What's Up?
THC #14,136 from Saturday, March 30, 2024
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One Doesn't Belong?
THC #14,108 from Tuesday, February 27, 2024
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Kakamuchee
THC #14,082 from Saturday, January 27, 2024
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Do Jasoos
THC #14,057 from Thursday, December 28, 2023
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Stripper
THC #14,031 from Tuesday, November 28, 2023
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A Puzzle With Layers
THC #14,006 from Saturday, October 28, 2023
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L for Lufz
THC #13,981 from Thursday, September 28, 2023
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25 25
THC #13,954 from Saturday, August 26, 2023
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Woke Abruptly?
THC #13,930 from Saturday, July 29, 2023
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Covertly convert (13)
THC #13,929 from Friday, July 28, 2023
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Some Jazz Players?
THC #13,902 from Tuesday, June 27, 2023
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Sketchy People?
THC #13,878 from Tuesday, May 30, 2023
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A Tall Tale?
THC #13,866 from Tuesday, May 16, 2023
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Inner Secrets?
THC #13,853 from Monday, May 1, 2023
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Two Grid-related Transport Mechanisms
THC #13,828 from Saturday, April 1, 2023
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Pioneer
THC #13,802 from Thursday, March 2, 2023
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Madonna's in it
THC #13,776 from Tuesday, January 31, 2023
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Zzz...
THC #13,751 from Saturday, December 31, 2022
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What A Cracker!
THC #13,726 from Friday, December 2, 2022
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Nunc Est Bibendum!
THC #13,711 from Tuesday, November 15, 2022
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Bond's Story in 21, 23, 25
THC #13,695 from Thursday, October 27, 2022
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Charles's Story
THC #13,671 from Tuesday, September 27, 2022
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7 About 7
THC #13,647 from Monday, August 29, 2022
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9 + 21 = 25 + ?
THC #13,633 from Friday, August 12, 2022
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Don't Tell Anyone
THC #13,619 from Wednesday, July 27, 2022
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Prime Time
THC #13,591 from Friday, June 24, 2022
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Four of Clubs?
THC #13,563 from Monday, May 23, 2022
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Multilayered Puzzle
THC #13,543 from Friday, April 29, 2022
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Next, A Sheep Dancing
The Hindu Cryptic on Sunday #77 from Sunday, April 10, 2022
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The Best Left-hander
THC #13,502 from Saturday, March 12, 2022
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Qaotic?
THC #13,495 from Friday, March 4, 2022
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Self-Reverential, Moi?
THC #13,449 from Saturday, January 8, 2022
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Puzzle's Pulse
THC #13,425 from Saturday, December 11, 2021
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Seeing Red?
THC #13,401 from Saturday, November 13, 2021
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Brainy, Essentially?
THC #13,380 from Tuesday, October 19, 2021
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Self-Referential, Moi?
THC #13,361 from Saturday, September 25, 2021
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Rocket Scientist
THC #13,335 from Wednesday, August 25, 2021
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Boy!
THC #13,310 from Tuesday, July 27, 2021
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Aap Ki Yaad...
THC #13,287 from Wednesday, June 30, 2021
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Cross Words
THC #13,266 from Saturday, June 5, 2021
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Visitors
THC #13,242 from Saturday, May 8, 2021
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A Hidden Drawer
THC #13,221 from Wednesday, April 14, 2021
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Running Theme
THC #13,199 from Friday, March 19, 2021
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Hacky
THC #13,172 from Tuesday, February 16, 2021
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Subject Matter
THC #13,147 from Monday, January 18, 2021
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Healthy Constitution
THC #13,120 from Wednesday, December 16, 2020
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Guru
THC #13,094 from Monday, November 16, 2020
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Consumer Products
THC #13,072 from Wednesday, October 21, 2020
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Dr. Who?
THC #13,044 from Thursday, September 10, 2020
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Ghalib, Tera...
