I've been setting cryptic crosswords since 2019. I've used the pseudonym Chameleon for self-published puzzles, some in 1 Across Magazine and a couple in the Guardian's Genius slot. Since 2021 I've set regularly for the Independent as Methuselah.
My puzzles for the Independent are available on its website for 12 months after publication (just navigate to the right date), and then at MyCrossword, a fantastic crossword community where I've also re-published many of my earlier puzzles. All Independent and Guardian puzzles are explained and discussed at the blog Fifteensquared.
| Independent 11,869 by Methuselah Solve at the Independent | Fifteensquared blog |
24/10/24 |
| Independent 11,833 by Methuselah A puzzle with a musical theme. Solve at the Independent | Fifteensquared blog |
12/09/24 |
| Independent 11,817 by Methuselah A puzzle with something extra going on. Solve at the Independent | Fifteensquared blog |
24/08/24 |
| Independent 11,785 by Methuselah Solve at the Independent | Fifteensquared blog |
18/07/24 |
| Independent 11,763 by Methuselah There's something a bit unusual about this grid. Solve at the Independent | Fifteensquared blog |
22/06/24 |
| Independent 11,743 by Methuselah A puzzle with a bookish sort of theme. Solve at the Independent | Fifteensquared blog |
30/05/24 |
| Independent 11,709 by Methuselah Solve at the Independent | Fifteensquared blog |
20/04/24 |
| Independent 11,638 by Methuselah A puzzle with a quizzical theme, if you can only connect the dots. Solve at the Independent | Fifteensquared blog |
29/01/24 |
| Independent 11,599 by Methuselah Solve at the Independent | Fifteensquared blog |
14/12/23 |
| Inquisitor 1831 - Shipshape by Methuselah My first puzzle for the Inquisitor series in the i newspaper, celebrating a certain diamond anniversary. Fifteensquared blog | 'i do the i' blog |
25/11/23 |
| Independent 11,541 by Methuselah Solve at the Independent | Fifteensquared blog |
07/10/23 |
| Independent 11,513 by Methuselah A puzzle with a religious theme. Solve at the Independent | Fifteensquared blog |
05/09/23 |
| Independent 11,389 by Methuselah Solve at MyCrossword | Fifteensquared blog |
13/04/23 |
| Independent 11,341 by Methuselah Solve at MyCrossword | Fifteensquared blog |
16/02/23 |
| Independent 11,263 by Methuselah Solve at MyCrossword | Fifteensquared blog |
17/11/22 |
| Independent 11,228 by Methuselah Solve on MyCrossword | Fifteensquared blog |
07/10/22 |
| Independent 11,203 by Methuselah Solve on MyCrossword | Fifteensquared blog |
08/09/22 |
| Independent 11,167 by Methuselah Solve on MyCrossword | Fifteensquared blog |
28/07/22 |
| Crossword #32 by Chameleon This puzzle entitled "Do They Know It?" (unavailable online) was published in 1 Across magazine. |
21/07/22 |
| Independent 11,129 by Methuselah A puzzle with two themes in one. Solve on MyCrossword | Fifteensquared blog |
14/06/22 |
| A puzzle for John Robins by Methuselah and Quince My Independent colleague Quince and I set this puzzle when comedian and broadcaster John Robins had a certain birthday. Solve on MyCrossword |
04/05/22 |
| Independent 11,088 by Methuselah Solve on MyCrossword | Fifteensquared blog |
27/04/22 |
| Independent 11,058 by Methuselah Solve on MyCrossword | Fifteensquared blog |
23/03/22 |
| Crossword #31 by Chameleon A puzzle to thank some of the people who've test solved my puzzles over the years. Solve on MyCrossword |
26/02/22 |
| Independent 11,016 by Methuselah A puzzle to mark a literary centenary. Solve on MyCrossword | Fifteensquared blog |
02/02/22 |
| Independent 11,007 by Methuselah Solve on MyCrossword | Fifteensquared blog |
22/01/22 |
| Independent 10,978 by Methuselah This puzzle was featured on the Cracking the Cryptic YouTube channel. Solve on MyCrossword | Fifteensquared blog |
18/12/21 |
| Crossword #30 by Chameleon A puzzle celebrating the fantastic MyCrossword community. Solve on MyCrossword |
10/12/21 |
| Crossword #29 by Chameleon So far my only attempt at setting a crossword in three dimensions, inspired by the 3D Calendar Puzzles project and available to solve online thanks to Viresh at Exet. Solve with PDF | Solve on my website |
13/11/21 |
| Independent on Sunday 1,653 by Methuselah A spooky puzzle with something strange going on at 24 across. Solve on MyCrossword | Fifteensquared blog |
31/10/21 |
| Independent 10,884 by Methuselah The Spice Girls turn up in a few clues in this puzzle. Solve on MyCrossword | Fifteensquared blog |
31/08/21 |
| Independent 10,844 by Methuselah Regular solvers of the Independent cryptic may spot a little something extra in this puzzle. Solve on MyCrossword | Fifteensquared blog |
16/07/21 |
| Crossword #28 by Chameleon A puzzle to celebrate the birthday of Hamish aka Soup, my editor at 1 Across magazine. Solve with PDF | Annotated solution |
31/05/21 |
| Independent 10,782 by Methuselah A puzzle for the Independent with a literary theme. Solve on MyCrossword | Fifteensquared blog |
