"I just wanted to say how excellent I found the crossword you did for me! it is pinned up and still makes me smile!" - MF, happy customer
Unusual, quirky and completely bespoke, a custom cryptic crossword is the ideal present for the wordsmith in your life. Our crossword setters - Boatman, Claret, Serpent, Soup and Windsurfer - are ready and waiting to craft elegant and witty puzzles.
Because we're working on a puzzle for a specific person, we can put in all sorts of references personal to them, both as answers within the grid and elements within the clues. These could include:
A custom puzzle will usually have about thirty clues in it, of which at least half will refer to some element of the theme, either in the clue or in the solution. The remaining half of the clues will be 'normal' cryptic clues - necessary because it's pretty much impossible to compile a symmetrical grid from just themed words.
We usually set 15x15 symmetrical grids, just like in the newspapers, but sometimes branch out to jigsaw-style puzzles (where the grid isn't numbered and, in the immortal words of Araucaria, the solutions should be 'fitted into the grid jigsaw-wise, wherever they will go') or novelties (a recent Boatman commission took the form of a game of Scrabble, for example).
You’ll receive your puzzle as a .PDF file, with solutions and explanations of the wordplay on a separate page. We can optionally arrange for a framed presentation copy to be created and sent to you.
Our bank of compilers can usually create a custom puzzle for you within a month, but the more time we have, the better. Please note that Boatman generally needs more notice - two to three months is normally enough, but he can only field a certain number of enquiries per month, so may not always be available.
When you commission a puzzle from us, we'll deliver it as two PDFs - one with a blank grid and clues, and one with the answers and explanations.