Boatman Cryptics

According to Gyles Brandreth "If you want a fiendish crossword, you want the best – which means you want Boatman, because he is the best". Find out why in two books for the crossword addict in your life - from wherever you buy good books, or signed copies from: boatmancryptics.co.uk/crossword-bo...

Last call! I can take one more person on my autumn online masterclass for aspiring setters and advanced solvers if you reply in the next few days ... Release your inner fiendishness over two afternoons on Saturday 7 and 14 November: boatmancryptics.co.uk/crossword-ma...

Very disappointing move by The Independent. Loss of its cryptic crossword will be felt both by readers and by the very many new setters (I’ve taught 33 of them!) for whom it’s been an essential route into professional puzzle setting. @the-independent.com please listen to your readers and reconsider!

In @theguardian.com crossword tomorrow: oarsmen going to pieces? They’re prone to complain (7)

Behold today’s passion fruit harvest and wonder …

Has @theguardian.com crossword generally become harder or easier over the 90+ years of its history? There's a study out by @nomoremarking.bsky.social that offers some interesting insights. Link in my blog here: boatmancryptics.co.uk/2026/09/01/t...

We can afford nationalisation if only politicians understood it youtu.be/iyz-qzmNkCE?... Our politicians claim we cannot afford nationalisation. They ignore two things. We only pay with bonds, not cash, and the interest would pay the interest cost if they go at the right price.

… and if you want to know what that betokens, you’ll have to buy the book!

Brava to masterclass graduate @heroncrosswords.bsky.social, who takes a well-earned place in @theguardian.com daily puzzle today!

Advance warning: in @theguardian.com #crossword on Tuesday 22 September. Let's play!

Pinhole fun in Sussex …

This is probably the most Irish* thing that you will see this month. Unless you live in Ireland, of course, in which case this is the most Irish thing that you will see for the next 30 minutes. * As a person married to a person who is herself Irish, this is entirely a compliment

We visited #ArundelCastle today (highly recommended and run by a trust, which may matter to you if you're concerned about giving money to the aristocracy) and Mrs B decided to play Sharon from Bootle all day. Much fun was had when one of the castle guides turned out to be from Liverpool herself.

I can't tell you how excited I am to be setting up an old laptop with a copy of Office 2021 so that I can continue to access 10 years of work and hundreds of files when @microsoft.com decides to kill MSPublisher for Office 365 users later this year!

What Radio 4 flippancy are we indulging in tonight?

Getting ready for our set at the Love Supreme Festival …

I'm so proud of Yassin. He made Bristol and Britain his home. He has contributed so much as a Green Party Cllr to his city and to the community in Lawrence Hill. Solidarity in the face of this Reform fuelled racist hate. Hope always wins!

Don't forget your holiday reading! Two books of 50 crosswords from @theguardian.com - solve the puzzles, read the stories behind them, discover how they were created and enjoy bonus extras. From wherever you buy good books, or signed copies from boatmancryptics.co.uk/crossword-bo...

The last crossword championship organised by Extra-C in London was excellent and succeeded in making a spectator sport out of crossword solving! Now in a North American version and highly recommended, even if you have no realistic hope of winning the decent cash prizes on offer …

Karol’s clue deserves wider appreciation …

Starmer’s ratings are heading south …

Here’s a poem called ‘Life of a Naturalist’.

The PNG Courier on bungs, banquets and bunglers …

Worth it for the exquisite redshirt reference alone …

"We accidentally made an animated graphic for Reform and then did a party political broadcast for them by mistake."

Bravo to former masterclass student @catnipxword.bsky.social, who makes a well-deserved debut in @the-independent.com today ...

It’s been a good year so far for Scrabble GO …

In @theguardian.com #crossword tomorrow, as false flag erupts in losing Middle Eastern shipping zone (7,4)

On particularly good form this week, @mrhenrymorris.substack.com applies his machete of metaphor to the monster of machination ...

… and in further news of masterclass alumnae …

Advance warning ... In @theguardian.com #crossword next Saturday, 4 April - some things just have to be said.

In these awful and magnificent times, it feels wrong that I should be pondering: how did a mouse get into the bowl of our toilet?

Thanks are due to @brianbilston.bsky.social for reminding me that today is World Meteorological Day - enjoy this from @theguardian.com's archive ... www.theguardian.com/crosswords/l...

Why are UK electricity prices so high? youtu.be/F_lu4-Vdrds?...

QP with a GIF that pops up when you type your name

It appears to be World Book Day, so here are two books to celebrate. Crosswords! And the stories behind them! Both available from all booksellers, or signed copies online from boatmancryptics.co.uk/crossword-bo...

"would otherwise receive immediate access to welfare and social housing" is BS. Correct: "after 5 years working in a care home, would be eligible to apply for welfare and social housing on the same basis as the rest of us." www.theguardian.com/commentisfre... Deliberately misleading/disingenous.

Brava to Liari, who makes a well-earned debut in @theguardian.com today in her other feathered incarnation as Pavo ...