Abdul K.

Just added to my bio, but I'll also mention it here: I recently took on maintaining data.crypticsbyabdul.com / georgeho-continuation.fly.dev, a continuation of GeorgeHo's cryptic clue database, with over 900,000 cryptic clues currently added (roughly 2009-2026). (1)

PostMarkCryptic.bsky.social

Abdul K. reposted

@postmarkcryptic.bsky.social

17h

Today is, unfortunately, last posting day for Stamp in the Independent. Fellow 'sampling' every second? Bloody odd TV chef (5) Many thanks to those who have solved, blogged, commented upon and/or complained about my puzzles over the last three years! puzzles.independent.co.uk/games/crypti...

puzzles.independent.co.ukThe Independent's Cryptic Crossword | Play Online for Free | IndependentPlay The Independent's Cryptic Crossword instantly online. The Independent's Cryptic Crossword is a fun and engaging Online game from The Independent. Play it and other games from The Independent.

Abdul K. reposted

Perry Byrne

@evilflea.bsky.social

It's Spooky Season, and I only gone and done a jumbo cryptic crossword. www.mycrossword.co.uk/jumbo/25 Sample clues: Say again to the inferno, let us proceed regardless (4,3,4) Vampire Evacuated Tube System? (11) Music she plays about love with Leader of Underworld (5)

Abdul K. reposted

Liari

@liari.bsky.social

I set today’s Independent. I still cannot believe it is the last one. Thank you to Mike, all of the bloggers over on 225 and all of the solvers for these last 3 years. puzzles.independent.co.uk/games/crypti...

bigdave44.comRookie Corner 646 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog

Good morning (to all those who celebrate)! I am featured in the Rookie Corner this week, with what I hope is a much kinder puzzle than my last. I hope you all enjoy - all feedback is much appreciated! Find blog and puzzle here: bigdave44.com/2026/10/19/r...

I've spent the last week or so solving more cryptics than setting, and I somehow didn't realise how beneficial it would be for me as a setter. I also like the ego boost from being a bit better at solving than I ever thought I was

However, I subscribed to The Times and I gave the Saturday cryptic a crack and that did not fare well for me. I fear I will have to stay in Quick Cryptic land

Added a few things: • Answer & definition histories + answer freq. statistics • Report issue button • Combined wordplay search filter + other additional filters Working on a re-parse of all 900k clues now -- will take at least a week to finish, but hoping the data will be much cleaner by the end.

Abdul K.@abdvl.bsky.social

Also - there is a big issue with clues (especially from the Financial Times) having missing definitions, and that's something I'll be trying to get fixed with the new parser. I hope it does not cause too much inconvenience for you in the meantime.

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This is quite useful for searching historical clues about the usage of indicators or answers you might be unsure about. You can filter by whatever blogging site or broadsheet you prefer, as well as search for specific definitions, answers, and charades. I hope it proves useful for anyone who (4)

decides to use it. If there are any issues or you have any recommendations for the site, please do let me know. All the best!

The parser is not even close to perfect at the moment, so there will likely be a lot of mistakes (in the high thousands) in misplaced indicators, charades, and mislinked clues. The georgeho-continuation site uses the old parser, while data.crypticsbyabdul.com offers a selection between old/new (2)

If you use the latter option, which I recommend, since it is much faster and times out much less, I would say to stay on the old parser for now. I will continue working on the new parser, and when I feel it is good enough to replace the old, it will be set as the default. (3)

twitch.tvCrypticSunday - TwitchHello we are Matt and Rachel.We stream cryptic crosswords almost every Sunday at 12pm UK time. — CrypticSunday streams live on Twitch! Check out their videos, sign up to chat, and join their community...

Big thank you to Rachel & Matt for the live solve my puzzle! 🙌

Rachel Playforth@archelina.bsky.social

Join us soon to help solve crosswords by Ark @abdvl.bsky.social and Ronyon!

Abdul K. reposted

Rachel Playforth

@archelina.bsky.social

Join us soon to help solve crosswords by Ark @abdvl.bsky.social and Ronyon!

Rachel Playforth@archelina.bsky.social

Back with a #CrypticSunday stream at 12 noon today, solving a couple of yet to be decided recent cryptics from MyCrossword! twitch.tv/crypticsunday

Abdul K. reposted

Raider

@mycrossword.co.uk

🚀 New MyCrossword release We now have a forum! www.mycrossword.co.uk/forum

mycrossword.co.ukForum · MyCrosswordTalk crosswords with the MyCrossword community: setting, solving, favourite clues and ideas for the site.

