The word “tough” isn’t one that’s often associated with enjoyment. You wouldn’t want a tough steak nor a situation. Tough knots in your neck and hair are deeply unpleasant; and I can’t say I particularly like tough workouts.
However, there are exceptions to every rule, one of which is our challenging Telegraph Toughie crossword. This week we reach the milestone Toughie 3,000, after almost 15 years of teasing and testing solvers with its challenging combination of vocabulary and wordplay.
An informative newsletter from our Puzzles editor, Chris Lancaster, taught me that, once upon a time, our cryptic crosswords were considered among the easier of the broadsheets. So the Toughie was born out of an acknowledgement that our readers sometimes wanted a little bit more of a challenge from our crosswords.
That’s not to say that every one of the puzzles is incredibly difficult. At the beginning of the week, just as our brains are just warming up to the idea of a hard week of work, you’ll find Toughie crosswords to be tricky, but definitely within the reach of anyone who can solve our Cryptic crossword. However, as the week progresses, the puzzles become harder to solve – this is partly due to our selection of compilers.
Our setters are, of course, what make our puzzles possible. It’s a longstanding tradition that we never publish the name of the compiler alongside our back-page crosswords; solvers tell us that they like the anonymity of a battle of wits with the cream of the top puzzle creators. That changed with the Toughie. Each setter has a carefully chosen pseudonym placed alongside each of their puzzles. Not only does this tell the solver the identity of the compiler with whom they are tussling that day, but it may also hint at how hard the puzzle may be – behind each nom-de-plume lies a different combination of guile and difficulty.
A puzzle by Chalicea may indicate that the conundrums presented to the solver may be a little lighter. Seeing the name Osmosis or Elgar informs you that you’re going to need to set aside a good amount of time to solve a particularly tricky Toughie. And, if you spot a puzzle by Django, the pseudonym used by comedian Dave Gorman, the clues may be a little more amusing, or even tell a story. Each has their own style and personality.
To celebrate the milestone, solvers are promised a little of everything. Unusually, rather than being the work of a single setter, the puzzle is a combined effort to which all of our cryptic crossword compilers have contributed. The result is a unique test of solving ability that reflects the best of our setters’ styles and clueing techniques. What’s more, both the clues and the completed grid contain hidden features that help to mark the occasion and may provide a helping hand if you spot them early on.
We hope you enjoy this landmark Toughie. If you finish that in good time, there are plenty of other teasers and challenges for you to enjoy on our new puzzles website, some tough and some not so tough. Whether you’re an experienced solver or new to the world of puzzles, there’s something for everyone.
More puzzles: Can you solve our The Last of Us crossword special?
