Language has always held a fascination for me, even though I do not consider myself a ‘natural’ linguist. One particular language I am priveleged enough to have as my native tongue is English. I love the way that it is a melting pot of words pillaged from diverse languages around the World, giving it more words than any other language.
I accidentally solved my first cryptic crossword clue in The Times when I was 13, and I’ve been hooked ever since.
I wrote my first cryptic crossword for a local free newspaper in 1999, and when they went out of business I sent my puzzles to The Guardian. They asked me to write puzzles for their website (using the name Pinkie), and then I was approached by the Institute of Financial Services training to provide a regular crossword for their newsletter.I was also asked to train NHS managers in these ‘problem-solving skills’ and produced a health-themed crossword for the event.
Compiling crosswords is a hobby - and something that I will do more of when I retire. But I do love it, so I often accept offers of compiling work.I hope you enjoy the puzzles on this site, and I’d love to hear what you think about them!