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

HappyToast@happytoast.co.uk · 22h ago

Good morning, there's a new Bobby Fingers www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGt7...

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!

Places on my autumn online masterclass for aspiring setters and advanced solvers are starting to fill up, so this is a good time to make sure of your place ... Release your inner fiendishness over two afternoons on Saturday 7 and 14 November: boatmancryptics.co.uk/crossword-ma...

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 …

Lowdown Cryptic@lowdowncryptic.bsky.social · 2mo ago

It's the first #WorldCup match to be played in #Canada! 🇨🇦 (I'm in #Toronto, but not at Toronto Stadium) And there's another major competition coming to North America soon: the US & Canada Cryptic Crossword Championships! (see details below) Go Canada! Go Cryptic! #WorldCup2026 #USCanadaCrypticCC

Karol’s clue deserves wider appreciation …

Karol S@karolszym.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Labour must be bold or its cracks “visible to all” (8,7) #crypticclue #cracksonview

Starmer’s ratings are heading south …

Henry Morris@mrhenrymorris.substack.com · 3mo ago

Starmer of the Antarctic www.thenewworld.co.uk/henry-morris...

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

The PNG Courier on bungs, banquets and bunglers …

Henry Morris@mrhenrymorris.substack.com · 3mo ago

EXCLUSIVE - The Papua New Guinea Courier's view on today's Welsh, Scottish and local elections. More in my Substack: open.substack.com/pub/mrhenrym...

Worth it for the exquisite redshirt reference alone …

Dave Gorman@davegorman.bsky.social · 3mo ago

I set today’s Guardian prize crossword: www.theguardian.com/crosswords/p... Clues include: Uhura discovered characters bringing up the rear in red will die in difficulty (6) Unknown joining Disney to make music (5) Small PC close to price range (5) No spoilers, ta!

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

Alex Andreou@sturdyalex.bsky.social · 4mo ago

OMFG I had to go and check that this ACTUALLY happened. Since when does the BBC ever do chyrons with a political party's branding, rather than their own? Not to mention this is during a pre-election campaign purdah. (h/t @iainsol.bsky.social)

Looking forward to seeing the #isihac gang at the Brighton Dome tonight ...

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

Catnip@catnipxword.bsky.social · 4mo ago

I'm delighted to be making my debut in the Independent today as Nepeta. Sample clues: Raunchy trio stripped naked (6) Almost complete abstainer from pork eating English breakfast (6) Side roads backed up after abattoir evacuated (7) puzzles.independent.co.uk/games/crypti...

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 ...

Henry Morris@mrhenrymorris.substack.com · 4mo ago

NEW - I got to interview Dominic Cummings earlier this week. Britain's 16-bit Shaman. open.substack.com/pub/mrhenrym...

… and in further news of masterclass alumnae …

Guinevere 🎲🎲@guineverecryptic.bsky.social · 4mo ago

It seems like a good day for a debut (see my previous post)! Apropos of nothing, of course 😉, I hope anyone solving the Times 15x15 enjoys it today, do let me know… #cryptic #crossword

Brava Alys, one of last year's masterclass students, who makes a well-earned debut in @the-independent.com today ...

Alys Cummings@alyseliza.bsky.social · 4mo ago

Very excited to be making my debut in the Indy today as Penelope 😊 puzzles.independent.co.uk/games/crypti...

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...

Cryptic crossword No 25,555

Cryptic crossword No 25,555

theguardian.com

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

Why are UK electricity prices so high?

YouTube video by Richard J Murphy

youtu.be

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

a dog sitting in the driver 's seat of a boat with the words jukin vine on the bottom right

ALT: a dog sitting in the driver 's seat of a boat with the words jukin vine on the bottom right

media.tenor.com

David Thomas Moore@dtmooreeditor.bsky.social · 5mo ago

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

In @theguardian.com crossword tomorrow - no hints, as prizes are at stake - enjoy!

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.