Interested in setting cryptic crosswords, or improving ... or just finding out more? Following on from Raider's excellent advice at @mycrossword.co.uk, I've started a new blog series looking at how and why cryptics work: www.mycrossword.co.uk/blog/setting... Hope it's useful / interesting!

Thoughts with the YTS lad who was sent to Home Depot to buy a 5 gallon drum of Burnt Orange creosote and came back with Diseased Elm Trunk by mistake

Absolutely fucking tremendous from the FT.

Third time lucky.

Meanwhile, in Belgium news:

We'll always have Grimsby

I set today’s Sunday Telegraph prize Toughie www.telegraph.co.uk/puzzles/ "Tangled up in Blue" ultimately discarded by music magazine (8) Character from "Lewis" close to suspect on slope (6)

German radio news headlines: 1. Venezuela outrage. 2. Arson/sabotage on power station leaves 000s without electricity in subzero Berlin until Thursday at least. 3. Luke Littler.

Having Grok “apologise” for creating CSAM is like punching someone in the face and then having the Sooty puppet on your fist apologise.

The #Hootenanny conversations are almost Trump-level cringe

Singer did Charlie mixed with Viagra (5,5) #Hootenanny

Drunken Ugandans yell song to which nobody knows the words (4,4,4) #HappyNewYear

Gentle clap for Graun sport desk sub-ed

Honestly, soon Jan...rehashed old boring programme broadcast every year (6,10)

My favourite is the Romanian word 'furaje', which sounds very much like 'Farage'. 'Furaje' means 'pigswill'.

Sample clue from my puzzle on the back page of today's Telegraph: 6 down: "Oh take me in your arms!" I say after climbing barrier (7). Best wishes to all for 2026.

Slightly disappointed that this isn't being shown on Dave.

With chlorinated chook back in the news, it's time for me once again to offer my deepest thanks to the genius who came up with the "swimming poulet" gag

Every installment of this MTG rehabilitation tour feels like “Nice Scorpion Regrets Past Stings, Needs Help With River Crossing!”

I'm very pleased to be making my debut in print today as Calypso in The Observer, where I have a jumbo cryptic puzzle in the New Review section. Since there's no cricket....

I set the @financialtimes.com 2025 news puzzle published today, which can be solved via the FT app or online, printable pdf here: www.ft.com/content/f3e9.... Sample clue: Fine actor associated with Canal + series that was a huge hit (8,6)

with apologies to Lynn Anderson 🎶 I'm selling pardons And pouring concrete on your Rose Garden

Bahamasrama Brunei Marrs Djiboutiful South

joining the "cybertruck owners only" group on fb is one of the best decisions i've ever made. every so often when i'm scrolling through fb getting pissed off, i get to see a little treat like this

The Beautiful South Sudan Fogelberg #BOGOF

The SkyDeutschland half-time expert Didi Hamann, legendary Bayern, Liverpool, Man City, Newcastle and of course Germany midfielder, has just described Patrick Bamford as "world class" and I'm beginning to think I've overdone it with the gin #WRESHU

Searched back through Blue Sky for this. Which is one of the best things I saw all year in any medium.

That's INAPPROPRIATE FRIENDS... couldn't resist using *perspiration* as part of an angram relating to Mr Mountbatten-Windsor and *pander* (pimp) is also v helpful

Merry Christmas/Frohe Weihnachten from Freiburg

A rare but fun appearance by the gaffer Eimi in the Independent today, featuring this absolute corker: Pinter play involving three people: a woman and two men (8) puzzles.independent.co.uk/games/crypti...

“Police nabbed me dad!” Magnificent.

Woo hoo! 🤡

Perspiration if pander arranged company for Andrew? (13,7) #ThatsMyKnighthoodGone

I set the cryptic crossword on the back page of today's Telegraph. Sample clue: Player whose skills are on the slide? (10). Merry Christmas and happy solving.

I'd like to express my disappointment at the collective failure of UK newspaper editors in the current news cycle to exploit the open goal offered by the old phrase "for the nonce" meaning "for the time being".

Wish there were still TV programmmes interviewing French critical theorists

Duckett (taking guard in the middle) "Four legs please ump. Belch."

Dunno just got this nagging feeling that moving from a free house with 35 bedrooms into a free house with 18 bedrooms is not exactly Vlad The Impaler levels of forfeiture

Take it away Gloria: 🎶Go on now go, walk out the door just turn around now 'cos you're not welcome any more

"Moral" from Balmoral, more like

This is what sand looks like under a microscope. Amazing.

Not seeing love unlimited for Bari Weiss (I'll get mi white spangled coat)

Is this true @janinegibson.ft.com?

Sugar, tea, sandwiches, donut (6) #MUFC

There's a detailed blog of this puzzle here: www.fifteensquared.net/2025/12/22/f...

Rare footage of St Paul’s Cathedral testing its giant flamethrower

Today’s the winter solstice so here’s a list of ten wintery films… 10. Scarf-face 9. Casablanket 8. Jurassic Parka 7. Fleece Academy 6. Extra Layer Cake 5. Mittens Impossible 4. Thermals and Louise 3. The Men Who Stare at Coats 2. What’s Heating Gilbert Grape 1. The Snood, the Bad and the Snuggly