Index

A master list of articles on Crossword Unclued arranged by category. This includes a beginner's section with descriptions of cryptic clue types, indicators, abbreviations and other crossword information to help you with crossword solving.

If you're new to cryptic crosswords, you might want to start with the 7-Step Guide to Tackling Cryptic Crosswords. If you're tried solving for a bit and aren't happy with your progress, try More Tips For Solving Cryptic Crosswords.

For an overview of how to navigate the site, scroll towards the end of this page.

Clue Types At A Glance

The table below gives an overview of types of clues that appear in cryptic crosswords.

Each clue type link in the table opens a new page with its details – clue structure, tips for solving and examples.

Most cryptic clues have "indicators" that help you identify the clue type. The links under the Indicators column will give you a list of common indicators for that clue type.

Clue Type	Quick Description	Indicators
Anagrams	Letters are jumbled up to give the solution e.g. TRAP* = PART	Anagram Indicators
Homophones	Solution sounds like another word/phrase indicated in the clue e.g. WHERE {~WEAR}	Homophone Indicators
Hidden Words	Solution is hidden within the clue e.g. "pop artist" gives PART	Hidden Word Indicators
Deletions	Letters deleted to give the solution e.g. {-p}ART = ART	Deletion Indicators
Charades	Words placed in sequence form the solution e.g. FAT + HER = FATHER	No indicator in general, except words like 'before', 'under' when the word sequence is to be changed
Substitutions	Letter(s) substituted for another e.g. {-p + c}ART = CART	Substitution Indicators (coming soon!)
Containers	Word within another word e.g. EAT within TRY = TREATY	Containment Indicators
Acrostics	Solution formed from first letters of a sequence of words e.g. Put Away Redundant Things = PART	Acrostic Indicators
Reversals	Word reversed to give the solution e.g. PART <- = TRAP	Reversal Indicators
Letter Sequences	Selected letters from the clue give the solution e.g. mAsCoT gives ACT	Letter Sequence Indicators
Letter Shifting	Letter moved to form a new word e.g. First letter of HEART moved to the end to form EARTH	Phrases like 'from top to bottom'.
Letter Exchange	Two letters switch positions to form a new word e.g. T and P of TAPE switch positions to form PATE	Words like 'switching', 'internal exchange'
Double Definitions	Two definitions for the same word e.g. quick writer = SWIFT	No indicator
Cryptic Definitions	Lateral definition for the solution.	No indicator, sometimes ends in ?
Cryptic Double-Definitions	Two definitions, at least one of which is a lateral definition	No indicator, sometimes ends in ?
&lit	Wordplay and definition overlap.	No indicator, sometimes ends in !

Browse through the posts tagged clue types to see a wider list including more complex clue types.

Abbreviations And Other References

You need some "general knowledge" to solve cryptic crosswords, but the good news is that you can do pretty well with only surface knowledge. (You might not play golf for example, but if you pick up the basic jargon you can comfortably answer golf-related clues.)

A few articles to help you with the domain knowledge:

• Cricket And Cryptic Crosswords:  Cricket is a favourite subject of crossword setters. This three-part series of articles covers cricket terminology and how its fits into cryptic clues.
• Cryptic Abbreviations: An overview of standard abbreviations that are commonly used in cryptic crosswords.
• French Words In Crosswords: Reference list of French words that frequently show up in crosswords.
• NATO Phonetic Alphabet In Crosswords
• Crosswords And The Game Of Bridge

Browse through the posts tagged words to familiarize yourself with typical cryptic crossword vocabulary.

Cryptic Wordplay

Some devious devices crossword setters use to lead the solver astray.

• Tricky Indicators
• How To Interpret Punctuation In Clues
• The Significance of Apostrophe-S
• Wordplay Inversion
• False Capitalization
• Inter-Grid References
• Spoonerisms
• Cockney Speech and Rhyming Slang

Read posts tagged wordplay and crossword twists for more.

The Crossword Grid

A selection of articles about attributes of a cryptic crossword grid.

• ABC of the Crossword Grid: Overview of basic grid properties – shape, size, symmetry, black space distribution.
• Checking and Connectivity: What they mean, and how the affect the "fairness" of the puzzle
• Pangrammatic Grids
• Barred Grid vs Blocked Grid
• Nina: Secret message coded into the grid
• Create your own Crossword Grid, without using any software
• Quick way to count the words inside a grid
• How to put words into the grid, when creating a crossword puzzle
• On the grid: where to start?

Browse through the posts tagged grid for more.