THC #13,013 from Thursday, August 13, 2020
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Quaquaquaqua
THC #12,983 from Thursday, July 9, 2020
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Indie Comics?
THC #12,950 from Monday, June 1, 2020
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A Zoologist and DNA
THC #12,917 from Thursday, April 23, 2020
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Faster!
THC #12,884 from Monday, March 16, 2020
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Thoda Khao...
THC #12,852 from Friday, February 7, 2020
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A Powerful Relationship
THC #12,820 from Tuesday, December 31, 2019
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Zero Hours
THC #14,292 from Saturday, September 28, 2024
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Kya? Phir Vahi?
THC #14,263 from Monday, August 26, 2024
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Tom-tomming Typhoons!
THC #14,238 from Saturday, July 27, 2024
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Semordnilap
THC #14,214 from Saturday, June 29, 2024
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21s?
THC #14,189 from Friday, May 31, 2024
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Let's Replay
THC #14,163 from Wednesday, May 1, 2024
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Browser 181
July 2024 |
The Browser Cryptic #181
Cross Words: A Teacher's Admonition
Yet another Browser puzzle of mine (ed. Dan Feyer). This one has a preamble that says: The completed grid reveals the admonition. Who is the teacher? (Two symmetrical entries and one clue provide hints to the context.) |
Object 005
May 2024 |
Object Cryptic Crossword 005
What happened in India in May 2024?
This is my second crossword to appear in Object magazine. My Object crosswords are quite Desi-flavoured and are somewhat on the easier side. |
Browser 166
March 2024 |
The Browser Cryptic #166
Themeless
Another puzzle by me appearing in The Browser (ed. Dan Feyer). I was quite pleased with 31A :-). |
32
February 2024 |
69/89
The preamble says:
Connecting two entries of a kind will provide positional guidance for finding two headlines and their whereabouts in history.A variety cryptic that was run as an online contest. |
ixl-2023-2
December 2023 |
IXL 2023 Finals: Prelim-1
A little homage in there.
I was the anonymous setter for this Indian Crossword League (IXL) 2023 crossword that was one of the two used to narrow down the finalists to pick the top six for the on-stage round. |
Browser 144
October 2023 |
The Browser Cryptic #144
Title (three words)
This is my third crossword appearing in The Browser. It has a theme and the preamble asks solvers to find a "three-word title." My Browser crosswords are made freely available here (roughly 6 months after publication) with kind permission from the editor. |
ixl-2023-1
October 2023 |
IXL 2023 Round 5
Themeless and ninaless.
I was the anonymous setter for this Indian Crossword League (IXL) 2023 online round crossword. |
29
July 2023 |
Determination
The preamble reads:
Solutions to four Down clues have a common element that's called out by the title. These solutions are also the definitions for four other special Down clues that do not include definitions. Solutions to these special Down clues have to be entered in the grid in a cryptic manner. Enumerations shown in these special clues are for the grid entries, not for the solutions. When finished, the phrase formed by the circled letters will also confirm what you did.My third crossword in 1 Across, UK. |
Browser 131
July 2023 |
The Browser Cryptic #131
Pioneer
This is my second crossword appearing in The Browser. It has a theme and an unusually hidden nina that solvers were asked to find (with a prize going to one lucky solver). My Browser crosswords are made freely available here (roughly 6 months after publication) with kind permission from the editor. |
Object 001
July 2023 |
Object Cryptic Crossword 001
Kutch ni Koyal!
This is my first crossword in Object magazine, a sleek coffee-table-worthy magazine from Bombay that goes deep into Indian socio-political-cultural issues *and* fashion. I have tried to make my crossword reflect the authentic desi vibe of the mag. |
By Hitchhiker & Gussalufz
April 2023 |
Random Number Doubled
My first collaboration with the hoopiest of all froods, Martin DeMello!