Abdul K. reposted

Lowdown Cryptic

@lowdowncryptic.bsky.social

Congrats @abdvl.bsky.social on your great Minute Cryptic clue today! And on your twelfth MyCrossword cryptic! (I remember this MC clue from one of your earlier MyCrossword puzzles)

Abdul K.@abdvl.bsky.social

I have for you all my twelfth cryptic crossword on MyCrossword. I hope you all enjoy! Decrease arabica intake periodically (5) Goes on cycling, sore (5) In death, consumed by struggle (6)

mycrossword.co.ukCryptic crossword No 4,004 · MyCrosswordSolve Cryptic crossword No 4,004 on MyCrossword. 15x15 grid with 28 clues by Ark. Published Fri 9 Oct 2026. Features annotated solutions. Free to solve online.

Of course, how could I forget to mention: Wally's clothing dad, who exposed dick after getting naked out of nowhere (10)

Abdul K.@abdvl.bsky.social

I have for you all my twelfth cryptic crossword on MyCrossword. I hope you all enjoy! Decrease arabica intake periodically (5) Goes on cycling, sore (5) In death, consumed by struggle (6)

mycrossword.co.ukCryptic crossword No 4,000 · MyCrosswordSolve Cryptic crossword No 4,000 on MyCrossword. 15x15 grid with 40 clues by Henri. Published Thu 8 Oct 2026. Features annotated solutions and special instructions. Free to solve online.

I have for you all my twelfth cryptic crossword on MyCrossword. I hope you all enjoy! Decrease arabica intake periodically (5) Goes on cycling, sore (5) In death, consumed by struggle (6)

Abdul K. reposted

Henri

@henriwords.com

4 your entertainment: #Cryptic #Crossword No. 4000 on the 4most puzzle site… MyCrossword! 40x clues, 4 words each, and if you squint at the grid you might see some thematic shapes 😁 www.mycrossword.co.uk/cryptic/4000

Abdul K. reposted

Liari

@liari.bsky.social

New @crackingthecryptic.bsky.social video. www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_JI...

youtube.comHelp SAVE The Independent Cryptic CrosswordYouTube video by Cracking The Cryptic

crypticcrosswords.netRookie Corner 643A Puzzle by Ark + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + [raw] [/raw] + – + – + &#82…

Seems it was a lot tougher than I was aiming for. Apologies if it was less enjoyable to solve than it should have been for anyone! I'll 100% tone the difficulty down for the next.

Abdul K.@abdvl.bsky.social

For anyone interested in solving, I have a puzzle featured in Rookie Corner under the pseudonym Ark (initials of my full name). The blog post should be up soon, where all constructive criticism is welcome! crypticcrosswords.net/puzzles/rook...

crypticcrosswords.netRookie Corner 643A Puzzle by Ark + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + [raw] [/raw] + – + – + &#82…

mycrossword.co.ukPreview crossword · MyCrosswordMade for cryptic crossword enthusiasts, MyCrossword is a free platform for creating and publishing your own puzzles.

If you prefer to solve on MyCrossword: www.mycrossword.co.uk/preview/6070...

Gave some constructive criticism on what I believe to be a new setter’s debut puzzle on MyCrossword.. and I think they deleted their account afterwards. I feel quite bad, even though I do feel I was as nice as I could have been. Last thing I want to do is be the reason someone stops setting 😅

Anyone here read Don Manley’s Chambers Crossword Manual? Heard some good things, but I’m unsure if it will serve me well for the point I’m currently at as a setter

mycrossword.co.ukQuick crossword No 444 · MyCrosswordSolve Quick crossword No 444 on MyCrossword. 13x13 grid with 26 clues by Abdul. Published Fri 18 Sep 2026. Features annotated solutions. Free to solve online.

18 Sept

(somewhat) shameless boost ⬇️⬇️⬇️

Abdul K.@abdvl.bsky.social

Happy Friday! To celebrate, I have a Quick Cryptic for you all. Really happy with how this turned out — I hope you solve and enjoy! Drug used to have cops become gradually less violent (3, 4) Poor-quality dirt/earth/ground (5-4) Unusually verbose anagram lacks heart (4, 2)

Abdul K. reposted

Published without a run-through by an editor/tester, so if any clue missed the mark, please do let me know. Constructive criticism is most welcome

17 Sept

Question for the setters who follow me: if using a central-selection indicator like "at heart," "essentially," etc, how many letters would you (or your editor if on a broadsheet) permit to be construed as the "heart" of a word? Could 'hopes' -> OPE, or only P? 'literature' -> ERAT, or only RA?

17 Sept

As a (rookie) setter I have thus far followed the idea that any letter within the boundaries of a word could be understood as it's heart .. but imagining myself in a solver's shoes, it's a little harder to convince myself

Abdul K. reposted

mycrossword.co.ukCryptic crossword No 3,905 · MyCrosswordSolve Cryptic crossword No 3,905 on MyCrossword. 15x15 grid with 30 clues by Abdul. Published Fri 11 Sep 2026. Features annotated solutions. Free to solve online.

