| Status: | Active, open to new members |
| Leader: | |
| When: | On Thursdays 10:00 am-12:00 pm 1st & 3rd Thursday ZOOM Meeting |
| Venue: | Homes of group members |
The cryptic Crossword Group had its inaugural meeting on 21st September 2017. Since then the group has continued to flourish.
Initially, the group, facilitated by Sue B, worked through the Workbook 'Learn How To Solve Cryptic Crosswords. A Course for Beginners' by Henry Howarth, U3A National Subject Advisor on Cryptic Crosswords. The Workbook is available to U3A members for £10. For some time now we have been using the SUN Two - Speed Crosswords, Collection 3.
This group is suitable for near beginners and improvers. We work together in a friendly environment using Zoom over the internet on the first and third Thursdays in the month from 10.00am to 11.45am. Frequent tea/coffee breaks with biscuits help to oil the brain cells. You might surprise yourself by how much of a devious mind you have when you get chatting to others!
If you are interested in seeing how this group works, please contact the Group Leader, Frances Gilbert . The current blog of meetings is shown below. To see the diary of meetings from previous years, click on Cryptic Crossword Records All
Diary 2025/2026
Thursday 21st May 2026 at 10am via Zoom and hosted by Brenda P
Once again, we have to thank Brenda P for kindly agreeing again to stand in for Sue B, who is still away on holiday. Lucky for some! The crosswords seem to be getting harder! That's the general feeling!
Today we looked at crosswords 5, 6 and 7.
Anagram indicators included: awfully, manufactured, involved, disorganised, repaved, smashed, destroy,............
Next meeting: Thursday 4th June 2026 at 10am via Zoom.
Homework: SUN crosswords (Collection 13) 10, 11, and 12.
Thursday 7th May 2026 at 10am via Zoom and hosted by Brenda P
Just three of us today! Brenda P kindly agreed to stand in for Sue B, who was away on holiday. With just two 'learners' Brenda was able to give us both considerable help. Thank you Brenda.
Today we looked at crosswords 4, 5 and 6.
Anagram indicators included: chopped, whirling, amazingly............
Next meeting: Thursday 21st May 2026 at 10am via Zoom.
Homework: SUN crosswords (Collection 13) 7, 8 and 9 inc.
Thursday 16th April 2026 at 10am via Zoom and hosted by Sue B
Almost a full house today!
We finally started our new SUN book, Collection 13, with Sue B at the wheel!
One interesting clue stimulated some discussion. "Optimism of Ruritania's founder"? (4).
The fictional kingdom of Ruritania was created by British author Anthony Hope (born Anthony Hope Hawkins, 1863–1933) for his 1894 adventure novel The Prisoner of Zenda.
While Hope invented the literary setting, the Kingdom of Ruritania as a micronation was established in 1967 as a geofictional project and later evolved into a simulationist community. This micronation is currently ruled by Queen Anastasia Sophia Maria Helena von Rubenroth Elphberg, who re-assumed the throne in 2010 following the death of her husband, King Wilhelm-Rudolph.
Another clue worth mentioning:
"Shield quickly attached to vehicle" (8)
It seems a 'carapace' is a dorsal (upper) section of the exoskeleton or shell in a number of animal groups, including arthropods and arachnids, as well as vertebrates such as turtles.
Anagram indicators included: brewed, hideous, silly, remade, altered, moved, explosive.....
Next meeting: Thursday 7th May 2026 at 10am via Zoom. A 3-week interval. Sue B will be away on holiday but FG hopes to open the session with Brenda P to oversee the session!
Homework: SUN crosswords (Collection 13) 4 to 6 inc.
Thursday 19th March 2026 at 10am via Zoom and hosted by Sue B
Nearly a full house today and and we made good progress, finishing three crosswords before coffee break!
Anagram indicators included: crumbling, waffle, bananas, changes, wandering, wobbly, restructuring, rearranged, damaged, destroyed........
Next meeting: Thursday 2nd April 2026 at 10am via Zoom.
Homework: SUN crosswords (Collection 10) 157 to 160 inc.
