6th May 2026
Crossword afficionados (and those keen to try doing crosswords or to improve their skills) will be in for a treat when they come to The Players Theatre in Thame on Saturday 6th June to hear Tony Long talking about Cracking Cryptics: An Easy Guide to Solving Cryptic Crosswords.
Tony’s amusing illustrated talk on how to master cryptic crosswords is suitable for novices as well as experienced solvers and includes a step-by-step analysis of every type of clue as well as tips on how to tackle any puzzle. Tony says, “With cryptic crosswords, you never take a clue at face value. There is usually only one possible answer to a cryptic clue, and the trick is finding the right way to read the clue that leads to the solution”.
Tony, whose other passion is acting on stage, is well-placed to talk about cryptic crosswords. His interest in them began as a boy, when he used to help his father solve the Daily Telegraph crossword. Since then, he has solved well over 20,000 crossword puzzles and also compiles them himself.
During the talk, Tony will explain the ten principal kinds of clue encountered and his three golden rules for solving them. The clues range from anagrams, such as “carthorse / orchestra” where the letters in a word or phrase are re-arranged, to homophones, such as “great / grate” where words sound the same but have different spellings and meanings. The audience will be involved throughout, and Tony will provide plenty of clues to solve.
Cryptic crosswords appeal to young and old alike. There are good reasons for doing them, as they help improve vocabulary and keep the mind active. Activities involving mental agility, such as crossword-solving, have also been shown to delay symptoms in the early stages of dementia. One reason experts suspect that crosswords might help maintain brain function is that they require complex thinking, because doing a crossword puzzle is a test of memory, knowledge and verbal ability.
But it’s not all hard work! Tony believes that cryptic crosswords should be fun and his talk is peppered with humorous quips and quotes, such as, “Have you heard about the crossword compiler? When he died, he was buried 6 down and 3 across”.
For an entertaining experience combined with a masterclass in solving cryptic crosswords, the Players Theatre on Saturday 6th June is the place to be! Tickets are a snip at £5 each and are available from https://www.thameplayers.co.uk/events/cracking-cryptics or in person from the Thame Town Hall Information Centre.