Crossword Tools

A look at tools useful for crossword setters and solvers:

• Crossword Compiler and CrosswordMan
• BG Crossword Puzzle, a crossword solving tool for the blind
• Across Lite for interactive crosswords
• How to embed interactive crosswords in your website/blog

Browse through the posts tagged tools for more.

What Else?

Patterns/interesting trends in crosswords, interviews with setters and expert solvers, crossword book reviews, evaluation of setters' styles, and there's more. Visit the site archive for a chronological listing of all articles.

How To Navigate The Site

You can browse through the content in many easy ways:

• Looking for something specific? Use the "Search" box in the header.
• Want a bird's eye view of everything ever posted on Crossword Unclued? Navigate via the sidebar section "Archive" to view all the posts in date-wise order. [or click here: Quick Archive]
• Want to read the most popular articles on Crossword Unclued? Look at the selected links in the sidebar filed under relevant headings.
• Looking for all articles from a particular category? Go to the sidebar section "Labels" and click on the label that matches the category name. e.g. All articles meant for beginners can be accessed by clicking on the label beginners.
• Want to try a randomly picked article from Crossword Unclued? Click the "I'm Feeling Lucky!" icon on the sidebar.

Seven Years of Crossword Unclued

I hit 'Publish' on the first post on Crossword Unclued seven years ago this day. Time does fly when you're having fun! 413 posts and counting…

Much has changed in the online world in these seven years. Back in 2008, tablets/mobile devices were rare. Most readers used IE to view the blog on their desktops. Orkut communities were popular among Indian crossworders; hardly anyone was on Facebook.

Fast forward to 2015. Orkut is no more. Many readers come to the blog via twitter. Crossword communities on Facebook are thriving. Some of us have stopped blogging, other interesting new crossword sites have come up. People have moved on to browsers smarter than IE. Each month shows an increase in the percentage of users reading via tablets/mobile devices.

 

The interface of Crossword Unclued went through many internal tweaks this year to adapt to the evolving ecosystem, especially Google's landmark algorithm update in April 2015.

The Last Twelve Months: A Brief Look

I spent the longest time (really good time!) writing about patterns in puzzles by The Hindu Crossword setters Arden and Buzzer.

The "For Beginners" section on the sidebar got a new link: Crossword Bloggers' Jargon – Decoded! 

Two movies that I watched in 2015 - The Imitation Game and The Prestige - nudged me to dig deeper into cryptography. I was fascinated with the subject, as you can guess from the recent set of posts on intersections between cryptography and crosswords: the Playfair cipher, for example.

Many apparently share my enthusiasm for the topic - the post on parallels between cryptanalysis and crossword solving was the most tweeted and stumbled post in the last twelve months.

Sowmya Ramkumar's interview was the most popular on Facebook in that period.

Holi this year brought with it a special Holi ki Paheli, a Hindi crossword with clues set by a team of 18 contributors. This was very enjoyable to put together.

[Want to see the full list of articles on the blog? It is on a single self-updating page here: Site Archive]

Thank You!

A big thank you to everyone who reads, shares, and engages with Crossword Unclued. Your participation means a lot.

Up next: I'm excited to announce a prize puzzle in Hindi coming up this month. Kishore and I have been building it for over five months and can hardly wait to unleash it upon you. Hindi crossword solvers – be ready!

Related Posts:

• Sixth Blog Birthday, and a Prize Hindi Puzzle
• 5 Years of Blogging, and 5 Life Lessons from Cryptic Crosswords
• Crossword Unclued turns Four

If you wish to keep track of further articles on Crossword Unclued, you can subscribe to it in a reader via RSS Feed. You can also subscribe by email and have articles delivered to your inbox, or follow me on twitter to get notified of new links.

Crossword Bloggers' Jargon – Decoded!

New to crossword blogs and forums? Some of the conversation happening there might appear more cryptic than the clues. This post will help you interpret what the regulars are saying. Enjoy participating!

Anagrind, Anagrist

Anagrind stands for anagram indicator. The letters that get jumbled to give the solution in an anagram clue are called anagram fodder, or anagrist.

Usage examples:
"Last in was ANGOSTURA, perhaps the cleverest clue in the crossword; it was ingenious to use 'turns' as anagrist rather than anagrind." [source]
"I never heard of it either, and I'd also have spelt THINGAMABOB differently but for the anagrist." [source]

For further reading: But Which is the Anagrind?

Anno

A term popular among Indian solvers, anno is short for "annotation" i.e. the explanation of wordplay in a cryptic clue. A solver who blogs about a puzzle's solution presents the anno along with each answer.

Usage examples:
"Though I got through this one in a jiffy I'm unable to get some of the annos." [source]
"Anno pending" [source] - typically put next to a clue's solution on the blog, if the clue has been answered but the parsing is unclear. This is an invitation for the commenters to provided the parsing.