11 Sept

My latest 15x15 cryptic crossword offering on MyCrossword! Thanks to @liari.bsky.social for initial testing. Actively incite limitless rage over Minute Cryptic (9) I rejected AI trend, reduced laziness (7) Clean bodily waste up after somehow having evacuated (5) Enjoy!

Abdul K. reposted

@petermoorefuller.bsky.social

24 Aug

Howdy #scicomm 🧪 folks! I'm offering a new online workshop called "introduction to design skills for communicating research" on Zoom on the 23rd September 1-5pm BST. Details here: www.infohackit.com/intro-to-des... Shares appreciated!

Abdul K. reposted

19 Aug

Good morning (for most of my followers!) I’m looking for a test solver for a 15x15 cryptic on MyC. Anyone willing to help out? Thanks in advance!

@lowdowncryptic.bsky.social

19 Aug

Good morning (for most of my followers!) I’m looking for a test solver for a 15x15 cryptic on MyC. Anyone willing to help out? Thanks in advance!

Abdul K. reposted

Lowdown Cryptic

27 July

Replying to @lowdowncryptic.bsky.social

⬆️ Congrats to the Top 8 in the Canada #Cryptic #Crossword Championship! 🇨🇦 @rupert.mastodon.nz.ap.brid.gy (ON / NZ) @bewilderingly.bsky.social (ON) @q.pheevr.ca (NS) Noah L (ON) @abdvl.bsky.social (AB) @mattroxx.bsky.social (ON) Reyansh S (ON) Bernie K (ON) More info soon...

mycrossword.co.ukCryptic crossword No 3,704 · MyCrosswordSolve Cryptic crossword No 3,704 on MyCrossword. 15x15 grid with 28 clues by Abdul. Published Sun 19 Jul 2026. Features annotated solutions. Free to solve online.

19 July

I have for you all my latest cryptic crossword after a couple of months without one. Really happy with this one. Hope it's an enjoyable solve for all! In play, the Bard wants brother's undoing (5) Found veteran in tomb buried (3, 4) Tasty slushies primarily iced (7)

11 July

Always nice to look through my search history after going through the process of writing a cryptic clue

11 July

^ none of these ended up being relevant in the final clue

mycrossword.co.ukMini crossword No 291 · MyCrosswordSolve Mini crossword No 291 on MyCrossword. 7x7 grid with 8 clues by Abdul. Published Wed 8 Jul 2026. Features annotated solutions. Free to solve online.

8 July

I have a Mini Cryptic for you all after a little while without a crossword. Hope it's enjoyable for all, whether you're keeping up with the World Cup or not! www.mycrossword.co.uk/mini/291 Monitor VAR, asshole (7) In disagreement with Argentina's latest win, seems fraudulent ultimately (7)

@lowdowncryptic.bsky.social

8 July

Of course please do comment if there are any issues, I may be a little rusty 😅 otherwise let me know if you have a favourite clue!

Abdul K. reposted

Lowdown Cryptic

7 June

⭐🇺🇸 Attention, US & Canada Crossword People! 🇨🇦⭐ Free registration is now open for our first-ever national #cryptic #crossword solving championships, online this July! www.crypticsingh.com Prizes for top solvers, fun and challenge for all! 🤓 Please share! Let's make this big 🤩 #USCanadaCrypticCC

Abdul K. reposted

Charlie Methven

@charliemethven.bsky.social

26 May

Does this make any sense? It's frustrating feeling like I'm missing some nugget of clarity which everyone else has access to! charliemethven.com/nounalanagri...

charliemethven.comNounal anagrinds - Crosswords by Charlie Methven

mycrossword.co.ukCryptic crossword No 3,490 · MyCrosswordSolve Cryptic crossword No 3,490 on MyCrossword. 15x15 grid with 28 clues by Abdul. Published Sun 24 May 2026. Features annotated solutions and special instructions. Free to solve online.

24 May

Good morning! I have my 6th MyC offering for you all. Big thank you to @liari.bsky.social and @lowdowncryptic.bsky.social for the help with testing! Any senior, in a way? (2, 2, 5) Mermaid’s heart-broken from salmon being treated as shark bait (6) www.mycrossword.co.uk/cryptic/3490

16 May

To my British followers who consider them selves “older” (at your own discretion!), would you say you are familiar with the slang word ‘leng’ meaning attractive or good-looking?

15 May

I think the cryptic that I’m working on now might be my best. Anyone interested in testing once I’m done?