Crosswords by Charlie Methven

Charlie Methven

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, and these puzzles are now being reprinted in the i.

Court order put solicitor’s nose out of joint (4)

Reveal answer

WRIT

Show explanation

S ('Solicitor's nose' - its first letter) taken out of WRIST ('joint'). The definition is 'court order'

from Independent 11,263
Solve at MyCrossword

My puzzles for the Independent are available on its website for about a month after publication (just navigate to the right date). Older Indy puzzles and others are available at MyCrossword. All Independent and Guardian puzzles are explained and discussed at the blog Fifteensquared.

Independent 11,990 by Methuselah 14/03/25
A puzzle with a mathematical gimmick.
Fifteensquared
Independent 11,969 by Methuselah 18/02/25
A puzzle where Methuselah really shows his age.
Fifteensquared
Independent 11,955 by Methuselah 01/02/25
Fifteensquared
Independent 11,919 by Methuselah 21/12/24
Fifteensquared
Independent 11,877 by Methuselah 02/11/24
A crossword with an extra challenge for fans of a certain BBC Two quiz show.
Fifteensquared
Independent 11,869 by Methuselah 24/10/24
Fifteensquared
Independent 11,833 by Methuselah 12/09/24
A puzzle with a musical theme.
Fifteensquared
Independent 11,817 by Methuselah 24/08/24
A puzzle with something extra going on.
Fifteensquared
Independent 11,785 by Methuselah 18/07/24
Fifteensquared
Independent 11,763 by Methuselah 22/06/24
There's something a bit unusual about this grid.
Solve at the Independent | Fifteensquared
Independent 11,743 by Methuselah 30/05/24
A puzzle with a bookish sort of theme.
Fifteensquared
Independent 11,709 by Methuselah 20/04/24
Fifteensquared
Independent 11,638 by Methuselah 29/01/24
A puzzle with a quizzical theme, if you can only connect the dots.
Fifteensquared
Independent 11,599 by Methuselah 14/12/23
Fifteensquared
Inquisitor 1831 - Shipshape by Methuselah 25/11/23
My first puzzle for the Inquisitor series in the i paper, celebrating a certain diamond anniversary.
Fifteensquared | 'i do the i' blog
Independent 11,541 by Methuselah 07/10/23
Fifteensquared
Independent 11,513 by Methuselah 05/09/23
A puzzle with a religious theme.
MyCrossword | Fifteensquared
Independent 11,389 by Methuselah 13/04/23
A puzzle name-checking some of my Independent colleagues.
MyCrossword | Fifteensquared
Independent 11,341 by Methuselah 16/02/23
MyCrossword | Fifteensquared
Independent 11,263 by Methuselah 17/11/22
MyCrossword | Fifteensquared
Independent 11,228 by Methuselah 07/10/22
MyCrossword | Fifteensquared
Independent 11,203 by Methuselah 08/09/22
MyCrossword | Fifteensquared
Independent 11,167 by Methuselah 28/07/22
MyCrossword | Fifteensquared
Crossword #32 by Chameleon 21/07/22
This puzzle entitled "Do They Know It?" (unavailable online) was published in 1 Across magazine.
Independent 11,129 by Methuselah 14/06/22
A puzzle with two themes in one.
MyCrossword | Fifteensquared
A puzzle for John Robins by Methuselah and Quince 04/05/22
My Independent colleague Quince and I set this puzzle when comedian and broadcaster John Robins had a certain birthday.
MyCrossword
Independent 11,088 by Methuselah 27/04/22
MyCrossword | Fifteensquared
Independent 11,058 by Methuselah 23/03/22
MyCrossword | Fifteensquared
Crossword #31 by Chameleon 26/02/22
A puzzle to thank some of the people who've test solved my puzzles over the years.
MyCrossword
Independent 11,016 by Methuselah 02/02/22
A puzzle to mark a literary centenary.
MyCrossword | Fifteensquared
Independent 11,007 by Methuselah 22/01/22
MyCrossword | Fifteensquared
Independent 10,978 by Methuselah 18/12/21
This puzzle was featured on the Cracking the Cryptic YouTube channel.
MyCrossword | Fifteensquared
Crossword #30 by Chameleon 10/12/21
A puzzle celebrating the fantastic MyCrossword community.
MyCrossword
Crossword #29 by Chameleon 13/11/21
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
Independent on Sunday 1,653 by Methuselah 31/10/21
A spooky puzzle with something strange going on at 24 across.
MyCrossword | Fifteensquared
Independent 10,884 by Methuselah 31/08/21
The Spice Girls turn up in a few clues in this puzzle.
MyCrossword | Fifteensquared
Independent 10,844 by Methuselah 16/07/21
Regular solvers of the Independent cryptic may spot a little something extra in this puzzle.
MyCrossword | Fifteensquared