For further reading: Clue Annotation Shortcodes

Biff

To biff is to enter a clue's answer from the definition without fully understanding its parsing. The term originated in Jan 2015 as BIFD (acronym of Bunged In From Definition) in a comment on Times for the Times blog. BIFD later morphed into 'biffed'.

Usage examples:
"As soon as I read 1dn I thought of BELLYACHING but I didn't have any checkers and didn't want to biff it that early into the solve." [source]
"...had trouble with 7 because I biffed LARGO, beware biffing!" [source]

Checkers or Crossers

Short for checking letters or crossing letters – those letters that are revealed in a clue's answer because of the filled cells from intersecting clues in the grid.

Usage examples:
"A very pleasant puzzle with two excellent fifteen letter anagrams to give you a lot of checkers!" [source]
"5 and 26 were last in, new to me but gettable with crossers." [source]

For further reading: Crossword Grid: Checking, Cold Solving

COD or COTD

"Clue Of The Day" – what the solver hails as the best clue of a crossword.

Usage examples:
"DISPATCH is my COD for the devious surface that had nothing to do with the final answer." [source]
"I do find that my last-in (or nearly) is so often my COD." [source]

COD can also stand for Concise Oxford Dictionary, as in "rare isn’t apparently given in Chambers or the COD but is no doubt somewhere" [source]

CRS

Clue annotation shortcode for "Cockney Rhyming Slang", usually seen in the solution explanation on British crossword blogs.

Usage examples:
"PRATFALL = TAR rev + F all in PAL (china - CRS) + L" [source]
"We are usually given the CRS and expected to use the literal meaning, rather than the other way around as here." [source]

For further reading: Demystifying Clue Annotation Shortcodes

DBE

"Definition By Example" - a type of wordplay in which the clue contains not a synonym, but an example or sub-type, of the answer.

Usage examples:
"Presumably the question mark is intended to cover the DBE." [source]
"...I considered and rejected early on the possibility that "bowler" might give HAT: I was sure such a clear DBE would have to be indicated in the Times." [source]

In clue wordplay, DBE can also mean Dame of the British Empire.

DNF

The situation of not having completed the crossword. Acronym of "Did Not Finish".

Usage examples:
"Failed on 'neodymium' and 'algonkin', so a DNF for me today. If anyone complains that the puzzle was too easy, I’ll consider taking up knitting." [source]
"Is it still a technical DNF if you resort to aids and the aids don't help and then you get the answer anyway?" [source]

Enu

Another term popular among Indian solvers, enu is short for "enumeration" i.e. the length of a clue's solution. When the solution is a phrase or contains hyphenated words, the enu indicates the word breakup too e.g. (6-4) for ANIMAL-LIKE, (2,3,4,2) for AS YOU LIKE IT.

Usage examples:
"I don’t go with the thinking that giving the enu as (2-7) would be a dead giveaway." [source]
"When it is an acronym such as Nato, pronounceable as a word, the enu might be 4. But when it is say, NDTV, where every letter is pronounced the enu must be 1,1,1,1." [source]

FIB or FITB

"Fill In the Blank(s)", a clue type in which a sentence/phrase - usually a line of poetry or a famous quote - acts as the clue, with word(s) blanked out to indicate the answer. The acronym is mostly used by The Hindu Crossword solvers, perhaps because this clue type is rarely seen in other crosswords nowadays.

Usage examples:
"A FITB clue to complete a quote from Shakespeare or Chaucer might be easy for those into them, but horribly hard for people like me." [source]
"Not a single CD in sight! (Barring the FITB.)" [source]

LOI

"Last One In" - refers to the final answer that a solver entered into the grid. LOI is usually mentioned when there was a special struggle involved in solving that last clue. As you'd guess, the opposite of LOI is FOI (First One In).

Usage examples:
"LOI was 10A - the shortest words can be the hardest, if there isn't too much to work with on the surface!" [source]
"For some reason I needed all the checkers for my LOI…" [source]

Nina

A hidden message within a pattern of cells in the completed crossword grid. Read more at What is a Nina?

Usage examples:
"No theme, but there is a devilishly clever Nina hiding where you wouldn’t expect it." [source]
"I suspected a Nina from the start from the shape of the grid and esp as some answers had less than 50% checking." [source]

For further reading: Possibly the oldest Nina

"n" Magoos, "x" Tonies, etc.

On Times for the Times (T4tT) blog, it is customary for solvers to mention the time they took to finish the crossword. The Times Crossword Club leaderboard lists the stats for each puzzle, which means that any solver can benchmark their play against the fastest solvers.

