Puzzling

Some new clues for you to try! 1) Following Albert to the side (7) 2) Romeo left weird herbalists’ institute (9) 3) Greek character is against red Italian wine (7) 4) Flower occurs randomly (6) 5) Beyond a minor role (5) 6) Clever and dynamic mediator heads off (6) If you'd like to get my Nixie cryptics on a regular basis, I publish a new cryptic every fortnight (2 weeks) over at the Clue Detective Puzzle Agency . There's a special deal on at the moment, use the code NIXIE in checkout to get a 10% discount on membership.

Here are the answers to the first set of Nixie cryptic clues: 1) Gulps down birds (8) = SWALLOWS. Double definition ( gulps down + birds ). 2) Worker has loud grievance (4) = BEEF. Charade of BEE ( worker ) + F ( loud ). A 'beef' is an informal word for 'complaint'. 3) Endless blaze leaves a tree (3) = FIR. A deletion clue; take FIRE ( blaze ) and remove its end (last letter) to get FIR, a type of tree . 4) Relation at the ABC? (6) = AUNTIE. Cryptic definition; Aunty ABC (and Aunty BBC) is the informal nickname for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 5) Mourn appropriately if making livery (7) = UNIFORM. Anagram of mourn if.  The anagram indicator here here appropriately.   Livery is a type of uniform. 6) Cable tram stuffed with unrestrained glee (8) = TELEGRAM (a cable ). Container ... TRAM with an anagram ( unrestrained ) of GLEE. 7) Émigré Patrick went after former wife (5) = EXPAT. PAT ( Patrick ) goes after EX ( former wife ). Con...

I have decided to close my 'Twitface' accounts (Twitter and author's page on Facebook) in the interests of less stress, and more simplicity in my life. I will still be posting cryptic clues that you can solve here, and will be updating this blog more frequently too. I look forward to continuing conversations with my friends from those other social networks – welcome! Here's the first batch. Let me know how you get on in the Comments, and I'm happy to provide hints if anyone needs them. I will post answers in a few days  :) ______________________________________________________________________ 1) Gulps down birds (8) 2) Worker has loud grievance (4) 3) Endless blaze leaves a tree (3) 4) Relation at the ABC? (6) 5) Mourn appropriately if making livery (7) 6) Cable tram stuffed with unrestrained glee (8) 7) Émigré Patrick went after former wife (5) ________________________________________________________________________

I'm very happy to announce that I am now the regular cryptic setter for the Australian Clue Detective Puzzle Agency . They will be publishing one of my Nixie cryptic crosswords every fortnight, and I will be writing for their blog now and then. This is currently the only way to get my very latest cryptic crosswords on a regular basis. Membership to The Clue Detective Puzzle Agency is by annual subscription. There is a special deal on at the moment , until the end of August, if you're interested in signing up. They have a range of other sorts of puzzles, including clueless crosswords. Under The Sea II by Sir Joseph Noel Patton Why am I writing under the cryptic setter name Nixie? Firstly, a nixie is a bit of a bad and naughty fairy , liable to trick humans (What?!) ... and is female (women cryptic setters are rare) ... and Nixie is also close to my family nickname. So it seems apt to me! Hope to see you over there  :)

One of the things I like about cryptics is how — although I write them — I still find cryptics by other setters challenging and enjoyable to solve. I don't do 'quick' crosswords any more, solving one is too much like the work I do in writing them ... another bloody definition? No thanks ... But cryptics are still a fascinating challenge to me, and are still fun for me to solve. I don't classify myself as an expert solver , I can't solve The Times cryptic in record time or anything like that. I don't solve enough cryptics often enough to get the necessary daily practice in. But being a setter does give me a certain advantage! So, I thought you might find it interesting to see the mental process I go through when solving clues by other setters. Here are a few clues by a variety of setters, and my thoughts as I solve them ... Wife given a kiss then getting yen for pasty (4) Hmmm, what are possible abbreviations in this clue? Wife = W, kis...

I've got a special treat for you today, two whole cryptic crosswords by me, for you to download. These are PDF files, which you can print out. The answers are included, too. Nixie Cryptic #1 Nixie Cryptic #2 Griff is tucked up in bed, and doesn't seem that impressed — but hopefully you will enjoy them!