Crosswords.

When my dad and I used to do the Guardian crossword together, I was able to work out the answers to clues which we read aloud to each other. I don't find it so easy just reading the clues. Can't think why this should be.

I enjoy the Saturday Guardian cryptic crossword. I do the daily Sudoko in the Guardian, DH does the 16x16 letters& numbers Sudoku in the Saturday Independent. All good fun!

The quick crosswords are good, but sometimes it is a one word clue, and I might think that the clue is a noun, but it is actually a verb, so my mind is chasing the wrong direction. You don't have that problem in other languages as much.

My brilliant sister is great at cryptic crosswords, but somehow I don't have the mind for most of the clues. She says it is easy to learn how to do them, and one member of my U3A gives lessons, but I haven't got round to it.

The Ladygram is a cryptic crossword which means there are a lot of anagrams so watch out for them. Sometimes you guess the author straight away and then you are off to a good start. If you know the author you can look up which books they wrote, although I try not to do this but sometimes have to.

MargaretX I subscribe to The Lady. I used to read my Grandmother's copy on a Sunday afternoon. I've never tried to complete the Ladygram (it certainly looks complicated) but I will have a try. It will probably keep me occupied for much longer than 2 days.

I am addicted to the Ladygram, its a special crossword to do with an author's name and title. it sounds complicated but is really satisfying to complete and sometimes takes 2 days. It means you have to buy 'The Lady' but its a small price to pay for the pleasure of the Ladygram and the mental exersise it provides.

I also do Codewords ad Sudoku and do them if I'm waiting at the Doctor's or travelling.

phoenix ah yes the puns OH does the DT quick crossword every evening. I'm used to the saying aloud of the puns. I am sometimes asked to help if anything is in my specialised fields.
OH will then do a couple of sudoku puzzles.

Does anybody else enjoy Codewords?

It's Wednesday night and that only mean one thing.....DH is doing the crossword in his fishing magazine.....Oh! Shoot me now!

They are pretty bad, aren't they! Sometimes I have to say them aloud a couple of times before I get them. And then of course I wish I hadn't!

The puns!

What, grumppa the crossword itself or the dreadful puns?

I have never looked at the DT Quick before, phoenix, and having done so I never will again! Truly awful.

I expect everyone knows that the first few "across" clues in the DT quick crossword make an excruciating pun?

Have any of you tried/completed the 'Genius'crossword in 'The Oldie'?

Yes but a 12 or 16 square sudoku really gets the brain going. On a Sunday have to complete a 12 square one before getting up. It's all about logic not numbers.

I have never got into cryptic crosswords but do like the DT general knowledge one on Saturday. I love the Killer Sodoku which gets the grey matter going but made the mistake once of picking up a book of them to take for my flight to Beijing. It was so easy it was boring so sorry to any Take A Break readers but the puzzles do not require much brain power.

Husband!! Not hush and blasted IPAD. Interesting that it did not recognise husband!

I'm a sudoku fan myself. Never been a crossword person but when my hush and is stuck with his I usually come up with a word. Not necessarily the right word more along the lines of " why don't you put that paper down so we can...."

A cousin used to cut out and keep the DT quick crossword punch a hole in the corner and hang them up with string in the smallest room. No not a recycling iniative she would also provide a tub of pencils and rubbers!
I am not happy if I haven't finished the DT quick before I get up but am useless at cryptics

Dh and I compete to do the small Times crossword over lunch. We photocopy it! We also attempt the cryptic one in the evening but I suspect we should do them the other way round as the brain doesn't work properly later. I also do the sudoku and find the harder ones easier than the easy ones

I do "The Times" crosswords every day, though sometimes give up on the cryptic one. Sigh - used to complete it on the train to London from Folkestone on my longest commute!

Then, I subscribe to "The Telegraph" puzzles. Don't care for the paper but I do like to be able to do the crosswords, especially Saturday's, Phoenix!

I like to code words from both papers, but think all the puzzles from "The Times" are the most challenging.

Thseus does the Su Doku - but only the Killer ones. Says the others are too simple...

I love the 'blankout' crossword in the Sat Daily Mail, which 'the olds' (ex-husbands parents) cut out and put by for me.
Have quite a pile at the moment, some nearly complete, some just started, that I can dip in and out of as time allows.
Keeps my brain active I reckon, as day to day working with children has it ticking over at a (s)lower pace.
Also got games of scrabble going on FB with a few friends which I do most days to wake the old grey cells in the morning.

DH and I do crosswords and codeword in The Herald every day. My DF got me hooked as a young teenager.

My DW and I love doing crosswords, in fact she is playing 12 games of Scrabble on her Kindle. We find that it's good to keep the brain active, even if the body is starting to slow down a bit.