T4tT bloggers have come up with nifty units to measure relative solving speed: the most popularly used is a Magoo – the time taken by Times crossword champion  Mark Goodliffe to finish the crossword. Instead of quoting absolute time as, say, "26 minutes 55 seconds", a solver could say "2.4 Magoos". Similarly, a tony is the time taken by Tony Sever to finish the crossword, a keriothe the time taken by Keriothe.

Usage examples:
"Five tonies for me (or three keriothes), and in my terms that's very good." [source]
"…clock stopped at 18:17, which was well outside my daily target of 2 Magoos" [source]

PB

Short for "Personal Best" – the fastest time/highest score achieved by a solver.

Usage examples:
"This was perhaps the easiest daily crossword I have ever done…I expect a lot of fast times, several PBs and not a few less than gruntled regulars." [source]
"my time was 11:48. I'm sure this must be a PB if measured in Magoos." [source]

Note: sometimes PB can stand for the initials of another person on the forum e.g. when the Sunday Times blogger says "Many thanks, first of all, to PB for letting me have an advance copy of this puzzle" – the thanks are meant for the Sunday Times crossword editor.

PDM

The beautiful "Penny-Drop Moment" when the workings of an elusive clue or theme suddenly become clear to the solver. Often used in the context of crosswords with interlinked clues, in which the PDM gives the key to the theme.

Usage examples:
"I was struggling to see how it worked, and it was only on coming to write up the blog that I had the pdm" [source]
"I proceeded through the puzzle with increasing incredulity at the seemingly lost opportunity until the huge PDM at my penultimate entry at 14ac." [source]

Samosa

A metaphor for the joy a solver (especially a new solver) experiences in finishing the crossword. Used on The Hindu Crossword Corner (THCC), ever since solver Gayathri Sreekanth celebrated a completed grid by eating samosas.

Also conveys that the crossword was easy - where a blogger on T4tT would say "I expect several PBs today", one on THCC might say "A samosa feast today!".

Usage examples:
"No samosa for me today as I'm stumped for some annos :-(" [source] - technically, DNF = No samosa
"I have lost 3 samosas in the last few days for being careless" [source]

Unch

An unchecked letter in the crossword grid. Read more at Crossword Grid: Checking.

Usage examples:
"Read round the unches from the bottom left in the two ways to the top right to get the Nina." [source]
"I can't see any message in the unches or the diagonal, but I have this nagging feeling that I've missed something." [source]

Xim

Short for Ximenean. The terms comes up in discussions on the accuracy or fairness of a clue.

Usage examples:
"The perception is that Xims and Libs stand in opposite trenches which, to me, is a shame." [source]
"As well as being an Indyist he’s also in the Times, and you can’t get away with too many ‘in-deedisms’ on that pro-Xim panel." [source]

For further reading: in-deedism, Of Ximeneans and Libertarians

Related Posts:

• Features Of The Crossword Grid
• 5 Ordinary Words with Obscure Meanings in Cryptic Crosswords
• Lift and Separate

If you wish to keep track of further articles on Crossword Unclued, you can subscribe to it in a reader via RSS Feed. You can also subscribe by email and have articles delivered to your inbox, or follow me on twitter to get notified of new links.

Sixth Blog Birthday, and a Prize Hindi Puzzle

It's been six years since I wrote the first post on Crossword Unclued, a 7-step guide to cryptic crosswords for beginners. Blogging since then has an amazing, fun-filled journey. Thank you very much for reading and contributing to the blog.

One of the best side-effects of writing Crossword Unclued has been the creative, thoughtful and positively brilliant people it has brought into my life. One of them is Kishore Rao, who once again makes the daunting feat of setting a cryptic crossword in Hindi a reality. Kishore shared this Hindi crossword as a gift for Crossword Unclued on the birthday. Thanks a lot, Kishore.

I've been asked by him to claim co-authorship, for writing a few of the clues and for sundry contributions such as realizing, after the entire puzzle had been pruned and polished, that an interlocked letter needed the nasalization dot, thus causing a complete reworking of the grid.

Here is the finished Hindi cryptic crossword for your solving pleasure. Instructions for solving and sending in your answers are below the puzzle. And there's a prize to be won, too. 