We ran this one as an online contest in April 2023. |
Browser 112
February 2023 |
The Browser Cryptic #112
Browser aficionados may spot a theme!
This is my first (non-mini) cryptic in The Browser Crossword. The Browser is a subscription-based newsletter from UK. Every Sunday, it carries a US-style cryptic crossword brilliantly edited by Dan Feyer. This puzzle has some pukka American features, such as American spellings, no Commonwealthy abbreviations, no setter-pseudonym, and a couple of crass surfaces :-). With kind permission from the editor, I've made this puzzle freely available here. I'll be doing the same with all my Browser crosswrods, roughly six months after they are first published. |
ixl-2022-1
December 2022 |
IXL 2022 Finals: On-stage Grid-2
Also themeless and ninaless.
I was the anonymous setter for this very last Indian Crossword League (IXL) 2022 crossword that was solved on-stage by the finalists. This is a recording of the live stream from the event. |
ixl-2022-2
November 2022 |
IXL 2022 Round 8
Themeless and ninaless.
I was the anonymous setter for this Indian Crossword League (IXL) 2022 online round crossword. |
ixl-2022-0
October 2022 |
IXL 2022 Practice Round
Swades.
I was the anonymous setter for this Indian Crossword League (IXL) 2022 practice round crossword. |
Browser-Mini-22-01
November 2022 |
Browser Sevens #10
This is a mini cryptic (5x7) that's meant to be an easy puzzle (but hopefully
is fun, nonetheless!).
This crossword was published on Tuesday, November 8, 2022 (the day of mid-term elections in the US). |
27
July 2022 |
Missing Links
The preamble reads:
Each across clue omits one or more letters from its wordplay. Figure out a few ways to connect and recover the missing links.My second crossword in 1 Across, a monthly subscription crossword magazine started by the legendary Araucaria in 1984. This crossowrd has been made available here freely with kind permission from 1 Across. |
ixl-2021-2
December 2021 |
IXL 2021 Finals: Preliminary Round 2
Minus or plus?
I was the anonymous setter for this Indian Crossword League (IXL) 2021 crossword, used in the finals. |
ixl-2021-1
November 2021 |
IXL 2021 Online Round 9
One does a lot of talking...
I was the anonymous setter for this Indian Crossword League (IXL) 2021 crossword, used in an online round. |
26
December 2021 |
Blame Ancients?
This crossword is a part of IIT-Madras Alumni Association's 2021
annual gathering event, Sangam. The crossword's theme is
borrowed from the event's theme, which is,
"Restoring Balance in STEM." It was run as an open contest in early 2022.
|
23
August 2021 |
Trump is Trump
|
ixl-09-2020
November 2020 |
IXL 2020 City Round
Encouraging words...
I was the anonymous setter for this IXL 2020 crossword. |
20
October 2020 |
Unlock and find a bug
Elementary, etc.
I ran this as another fun competition across a few online groups. Solvers' comments can be seen after clicking on "Reveal All" in the solved version. |
By Ribelle & Gussalufz
September 2020 |
Chain Letters
A puzzle jointly created with Faten Ismail,
a brilliant and natural setter.
We ran this as a fun competition across a few online groups. Solvers' comments can be seen after clicking on "Reveal All" in the solved version. |
21
July 2020 |
Last Solo
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19
May 2020 |
Wormholes
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18
February 2020 |
Bar Bar Dekko
|
15
December 2019 |
Al's Trick
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17
July 2019 |
Puzzling Times
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16
July 2019 |
Untitled Crossword
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14
June 2019 |
Putting Two And Two Together
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13
May 2019 |
Cursory Appearances
|
12
January 2019 |
Fifteen Puzzles
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11
December 2018 |
Missing Instructions
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10
August 2018 |
King's Rule
|
8
April 2018 |
Do Squares Reveal?
