Australian Crosswords

Last December I had the privilege of showing a prominent UK setter, Don Manley, around Sydney. Don and his wife, Sue, were special guests at the Australian Crossword Club‘s annual get-together at the Harold Park Hotel. Don has written crosswords for all the major UK papers and also does crossword editing for a number of publications including The Church Times. Don encouraged me to submit some puzzles (which include church terms), which I did (my first one is here). However, this was a different experience for me, as my Australian cryptics have never been subjected to scrutiny by a crossword editor, such is the nature of cryptic crosswords in Australia.
Not having a crossword editor definitely makes my job easier. I set the standard, I set the rules, and set the tone. Basically, my clues just have to pass a spellchecker and my work will be published. I could even include something risque in the clues or answers, and no-one would pick it up before publication. I can rely on solvers to keep me honest and I’ve always paid attention to constructive feedback, which tends to keep me in check. There are some negatives in not having a crossword editor, such as basic clueing mistakes that sneak through and puzzle difficulty is hard to judge by yourself.
Having a crossword editor like Don Manley isn’t all roses either. Editors generally don’t negotiate with setters: they change clues rather than ask for rewrites, so the finished work isn’t totally your own. However, a crossword editor provides a safety net that not only protects a setter (to some degree) from any solver backlash but also gives a setter an opportunity to learn and improve and be consistent.

During my time as a professional crossword setter I’ve been interviewed by newspapers and radio hosts many times. Sometimes it’s as a result of a crossword making the news in some way, but mostly it’s a media person who thinks it would be a good idea to find out more about this “mysterious” pastime. Interviews tend to be cyclic, that is, the same sort of interview by the same newspaper/radio station happens every couple of years. Newspapers are the easiest – just a chat on the phone or a visit by a reporter at home. They always look for an angle: “Who’s the best?”, “Are Australian crosswords as good as the ones in the UK? If not, why not?”. You never really know what’s going to be printed until it comes out. Talking on the radio by phone I like the least – I much prefer a studio interview so I can see and interact with the host.

Preparation for any crossword interview on radio is essential: be armed with key details, have some stats and milestones available, and make sure the day’s major crosswords have been solved and understood as the host and/or listeners may ask for clues to be explained. All interviews tend to have common elements and I can be sure certain questions will be asked. What do you think these question are? First: “How did you get started?”. I like this one because there’s quite a story and if I’m not careful the answer would use up most of the interview time. Second: “What comes first, the words or the grid?”. Easy to answer. Third: “How long does it take to write a cryptic crossword?”. I can waffle on about this for a while. Fourth: “What are some of your favourite clues?”. A tough one. There are lots of other common questions that could be asked but time is always a limiting factor. One thing is for sure, lots of people will mention they heard me. I had no idea how popular listening to the radio still is.