आर-पार 1  ख़ुशी से भरपूर होने के लिए ज़रा मज़े के साथ आराम करना, बिना सर लगाए  (3)      3  नज़दीक लाने के लिए १३वीं मे इस का उपयोग करो (2)      4  मोहब्बत पाना है तो छोटा प्याला लो और रोना शुरू करो (2)      5  सलमा की बनायी हुयी समस्या (3)      7  इसे सुनो! ट्रक के पीछे ये दो (3)      8  तमिल नाडु के सब से दक्षिणी शहर की लड़की (2)      9  हाथी घूमे दुनिया (2)      11  बुज़ुर्ग रिश्तेदार? नहीं, नहीं, नहीं! पहले नींद आ रही है (2,2)      13  इश्क लड़ाने का समय आज नहीं - एक दिन पहले, या एक दिन बाद (2)      15  रास मे डूबा हुआ क्षत्रियों का सरताज हैवान बन जाता है (3)      16,19  हम दोनों का, मगर अलग-अलग (2,2)      18  इतने ज़्यादा की आप हिसाब नहीं लगा पायेंगे (5)      21  काश, बाबूजी न छुपाते अपना यौवन (3)      22  जर्मनी में खो गया दिल (2)       23  बर्बाद शौहर ने खाया एक फल (4)      25  ठाकरे का लड़का (2)      26  शाम ढली, अब इसे जलाने का वक़्त है (2)      28  विलायती वाहन के सामने आ, और देख सूरत (3)      29  मास्टरशेफ़ के न्यायाधीश की अभिवृद्धि (3)      31  नेहरू (पूर्व प्रधान मंत्री) का चेहरा (2)      32  घोड़ा अश्विन के क़ब्ज़े में है (2)      33  शुरू-शुरू में दीपक वाणी के पीछे नहीं था पागल (3)

नीचे की ओर 1  चुटकुला जिसे थोड़ा पहले ही रोकने से आनंद मिलता है (3) 2  आप के परिचय का शब्द, ज़रा ना मत कहिये (2) 3 शेरपा लालटेन लाया तो भीतर ठंडी मिली (2) 4  वक़्त रोते-रोते काटना पड़ेगा अगर आप काटेंगे इसे (2) 6  प्रियतमा के लिए श्रृंगार करना (3) 7  कब लेना है मेरे दिल की सलामी? जब पाना है क्या, खोना है क्या (2,1,2) 10  समाधान जो खेती में उपयोग किया जा सकता है (2) 12  सेब का ये करना, शायद विज्ञान के महत्वपूर्ण सिद्धांत की प्रेरणा? (2,3) 13  वादे के जोड़ीदार … सच्ची ! (3) 14  शादी के पहले छुपाई जाने वाली चीज़ें (2) 17  राकेश यान में, हर दूसरा खोने के बाद, पाता है घर का सामान (3) 18  इस समय यह चुनावी नारे में कहा गया (2,1,2) 20  छोटा गांधी और छोटा ग्रह (2) 22  शराबखाने में वो मिले जिसका नाम मीठा है (2) 24  पुरानी भाषा का प्रयोग होता है नगर-प्रशासन में (3) 27  जान लेना है क्या? मत पीटो (3) 28  शराफ़त से तुम पाप की शुरुआत नहीं करो (2) 29  दुनिया से भरोसे की आस चली गयी (2) 30  दस दीदियों के बीच दसगुणा सालों का समूह? (2)

PDF format available here.

Notes On The Crossword

1. Word lengths are in syllables e.g. each of the words पहला, प्रथम, प्रदान will be enumerated as (3).
2. Complex consonants go into a single cell e.g. वर्ग will be split into two cells, the first with व, the second with र्ग.
3. In wordplay, the matras may be treated independently of the letters e.g. राम may be anagrammed to give मार or मरा.

Solving Instructions

1. Send in your completed entries to shuchi [at] crosswordunclued [dot] com, with the subject line "Hindi Cryptic Crossword 2 – Solution", latest by Thursday 14th August 2014.
2. Entries should preferably be sent in this solution template – replace "Your Name" in the file name with your name. If not using the template, the solution should be legible and readable in a standard text or image reader. PNG, Excel, Word formats are all OK.
3. Solution words should be in Devanagari script. [A tool like Quillpad can be used for typing in Hindi.]
4. Entries should contain annotations for the answers. Any annotation format is all right – words or symbols, Hindi or English – as long as how you arrived at the answer is clear.

If you have any related questions, please post them in the comments section.

The Prize

The winner can choose any one of these prizes:

• Flipkart gift voucher worth INR 1000
• Amazon US gift card worth USD 15
• Amazon UK gift card worth GBP 10

The solver with the maximum correct answers will win. In case of ties, the winner will be picked by a lucky draw.

The solution to the crossword and the winner's name will be announced in a follow-up post after 14th August 2014.

All the best, enjoy solving!

Update (21st August 2014): Solutions and winner announcement.

Related Posts:

• 5 Years of Blogging, and 5 Life Lessons from Cryptic Crosswords
• Crossword Unclued Turns Four
• How do you spell Ximenean in Hindi? 

