Matt
@wyrd.systems
📖 Publishing Unch, a cryptic crossword magazine: unchcrosswords.com
📺 Streaming on Sundays: https://twitch.tv/CrypticSunday
🪑 Sitting on benches
☕️ Drinking coffee
📺 Streaming on Sundays: https://twitch.tv/CrypticSunday
🪑 Sitting on benches
☕️ Drinking coffee
Retaliating for more US tariffs by adding further unnecessary letters to words.
From now on, we will be spelling them thusly:
- COULOUR
- CNETRE
- ALUMINIMINIUM
From now on, we will be spelling them thusly:
- COULOUR
- CNETRE
- ALUMINIMINIUM
January 17, 2026 at 5:40 PM
Retaliating for more US tariffs by adding further unnecessary letters to words.
From now on, we will be spelling them thusly:
- COULOUR
- CNETRE
- ALUMINIMINIUM
From now on, we will be spelling them thusly:
- COULOUR
- CNETRE
- ALUMINIMINIUM
A busy weekend ahead, but hoping to find time to tackle both the Listener and the Inquisitor if I get a bit of spare time.
#crypticcrosswords
#crypticcrosswords
January 17, 2026 at 8:20 AM
A busy weekend ahead, but hoping to find time to tackle both the Listener and the Inquisitor if I get a bit of spare time.
#crypticcrosswords
#crypticcrosswords
Reposted by Matt
Inquisitor Puzzle of the Year 2025: Voting closes at midnight tonight, last chance to have your say: www.fifteensquared.net/2025/12/27/i...
Inquisitor Review of 2024-25 by Nimrod – Fifteensquared
www.fifteensquared.net
January 17, 2026 at 3:52 AM
Inquisitor Puzzle of the Year 2025: Voting closes at midnight tonight, last chance to have your say: www.fifteensquared.net/2025/12/27/i...
Just now finding out that Bernard Sumner from New Order did all the colouring of the animation cels in Jamie and the Magic Torch...
youtu.be/Q-rrO7Hz2-c?...
youtu.be/Q-rrO7Hz2-c?...
BBC News - Cosgrove Hall Films' Exhibition Report (16 -01-2026)
YouTube video by Zackzilla ザックジラ
youtu.be
January 16, 2026 at 7:46 PM
Just now finding out that Bernard Sumner from New Order did all the colouring of the animation cels in Jamie and the Magic Torch...
youtu.be/Q-rrO7Hz2-c?...
youtu.be/Q-rrO7Hz2-c?...
Reposted by Matt
If you like cryptic crosswords repost this
December 20, 2025 at 7:51 PM
If you like cryptic crosswords repost this
Programme idea: Every week, Clare Balding plans and commits a daring robbery with the help of a different celebrity guest.
Title: "Clare's Accessories"
Title: "Clare's Accessories"
January 15, 2026 at 12:46 PM
Programme idea: Every week, Clare Balding plans and commits a daring robbery with the help of a different celebrity guest.
Title: "Clare's Accessories"
Title: "Clare's Accessories"
Some of the tools I often use when trying to solve crosswords: www.wyrd.systems/pages/crossw...
Crossword tools - wyrd systems
Here are some tools I use pretty often for solving puzzles, especially the ‘thematic’ ones like the Listener/Inquisitor. • Chambers Dictionary app (iOS/Mac) • Manipulexity - nice tool for finding...
www.wyrd.systems
January 15, 2026 at 6:21 AM
Some of the tools I often use when trying to solve crosswords: www.wyrd.systems/pages/crossw...
Me when my wife gets back from work
January 14, 2026 at 9:35 PM
Me when my wife gets back from work
Reposted by Matt
Oasis said not to play (4,4,2,5)
January 14, 2026 at 4:54 PM
Oasis said not to play (4,4,2,5)
Thinking about doing some maths learning in preparation for the inevitable Listener maths puzzles coming up this year.
Not sure where to start / stop. I guess I'll look into algebra, maybe Khan Academy?
Not sure where to start / stop. I guess I'll look into algebra, maybe Khan Academy?
January 12, 2026 at 8:34 PM
Thinking about doing some maths learning in preparation for the inevitable Listener maths puzzles coming up this year.
Not sure where to start / stop. I guess I'll look into algebra, maybe Khan Academy?
Not sure where to start / stop. I guess I'll look into algebra, maybe Khan Academy?
Listener defeated by 4pm 💪
January 11, 2026 at 3:19 PM
Listener defeated by 4pm 💪
Reposted by Matt
Interested in setting cryptic crosswords, or improving ... or just finding out more? Following on from Raider's excellent advice at @mycrossword.co.uk, I've started a new blog series looking at how and why cryptics work:
www.mycrossword.co.uk/blog/setting...
Hope it's useful / interesting!
www.mycrossword.co.uk/blog/setting...
Hope it's useful / interesting!
Setting Things Right: The Manifezto Pt.1 · MyCrossword
Hi all, welcome to **Setting Things Right** – aka *The Manifezto* (thanks Henri!) – a blog looking at not just *how* cryptic clues and puzzles work, but *why...
www.mycrossword.co.uk
January 6, 2026 at 5:15 PM
Interested in setting cryptic crosswords, or improving ... or just finding out more? Following on from Raider's excellent advice at @mycrossword.co.uk, I've started a new blog series looking at how and why cryptics work:
www.mycrossword.co.uk/blog/setting...
Hope it's useful / interesting!
www.mycrossword.co.uk/blog/setting...
Hope it's useful / interesting!
www.etsy.com
January 5, 2026 at 9:59 AM
Halfway through the Genius and I’ve got that annoying thing that I’ve convinced myself what the theme is but the ’nine words’ it’s asking for are ten words in my head and I can’t stop thinking it’s that.