Crossword #28 by Chameleon 31/05/21
A puzzle to celebrate the birthday of Hamish aka Soup, my editor at 1 Across magazine.
Solve with PDF | Annotated solution
Independent 10,782 by Methuselah 04/05/21
A puzzle for the Independent with a literary theme.
MyCrossword | Fifteensquared
Crossword #27 by Chameleon 20/04/21
This puzzle entitled "Bottom" (unavailable online) was published in 1 Across.
Independent on Sunday 1623 by Methuselah 04/04/21
My first puzzle as Methuselah for the Independent, themed around a certain hit BBC police drama.
MyCrossword | Fifteensquared
Crossword #26 by Chameleon 26/03/21
A seriously self-indulgent themed puzzle.
MyCrossword
A puzzle by Platypus 03/03/21
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.
MyCrossword
Crossword #25 by Chameleon 24/02/21
This themed puzzle was the first I published on the website MyCrossword.
MyCrossword
Guardian Genius 211 by Chameleon 04/01/21
A second puzzle for the Guardian Genius slot.
Solve at the Guardian | Fifteensquared
Crossword #23 by Chameleon 26/12/20
This puzzle (unavailable online) was published as 1 Across magazine's 2000th puzzle, and celebrates setters from throughout the magazine's history.
Crossword #22 by Chameleon 04/10/20
A puzzle themed around the podcast No Such Thing As A Fish. This puzzle by The Void has the same theme.
MyCrossword
Crossword #21 by Chameleon 15/08/20
A puzzle themed around a favourite book from my childhood.
Solve with PDF | Annotated solution
Crossword #20 by Chameleon 18/07/20
This puzzle (unavailable online) was published in 1 Across magazine.
Guardian Genius 202 by Chameleon 06/04/20
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
Another puzzle by Teacage 01/04/20
Another crossword by the mysterious setter known as Teacage, published on his birthday, 1st April.
Solve as PDF | Annotated solution
Crossword #18 by Chameleon 24/03/20
This puzzle entitled "Languages" (unavailable online) was published in 1 Across magazine
Crossword #17 by Chameleon 17/03/20
A crossword inspired by Georges Perec, which follows the same constraint as his most famous novel.
MyCrossword
NTSPP 523 by Chameleon 15/02/20
A second puzzle for Big Dave's Saturday slot, entitled "Saturday Night Takeaway".
Solve at Big Dave's site | Annotated solution
Crossword #15 by Chameleon 01/02/20
A puzzle with some French and Spanish influences.
Solve with PDF | Annotated solution
Advent Crossword by Chameleon Dec 19
A crossword in the form of an advent calendar, originally released on Twitter with a clue a day in December 2019.
Solve with PDF | MyCrossword
NTSPP 508 by Chameleon 02/11/19
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
Crossword #12 by Chameleon 05/10/19
A puzzle with a few nods to my student days.
MyCrossword
Rookie Corner 282 by Chameleon 08/09/19
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
Crossword #10 by Chameleon 17/08/19
My first puzzle in double digits - the grid marks the occasion in a few places.
Solve at MyCrossword
Crossword #9 by Chameleon in 1 Across 30/07/19
This puzzle titled "Double Bill" (unavailable online) was published in 1 Across magazine.
Rookie Corner 276 by Chameleon 22/07/19
My third attempt in the Rookie Corner slot at Big Dave's Crossword Blog.
Solve at Big Dave's site | Annotated review by Prolixic
Crossword #7 by Chameleon 15/07/19
Solve with PDF | Annotated solution
Cluedoku 14/07/19
This cryptic crossword/sudoku crossover was published on the Guardian crossword blog.
Blogpost at the Guardian | Solution | Q&A about the CluedokuSolve with PDF | Annotated solution
A puzzle by Teacage 22/06/19
The debut crossword by the mysterious setter known as Teacage.
Solve with PDF | Annotated solution
Rookie Corner 268 by Chameleon 27/05/19
My second visit to the Rookie Corner slot at Big Dave's Crossword Blog.
Solve at Big Dave's site | Annotated review by Prolixic
Crossword #5 by Chameleon 13/05/19
Solve with PDF | Annotated solution
Crossword #4 by Chameleon 08/05/19
Solve with PDF | Annotated solution
Crossword #3 by Chameleon 08/05/19
An ABBA-themed puzzle.
Solve with PDF | Annotated solution
Rookie Corner 259 by Chameleon 08/05/19
My first attempt in the Rookie Corner slot at Big Dave's Crossword Blog.
Solve at Big Dave's site | Annotated review by Prolixic
Crossword #1 by Chameleon 07/05/19
The first crossword I posted online.
Solve with PDF | Annotated solution