If you wish to keep track of further articles on Crossword Unclued, you can subscribe to it in a reader via RSS Feed. You can also subscribe by email and have articles delivered to your inbox, or follow me on twitter to get notified of new links.

5 Years of Blogging, and 5 Life Lessons from Cryptic Crosswords

Crossword Unclued is turning five years old today. I took my first step into blogging with the post Tackling Cryptic Crosswords: 7-Step Guide to Beginners on 8th August 2008.

To all of you who read and spread the word about Crossword Unclued, I am tremendously thankful for your encouragement and support.

Plenty has changed for me in the past year. I've been through new kinds of experiences and dealt with unfamiliar challenges. And I've come to think that the principles that drive cryptic crosswords apply equally well beyond the boundaries of the crossword grid.

On the blog's birthday I'd like to reflect on five life lessons that cryptic crosswords have reinforced time and again.

1 Don't judge by what meets the eye at first. Unexpected meanings may hide beneath the surface.

2 Sometimes truth is a matter of perspective. The same thing can be read in more than way, and each way may be valid.

3 Not every conflict is a win-lose situation. Just as a setter's real victory is in conceding defeat to the solver.

4 If a problem cannot be solved cold, look for the checking letters to bail you out.

5 Whatever you do, you must be fair.

Have cryptic crosswords taught you something beyond words and wordplay?

Past Birthdays:

• Crossword Unclued Turns Four
• Crossword Unclued Turns Three
• Crossword Unclued Turns Two
• Crossword Unclued Turns One

If you wish to keep track of further articles on Crossword Unclued, you can subscribe to it in a reader via RSS Feed. You can also subscribe by email and have articles delivered to your inbox, or follow me on twitter to get notified of new links.

Crossword Unclued turns four

Four years! 8th August 2008 was the day the first post [Tackling cryptic crosswords: 7 step guide for beginners] was published on Crossword Unclued. On the blog's birthday I usually take stock of notable events of the past year - this time I also went through the Archive and made interesting discoveries about the site, and my personal journey with crosswords, since 2008.

What has changed in four years?

When I started blogging, I solved the crosswords in the Economic Times, New Indian Express, The Hindu, occasionally the UK papers. Now it is the other way round, and the clues used as examples in my posts reflect that change.

There has also been a slight shift in my thoughts on good and bad wordplay in cryptic crosswords. I am more receptive to indirect definitions such as unindicated D-by-E, less tolerant of superfluous link words. If I write about "About" today, I would surely mention that #7 is not a great use of the word.

The early blog posts had many short, quickly composed entries. Those updates have now moved to twitter and Facebook: Crossword Unclued.

The Last Twelve Months: A Brief Look

The interview posts – Roger Squires and the new setters of The Hindu Crossword – were the highlights of the year. They were also among those rare posts that my non-crossword friends read and enjoyed.

March 2012 was an excellent month for the blog. For one, Anax shared this lovely crossword specially created for Crossword Unclued. Soon after, on the morning of 21th March 2012, I checked Sitemeter and wondered if it had broken. It turned out that those additional couple of thousands of visitors were from a link on OMG-Facts.com. This was the best-ever time in terms of traffic, thanks to their link.

Popular posts on social media

Most Shared on Twitter		Most Shared On Facebook
Why Hindi and cryptic crosswords do not mix  (34 tweets)		Cryptonyte's special crossword (Tony Sebastian continues to attract the max FB shares. In 2011 the top-shared post was his interview.)

New navigation pages

New navigation pages were added this year to help you find your way around the site easily.

	A listing of ALL the posts on Crossword Unclued, organized month-wise.
	A compendium of interviews with crossword personalities - expert solvers and setters.

Crossword Unclued has been a constant source of joy for me. Thank you very much for reading and for making blogging so much fun.

Special thanks to my top referrers: THCC, Big Dave's Blog, fifteensquared, @sancryptic, amrith10, @ya_sree.

Past Birthdays:

• Crossword Unclued Turns Three
• Crossword Unclued Turns Two
• Crossword Unclued Turns One

If you wish to keep track of further articles on Crossword Unclued, you can subscribe to it in a reader via RSS Feed. You can also subscribe by email and have articles delivered to your inbox, or follow me on twitter to get notified of new links.

Three Years of Crossword Unclued

Three years have passed since Crossword Unclued was launched. When I began blogging with this post in 2008 I hadn't imagined what an adventure this was going to be. Solving crosswords, a solitary joy once, has evolved into something shared with the world.