04/05/21 |
| Crossword #27 by Chameleon This puzzle entitled "Bottom" (unavailable online) was published in 1 Across. |
20/04/21 |
| Independent on Sunday 1623 by Methuselah My first puzzle as Methuselah for the Independent, themed around a certain hit BBC police drama. Solve on MyCrossword | Fifteensquared blog |
04/03/21 |
| Crossword #26 by Chameleon A seriously self-indulgent themed puzzle. Solve on MyCrossword |
26/03/21 |
| A puzzle by Platypus This puzzle was a Twitter experiment I organised where each clue was written by a different person (mine was 10 across). The Platypus pseudonym has since been used for other collaborative puzzles including the 1000th puzzle on MyCrossword. Solve on MyCrossword |
03/03/21 |
| Crossword #25 by Chameleon This themed puzzle was the first I published on the website MyCrossword. Solve on MyCrossword |
24/02/21 |
| Guardian Genius 211 by Chameleon A second puzzle for the Guardian Genius slot. Solve at the Guardian | Fifteensquared blog |
04/01/21 |
| Crossword #23 by Chameleon This puzzle (unavailable online) was published as 1 Across magazine's 2000th puzzle, and celebrates setters from throughout the magazine's history. |
26/12/20 |
| Crossword #22 by Chameleon A puzzle themed around the podcast No Such Thing As A Fish. This puzzle by The Void has the same theme. Solve at MyCrossword |
04/10/20 |
| Crossword #21 by Chameleon A puzzle themed around a favourite book from my childhood. Solve with PDF | Annotated solution |
15/08/20 |
| Crossword #20 by Chameleon This puzzle (unavailable online) was published in 1 Across magazine. |
18/07/20 |
| Guardian Genius 202 by Chameleon My first puzzle for the Guardian's online slot. One of the puzzles I've had the most fun setting. Solve at the Guardian | Fifteensquared blog |
06/04/20 |
| Another puzzle by Teacage Another crossword by the mysterious setter known as Teacage, published on his birthday, 1st April. Solve as PDF | Annotated solution |
01/04/20 |
| Crossword #18 by Chameleon This puzzle entitled "Languages" (unavailable online) was published in 1 Across magazine |
24/03/20 |
| Crossword #17 by Chameleon A crossword inspired by Georges Perec, which follows the same constraint as his most famous novel. Solve on MyCrossword |
17/03/20 |
| NTSPP 523 by Chameleon A second puzzle for Big Dave's Saturday slot, entitled "Saturday Night Takeaway". Solve at Big Dave's site | Annotated solution |
15/02/20 |
| Crossword #15 by Chameleon A puzzle with some French and Spanish influences. Solve with PDF | Annotated solution |
01/02/20 |
| Advent Crossword by Chameleon A crossword in the form of an advent calendar, originally released on Twitter with a clue a day in December 2019. Solve with PDF | Solve on MyCrossword |
01/12/19 - 25/12/19 |
| NTSPP 508 by Chameleon Titled "Wonderful World", this was my first puzzle for the Not the Saturday Prize Puzzle slot at Big Dave's site after "graduating" from Rookie Corner Solve at Big Dave's site | Annotated review by Prolixic |
02/11/19 |
| Crossword #12 by Chameleon A puzzle with a few nods to my student days. Solve at MyCrossword |
05/10/19 |
| Rookie Corner 282 by Chameleon My final puzzle for Big Dave's Rookie Corner, featuring a few nods to other commenters and setters on that site. Solve at Big Dave's site | Annotated review by Prolixic |
08/09/19 |
| Crossword #10 by Chameleon My first puzzle in double digits - the grid marks the occasion in a few places. Solve at MyCrossword |
17/08/19 |
| Crossword #9 by Chameleon in 1 Across This puzzle titled "Double Bill" (unavailable online) was published in 1 Across magazine. |
30/07/19 |
| Rookie Corner 276 by Chameleon My third attempt in the Rookie Corner slot at Big Dave's Crossword Blog. Solve at Big Dave's site | Annotated review by Prolixic |
22/07/19 |
| Crossword #7 by Chameleon Solve with PDF | Annotated solution |
15/07/19 |
| Cluedoku This cryptic crossword/sudoku crossover was published on the Guardian crossword blog. Blogpost at the Guardian | Solution | Q&A about the Cluedoku |
14/07/19 |
| A puzzle by Teacage The debut crossword by the mysterious setter known as Teacage. Solve with PDF | Annotated solution |
22/06/19 |
| Rookie Corner 268 by Chameleon My second visit to the Rookie Corner slot at Big Dave's Crossword Blog. Solve at Big Dave's site | Annotated review by Prolixic |
27/05/19 |
| Crossword #5 by Chameleon Solve with PDF | Annotated solution |
13/05/19 |
| Crossword #4 by Chameleon Solve with PDF | Annotated solution |
08/05/19 |
| Crossword #3 by Chameleon An ABBA-themed puzzle. Solve with PDF | Annotated solution |
08/05/19 |
| Rookie Corner 259 by Chameleon My first attempt in the Rookie Corner slot at Big Dave's Crossword Blog. Solve at Big Dave's site | Annotated review by Prolixic |
08/05/19 |
| Crossword #1 by Chameleon The first crossword I posted online. Solve with PDF | Annotated solution |
07/05/19 |