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5
April 2018 |
French Toast
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4
January 2018 |
Hidden Figure
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3
December 2017 |
Smashing Plates
|
-
September 2017 |
22⅘ Across
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2
July 2017 |
Many Rustams
|
1
June 2016 |
Gussalufz
My first grid after at least 10 years.
In the 1ACross Facebook group |
July 2024 |
Goddess & Murphy: Gussalufz's first 50 cryptic crosswords from the Hindu:
My first fifty THC crosswords are now available in convenient book form. Please contact me if you really want the printed book version but the price is unaffordable or the book is
not available in your region. The link above goes to the U.S. Amazon site. Here's where
to get it using Amazon U.K.
If you're in India and would like a copy, please use this form (A friend of mine will ship it). |
April 2023 | Cryptic Grammar |
April 2022 | Composite Anagrams |
Exolve | Free open source software (MIT License) for setting up interactively solvable crosswords. All my puzzles above are powered by it. I have developed this software and I actively maintain it. The link takes you to the Exolve GitHub project that includes a detailed README file with instructions. |
Exolve Player: https://exolve.app |
This is a powerful web app that uses Exolve to provide you with interactively solvable
crosswords from .puz and ipuz files. Of course, you can also open Exolve-formatted files
with it. Any crossword opened with Exolve Player will also have the Webifi interface
available (see below).
Moreover, it also lets you create an interactive version for any standard blocked crossword, starting from just the text of the clues (copied from a PDF or any web site), by automatically inferring the grid using clue numbers and enumerations. |
Exet: https://exet.app | Free open source software (MIT License) for constructing crosswords. You can save the crosswords as Exolve files as well as .puz files. I have developed this software and I actively maintain it. You can directly start using the web app link given to the left, or you can access the Exet GitHub project for the source code and documentation. |
Exet-Hindi
Exet-Brazilian |
Versions of Exet for creating Hindi iand Portuguese (Brazilian) crosswords! Early days for these, lots of rough edges, but they will only get better. |
Webifi | Free open source software (MIT License) that complements Exolve by adding an "interactive-fictionesque" solving interface to crosswords. You can navigate through clues, enter solutions, get assistance, etc., all in a manner similar to playing a text adventure game. You can use audio output and (if available on your platform) voice input, to create a screen-free crossword-solving experience. Webifi is enabled on most of my crosswords here, and in any crossword opened with Exolve Player. See documentation and details at the Webifi GitHub project. |
Intro to Cryptic Crosswords | When someone asks me to recommend a good introduction for cryptic crosswords, Sarah Lolley's excellent site is what I usually start with. |
Crossword Unclued | @ShuchiU's blog with excellent articles on various aspects of cryptic crosswords, including nice compilations of lists of indicator words. |
Big Dave's Crossword Blog | Blog articles on Daily and Sunday Telegraph cryptic crosswords. Many other interesting sections (such as an annotated list of mythological characters). |
Fifteensquared | Daily analysis of most British newspaper cryptic crosswords. If I come up with an indicator that I'm not sure of, I search in this site to see if someone else has pulled off the same trick previously, without inviting ridicule. |
Off-Grid | A wonderful podcast that's not quite about crosswords: hosts Dave & Void structure a freewheeling discussion loosely around a specific crossword in each episode, alongside a guest ("General Knowledge") who also quizzes them. The General's voice in Episode 13 might be familiar to some! |
Me |
I'm Viresh Ratnakar, a cryptic crossword enthusiast and
a setter for the Hindu Cryptic (and elsewhere).
Other interests: Books. Running. Cooking. Eating.
Writing. Coding. Movies. TV. Cricket on TV. Red wine.
Beer. Scotch. Dogs. I get along best with dogs.
Here's a feature on me that appeared in Los Altos Town Crier, accompanying an entry-level, locally-themed crossword that I constructed for them. |
Contact | @vireshratnakar on Twitter, @viresh@mastodon.social on Mastodon, @viresh.bsky.social on Bluesky, viresh at gmail d0t com. |