Thanks to all my wonderful readers who keep me going. Thanks for suggesting topics to blog about, sending in interesting clues, reading, commenting and spreading the word about the blog. In this year, the blog's traffic from reddit and stumbleupon has increased substantially with Tackling Cryptic Crosswords: A 7-Step Guide and the New York Times Election Day Crossword bringing in the most visitors.

There are close to 300 articles on the blog now and I've fine-tuned how they are organised for easy navigation. Site Archive lists all articles grouped month-wise on a single page. All interviews of crossword personalities are linked from the new Interviews page.

A recap of posts published in the last year around which the most interesting activities took place.

Most Retweets & Comments: Contest: Participate and Win a Goodie! 
Most Facebook Shares: Interview with Tony Sebastian with a whopping 173 Facebook share count, a testament to Tony's popularity on social media.
Most Bookmarked: Fascinating Facts about Setters' Pseudonyms
Most Visits in a Single Day: Interview with Nitaa Jaggi

My personal favourite posts written this year are Double-Edged Indicators, Do you make these mistakes when writing clues?, The Game of Bridge, Semi-&Lit Clues – do check them out if haven't yet.

Special thanks to my top referrers:

On twitter: @amrith10, @ya_sree, @diogeneb, @UnnamedEntity, @sancryptic
Websites: THCC, Big Dave's Blog, fifteensquared, DA Trippers

Stay Connected

Don't miss a single post – get Crossword Unclued updates via RSS or enter your email address below to receive new new articles directly in your inbox.

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I also share links to new posts on Crossword Unclued's Facebook page and on Twitter, plus more stuff such as clues to solve. Follow me there, or stay connected via NetworkedBlogs.

Thanks a lot for your support!

Past Birthdays:

• Crossword Unclued Turns Two
• Crossword Unclued Turns One

DIY COW has moved – register at the new address

Anax's excellent clue-writing forum DIY COW has gone offline due to some error at the webhost's end.

Fortunately, in readiness for a planned shutdown of UKPuzzle later this year, Anax had already setup another website where the clue-writing contests could continue. The new DIY COW, for now, is here:

http://diycow.wordpress.com/

Please register at the new DIY COW to let Anax know that you're aware of the place and to get the latest news about the continuation of the forum. 

Related Posts:

• Clue-Writing Contests
• Useful Tools for Crossword Setters ~ Anax

If you wish to keep track of further articles on Crossword Unclued, you can subscribe to it in a reader via RSS Feed. You can also subscribe by email and have articles delivered to your inbox, or follow me on twitter to get notified of new links.

Crossword Unclued Turns Two

Today, Crossword Unclued celebrates in second birthday - I took the plunge into blogging with Tackling Cryptic Crosswords: 7-Step Guide For Beginners on 8th August 2008. It has been a fantastic journey since then. We are 216 articles strong at this time and I enjoy every minute of writing here.

Thanks a lot to you for reading and engaging with this blog, and to crossword creators for giving me plenty of fodder to write about.

The Last Twelve Months: A Brief Look

The last year carried several articles about the cryptic crossword grid, of which the ones on Ninas and pangrammatic grids are the most popular. There were 20 articles about cryptic word associations like posh = U and enemy = time, 15 articles on wordplay devices such as D by E and false capitalization, the setting styles of Hindu Crossword compilers (1, 2, 3), opinion polls (1, 2) and book reviews (1, 2).

We also had guest articles by setter Tony Le, on the art of crafting good anagrams, and by Chaturvasi, on creating and filling a crossword grid.

Crossword Unclued was mentioned in The Hindu in Feb 2010 and there was even an interview at The Hindu Crossword Corner :)

Visitors: Facts & Figures

53% of our daily visitors come through Google search. The most popular search terms are "cryptic crosswords for beginners", "crossword aids" and (curiously!) "abaci summers". The highest-ranking proper noun in search terms is "Nita Jaggi"; occasionally a stray visitor comes looking the true identities of Gridman, Neyartha, and even "real name shuchi crossword". Some frustrated solvers land here with search terms like "how long before I can solve times uk crossword" – I hope they find some encouragement on Crossword Unclued.

We get 3000+ visits and 7000+ page views per month.

Top Content By Google Search	Top Content By Twitter Visits
Cryptic Crossword Guide Crossword Abbreviations How To Spot Anagrams Easy Crosswords For Beginners Digging Out Hidden Words	Introducing the Mint Crossword Quick Guides To Cryptic Crosswords: Good And Bad Advice Roman Numerals, and a Classic Error HT Crossword Solving Groups Reverse Anagrams
My Favourites	Most Commented On
The Significance of ’s in Cryptic Clues Ellipsis-Linked Clues Reverse Anagrams Afrit’s Armchair Crosswords More Tips For Solving Cryptic Crosswords	Limericks for NJ Pretty Girl In Crimson Rose (8) Poll: Non-Cryptic Clues In THC Roman Numerals, And A Classic Error French Isn't Always The Language

Special thanks to the top commenters on the site in the last year – Chaturvasi, Vasana, maddy and veer.