This will conclude Book Collection 10. Just as well, our books are falling apart! We all have out new Book, Collection 13, ready to go!
Thursday 5th March 2026 at 10am via Zoom and hosted by Sue B
Five of us were able to meet up on Zoom this morning and we made good progress, finishing three crosswords before coffee break!
There was just one 'special' word today. A seemingly common straight-forward word - "pet". And it appeared in two clues!
Clue: "At home pet is useless" (5). Answer: "inept".
Clue: "Pet mutt ran out" (7). Answer: "tantrum"
It seems that a pet is:
- A domesticated animal kept for enjoyment or companionship.
- An object of affection. A person especially loved. A favorite.
Anagram indicators included: useless, modified...............
Next meeting: Thursday 19th March 2026 at 10am via Zoom.
Homework: SUN crosswords (Collection 10) 154 to 156 inc.
Thursday 19th February 2026 at 10am via Zoom and hosted by Sue B
Six of us were able to meet up on Zoom this morning and we made good progress.
There were no particularly special clues / words today, but crossword construction is always at the heart of our discussion. Alas, it has been some time since we came across a very 'special' word!
We now have out SUN crossword Book 13 ready to start as we approach the end of Book 10.
Anagram indicators included: ordered, shot, terribly, about, twisted...........
Next meeting: Thursday 5th March 2026 at 10am via Zoom.
Homework: SUN crosswords (Collection 10) 151 to 153 inc.
Thursday 5th February 2026 at 10am via Zoom and hosted by Sue B
Seven of us were able to meet up on Zoom this morning and we made ‘good time’ in completing our ‘homework’.
There were no particularly special clues / words today, but the crossword construction is always a keen topic of discussion.
We are now getting towards the end of this SUN Collection 10 book, so some time was spent discussing the way forward. In the event, we decided to move to SUN Collection 11 and we are grateful to Sue B for ordering these books for the group at a favorable price!
Anagram indicators included: broken, wreck, slammed, trashed, ruined......
Next meeting: Thursday 19th February 2026 at 10am via Zoom.
Homework: SUN crosswords (Collection 10) 148 to 150 inc.
Thursday 15th January 2026 at 10am via Zoom and hosted by Sue B
Seven of us were able to meet up on Zoom this morning and we made ‘good time’ in completing our ‘homework’ (which was just two crosswords this time, as we only had a week to prepare).
Anagram indicators included: crashing, cunningly, playing, strange, cooking, silly, wreck broken.
Next meeting: Thursday 5th February 2026 at 10am via Zoom.
Homework: SUN crosswords (Collection 10) 145 to 147 inc.
Thursday 8th January 2026 - first meeting of 2026!
Some six of us met yesterday for the first time this year and collectively we made good progress! Sue B and Brenda helped us, as always, to work through the more challenging clues!
Our meeting yesterday was out of our 'official' sequence as we agreed not to meet on Thursday January 1st 2026!
If we leave it two weeks (22nd), our next CC meeting will clash with Local History (and at least two of our members belong to that group).
So, we agreed to meet again next week, on Thursday 15th January at the usual time. The homework will be to work on crosswords 143 and 144. We thought that was quite enough in the circumstances! I hope these changes do not cause too much distress.
In February 2026 we will return to our usual pattern of the 1st and 3rd Thursdays in the month - the first meeting being on Thursday 5th February, followed by Thursday February 19th.
Homework: SUN crosswords 143 and 144
Thursday 18th December 2025 at 10am via Zoom.
Unfortunately, this meeting was cancelled on the day as there were insufficient members in attendance.
We agreed to meet next on Thursday 8th January at the usual time.
Homework: SUN crosswords (Collection 10) 140 to 142 inc.
Thursday 4th December 2025 at 10am via Zoom and hosted by Sue B
It seemed ages since we last met up, but after greetings, we were soon at work. No one clue ‘stood out’ but all together, we had a lively morning.
Anagram indicators included: unstable, pranged, worn, sloshed, wild, crashing.
Next meeting: Thursday 18th December 2025 at 10am via Zoom.
Homework: SUN crosswords (Collection 10) 140 to 142 inc.