅ a free, friendly way to share/solve original cryptic clues ✅ hints, letter reveals, solutions and explanations ✅ open-source, no login, no AI, always improving! Today's COTD is by me (not AI-generated!) ⬇️ Thanks, @wildvale.co.uk! Tell your friends and enjoy Cryptick! 😀

Pals, if you're not on the Unch cryptic crossword train, get yourself a ticket fast; great puzzles put together by a great bunch of folks.

SKILLJOY - a person who always does things better than you

I've started a draft post of suggestions for people that have been doing Parseword or Minute Cryptic and want to 'graduate' to doing whole puzzles. Ideas for additions/changes etc very welcome! www.wyrd.systems/posts/next-s...

Almost done final checks and edits, then on to the printer... Pre-order your copy now! unchcrosswords.com

This is why I increasingly believe that librarians should use our limited time and resources to lobby for proper regulation and governance and not on developing 'literacy' or 'ethical use' policies after adoption, when it's far too late. It's like teaching victims of crime to be more 'ethical'.

"You know Tony, we don't do this enough." "What?" "Moan to each other like self-absorbed sulky children while the rest of our families get on with things." #TheArchers

I have made very good use of two days off.

This is thread is also very good but tl;dr if you are in a position to donate to Hatozla NW then you can do so here. I have just given something.

There's a cryptic crossword by me in the physical i paper today, should you fancy it.

Last week was #ndcelebrationweek and I was asked to set a #cryptic #crossword by the ND group at work! If you fancy a go, here it is! Firstly the puzzle, then tips for solving for beginners - and finally solutions, with narrative re the ADHD themed solutions and why they are included :-)

Morning all, planning to solve new cryptic crosswords by @postmarkcryptic.bsky.social and @longyfan.bsky.social on our stream today. Join us at 12 noon GMT! #CrypticSunday twitch.tv/crypticsunday

Fixed it.

"...there’s a kind of information literacy rarely taught: how to process information that fundamentally breaks you. There’s no framework for this particular crisis of meaning. There’s no protocol for “everything you believed was a story they told you.”"

I've been searching for the right term for this feeling, when professional ethics are confronted by amorality in the information economy and the world in general and we're still expected to engage with it all in good faith. 'Moral nausea' is perfect. cardcatalogforlife.substack.com/p/what-a-lib...

Discworld QOTD, from Snuff "His job was to make sense of the world, and there were times when he wished that the world would meet him halfway."

I'd really like to sleep properly again please. New drugs next week might help but in the meantime it's like waking up every 2 hours to find one arm has been replaced by a lump of lead that is also somehow on fire #FrozenShoulder

Issue 3 incoming!

By popular demand, here is the full, glorious message from Aberystwyth University Library, on their blog: wordpress.aber.ac.uk/librarian/?p... Hat tip to @walkyouhome.bsky.social for prompting me to realise it was a blog post, and thus available to you all ❤️