Stay Connected!

If you like Crossword Unclued, please stay connected. Subscribe via RSS or email to receive new articles. Add Crossword Unclued on Facebook, Twitter and Delicious.

Thanks for your support!

2009: Year-End Round Up

As the year comes to a close, sharing with you the five most popular articles written in 2009 on Crossword Unclued. In case you're new here or have missed them earlier, do check them out.

Hope you are taking time off during the holiday week. Enjoy the festive season and have a great New Year! 

Top 5 Popular (Most-Read) Articles

	Cryptic Crosswords A Threat To Criminal Justice? A"research" which concludes that exposure to cryptic crosswords messes up one's ability to recognize people. This article was most viewed by readers from Twitter.
	New York Times Election Day Crossword A special crossword published in 1996 in the New York Times, which is evidently popular even now given the number of Google searches for it each day.
	Seth Godin Defines Enormity A linguistic faux pas by the business guru Seth Godin. An error that a cruciverbalist will never make.
	Hindu Crossword Compilers: Your Views? Lively discussion in the comments section about the Hindu crossword compilers. Most viewed by readers from India.
	More Tips For Solving Cryptic Crosswords Some tips to help you become a better solver. This article got me the most emailed responses.

A big thank you for reading!

What was your favourite Crossword Unclued post of 2009? Is there any specific topic you'd like me write about in 2010? Let me know, I'll try to plan an article around it. Please leave a comment or email any feedback/suggestions to me at []. Best wishes for the New Year once again!

How to track updates on Crossword Unclued

A quick reminder about the ways in which you can stay informed about new content on Crossword Unclued. If you like this site, sign up using your favourite option. Keep in touch!

Wish you a most enjoyable Yuletide and a very happy New Year 2010!

	Subscribe via RSS Gives you instant updates and you can categorize and share posts. If you aren't familiar with RSS, see this 3-min video: RSS in Plain English. Click here to subscribe via RSS.
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	Join Crossword Unclued on Facebook Snippets of new posts appear on CU's Facebook page. When you join, new post notifications will show up in your Facebook News Feed. "Become a Fan" of Crossword Unclued on Facebook.
	Follow me on twitter New post links are shared through twitter @ShuchiU. I occasionally share other links/trivia of interest to cryptic crossword solvers, which I might not post about on the blog. Follow @ShuchiU on twitter.

Crossword Unclued Turns One

It's our birthday today! The first post on Crossword Unclued was published on 8th August 2008, that's exactly a year ago. What fun it has been writing since then.

When I created this site I went through a mental exercise of listing objectives – what will I write about, and why? I realized I wanted to do these things, in bullet-point style :)

• share my thoughts about crosswords with fellow enthusiasts
• help beginners become better solvers, and encourage appreciation of clues in addition to solving
• introduce more people to cryptic crosswords

It gives me great joy whenever a reader emails or comments saying that Crossword Unclued has helped improve their skill, or when someone who hasn't attempted cryptic crosswords before reads some of this and gets tempted to try. Along the way I've also got to interact and form friendships with solvers from around the world, which has been an unexpected reward.

Thank you very much for reading! If you like this site but haven't subscribed yet, click on the cake at the top-left of this article to get its RSS Feed. Or sign-up to get updates by email.

Year-End Statistics

A bird's eye view of what went on in the past year.

Total Articles: 122
Total Comments: 434

Top Content (By Visits)	Most Commented On
Cryptic Crosswords Guide Page Crossword Abbreviations Charades New York Times Election Day Crossword Hindu Crossword Compilers: Your Views?	The Silicon Valley Puzzle Day – 2009 Hindonyms Hindu Crossword Compilers: Your Views? Keep Them Coming, Neyartha! Palindromes
The Quirky Posts	The Ones That Were Toughest To Write!
Wordplay On Regional Dialects 3-Dimensional Crosswords Killer Clue Hindonyms	About "About" The Deletion Clue Type Thoughts On Connectors Anagram Indicators

A big thank you to the top commenters on the site – Chaturvasi (66 comments), raghunath (34 comments), maddy (22 comments), Aim (20 comments), anokha (18 comments).

Do you have a crossword-related topic in mind that you'd like me write about? Please leave a comment about it. If I can I'll surely plan an article around it. Please feel free to email any feedback or suggestions to me at [].

Once again, thanks for your continued support, keep reading!