January 5, 2026 at 7:35 AM
Halfway through the Genius and I’ve got that annoying thing that I’ve convinced myself what the theme is but the ’nine words’ it’s asking for are ten words in my head and I can’t stop thinking it’s that.
Done it ✅
Honestly thought I might not be able to do any more Listener-style puzzles again, but it turns out it was just the stress and anxiety.
Got halfway through this week‘s in one sitting this afternoon, high hopes I can finish it off tomorrow. Or most of it anyway.
Got halfway through this week‘s in one sitting this afternoon, high hopes I can finish it off tomorrow. Or most of it anyway.
January 4, 2026 at 7:22 AM
Done it ✅
Honestly thought I might not be able to do any more Listener-style puzzles again, but it turns out it was just the stress and anxiety.
Got halfway through this week‘s in one sitting this afternoon, high hopes I can finish it off tomorrow. Or most of it anyway.
Got halfway through this week‘s in one sitting this afternoon, high hopes I can finish it off tomorrow. Or most of it anyway.
January 3, 2026 at 8:08 PM
Honestly thought I might not be able to do any more Listener-style puzzles again, but it turns out it was just the stress and anxiety.
Got halfway through this week‘s in one sitting this afternoon, high hopes I can finish it off tomorrow. Or most of it anyway.
Got halfway through this week‘s in one sitting this afternoon, high hopes I can finish it off tomorrow. Or most of it anyway.
"Happy people, the kind who eat sandwiches together, are boring. They don’t buy much. Their smartphones are six versions behind and have badly cracked screens. They fix bicycles, then they talk about fixing bicycles...
January 3, 2026 at 7:30 AM
"Happy people, the kind who eat sandwiches together, are boring. They don’t buy much. Their smartphones are six versions behind and have badly cracked screens. They fix bicycles, then they talk about fixing bicycles...
"This unique ceramic dish shows a human head composed of penises... The inscription written in Italian on the scroll should be read right to left, like Hebrew; it translates as: 'Every man looks at me as if I were a head of dicks'"
December 31, 2025 at 3:18 PM
"This unique ceramic dish shows a human head composed of penises... The inscription written in Italian on the scroll should be read right to left, like Hebrew; it translates as: 'Every man looks at me as if I were a head of dicks'"
Despite a *terrible* finish on a personal level, I'm very grateful for all the good crossword stuff that happened for me in 2025.
Met loads of people IRL I'd not met before (at the Oxford conference and at S&B), launched @unchcrosswords.com, and started regularly solving the IQ/Listener.
Met loads of people IRL I'd not met before (at the Oxford conference and at S&B), launched @unchcrosswords.com, and started regularly solving the IQ/Listener.
December 31, 2025 at 3:05 PM
Despite a *terrible* finish on a personal level, I'm very grateful for all the good crossword stuff that happened for me in 2025.
Met loads of people IRL I'd not met before (at the Oxford conference and at S&B), launched @unchcrosswords.com, and started regularly solving the IQ/Listener.
Met loads of people IRL I'd not met before (at the Oxford conference and at S&B), launched @unchcrosswords.com, and started regularly solving the IQ/Listener.
I’ve not really felt like doing crosswords the last few days, but I’m sat in a coffee shop now doing one.
This made me smile >>
“Slippery creeper in German city colder after opening shed (7)”
[Kite, Guardian 29,834]
This made me smile >>
“Slippery creeper in German city colder after opening shed (7)”
[Kite, Guardian 29,834]
December 30, 2025 at 9:06 AM
I’ve not really felt like doing crosswords the last few days, but I’m sat in a coffee shop now doing one.
This made me smile >>
“Slippery creeper in German city colder after opening shed (7)”
[Kite, Guardian 29,834]
This made me smile >>
“Slippery creeper in German city colder after opening shed (7)”
[Kite, Guardian 29,834]
Visiting family again.
They're doing their best to make it festive on the ward.
They're doing their best to make it festive on the ward.
December 28, 2025 at 7:48 PM
Visiting family again.
They're doing their best to make it festive on the ward.
They're doing their best to make it festive on the ward.
Reposted by Matt
There will be a #CrypticSunday Replacement Stream Service, otherwise I wouldn't know what to do with myself come noon, but I am nowhere near organised enough to tell you what I'll be tackling then. Anything from the past week of MyCrossword puzzles is fair game!
twitch.tv/pantherapuzzles
twitch.tv/pantherapuzzles
December 28, 2025 at 9:54 AM
There will be a #CrypticSunday Replacement Stream Service, otherwise I wouldn't know what to do with myself come noon, but I am nowhere near organised enough to tell you what I'll be tackling then. Anything from the past week of MyCrossword puzzles is fair game!
twitch.tv/pantherapuzzles
twitch.tv/pantherapuzzles
From 'Glossary Of Scottish Words Used By Robert Burns':
"waefu'-woodie" means "hangman's rope"
www.litscape.com/author/Rober...
"waefu'-woodie" means "hangman's rope"
www.litscape.com/author/Rober...
Glossary Of Scottish Words Used By Robert Burns: W-Words, W-Words, Robert Burns
Glossary Of Scottish Words Used By Robert Burns, W Words
www.litscape.com
December 27, 2025 at 4:38 PM
From 'Glossary Of Scottish Words Used By Robert Burns':
"waefu'-woodie" means "hangman's rope"
www.litscape.com/author/Rober...
"waefu'-woodie" means "hangman's rope"
www.litscape.com/author/Rober...
Hopefully we’ll be back on track next week. ❤️
No #CrypticSunday stream tomorrow as we're still a bit all over the place. Back in 2026, sending love to all our cryptic friends and a big good riddance to 2025!
December 27, 2025 at 1:18 PM
Hopefully we’ll be back on track next week. ❤️