Hi everyone,
I watched yesterday's video on how Mark solved Thomas Snyder's Gridlocked classic sudoku and was astonished at how different the paths we took to complete it were. So I thought you might like to see an alternative wa...
2021-03-27 17:02:43 +0000 UTC View PostHow did you get on with the Colosseum, the Great Wall of China, the Taj Mahal, Christ the Redeemer, Machu Picchu, Chichen Itza and Petra? Did you manage the final challenge?
Whether you did or not, watch how Mark suggests the hunt could be s...
2021-03-21 13:09:59 +0000 UTC View PostSee if Mark can achieve his goal of 6 Times Crossword cryptic puzzles in an average of 6 minutes each - don't cheat by looking at the video time!
This is a full week of Times cryptics with which he is challenging himself.
See the video...
2021-03-16 21:27:39 +0000 UTC View PostDid you track the triptych successfully? Or did you trip on the track? Scott Strosahl, the creator of the astonishing Sudoku Hunt, explains how to crack it. And he plays guitar too! Who does that remind us of?
Do let us know what you t...
2021-03-14 17:04:15 +0000 UTC View PostHere is how to solve the February reward puzzle Groundhog Day ... and a little bit of background about the puzzles, which were created by the wonderful Sed Holaysan.
Well done to everyone who successfully solved the puzzles and came up with ...
2021-03-03 14:12:44 +0000 UTC View PostHello Patreons,
Thanks for your continued support for us. We are delighted to present our March reward puzzle, called The 7 Wonders of the World. Many thanks to Elias, our latest competition winner for help in testing, and to Melvyn Ma...
2021-03-01 16:00:01 +0000 UTC View PostOK so let's get one thing straight, this Yin-Yang Fillomino by Phistomefel is mind-bendingly brilliant. How on Earth did he come up this?! And can Simon figure out how to solve it? You can watch at the link below. You can p...
2021-02-28 21:33:38 +0000 UTC View PostMany of you tried Reverend's amazing code-based puzzle hunt - and many of you succeeded! Stupendous work - well done!
If you want to know how you should have cracked the codes to get to the puzzles, this document explains all the links.
<... 2021-02-25 08:49:58 +0000 UTC View PostMark has a go at a "Week 2" meta from Matt Gaffney's puzzle series, but he hasn't left himself much time!
Will panic get in the way of finding the answer? Can you spot it quicker than he does? See on the link below ...
Hello everyone, and Happy Valentine’s Day!
We love our Patreons so much that we really enjoy being able to bring you extra content, so we were thrilled when Scott Strosahl sent us this Sudoku Hunt. We don’t think it’s easy, but w...
2021-02-14 15:59:33 +0000 UTC View PostAs you may know, Mark and I had the thrill of interviewing Tantan Dai, the incredible solver from China, on Tuesday. We've included some of her (ridiculous) speed-solving in a video on the channel today but here's a bonus where she talks thr...
2021-02-14 10:53:47 +0000 UTC View Post
Mark goes into the ring for 12 rounds with the heavyweight of the cryptic world...
2021-02-12 11:13:09 +0000 UTC View PostHello Patreons,
Thanks for your continued support for us. We are delighted to present our February reward puzzle, called Groundhog Day by Sed Holaysan.
There is no prize for the solution, but you can send it (a 7-letter word) to ...
2021-02-01 13:09:00 +0000 UTC View PostA couple of months ago we posted Joke van Veenendaal's Spy Games Puzzle Hunt, a multi-level induction course for aspiring spies! Here's the solution to all the puzzles and the final name required.
2021-01-30 07:17:54 +0000 UTC View PostTonight's video on the channel showcases a really beautiful classic sudoku by Sam Cappleman-Lynes. Sam also sent us this puzzle - which was described by David McNeill (the UK's best ever sudoku solver) as "pure evil".
As a bonus for ou...
2021-01-22 19:36:40 +0000 UTC View PostHere's how to solve the Tic-tac-toe Sudoku, and tell Chad's brother where to look next!
Check out the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlUJAy0N4Vo...
2021-01-18 11:44:30 +0000 UTC View Post
Watch Mark struggle with the Times's Monthly Club Special cryptic crossword.
2021-01-15 08:56:09 +0000 UTC View PostTry this astonishing puzzle hunt by Reverend, which will test your code-breaking AND puzzle-solving skills. We said we would post it if we reached 3,333 patrons, and that's where we are now! Thanks to all of you! Simon & Mark...
2021-01-11 19:41:04 +0000 UTC View PostAs mentioned in tonight's video, we've recorded a bonus video on how to solve Mitchell's curious Yajilin puzzle... (which many of you have requested).
Here is a link to the puzzle if you'd like to play it:
Hello everyone, and Happy New Year!
This month's reward is a single sudoku, but with a puzzling finale.
Either try the puzzle in this pdf, which includes the rules, and explains the story behind the puzzle, or click on the link in the ...
2021-01-01 19:34:03 +0000 UTC View Post
We track the Cryptid!
Stephane Bura and Akash Jain created this amazing sudoku hunt for us, and we loved being able to share it with you. Here Mark talks you through how to solve the hunt, including how to understand the rules of...
2021-01-01 12:00:20 +0000 UTC View PostHello everyone,
Following my video yesterday on Jonny Kaufman’s XV Arrow sudoku, there was some chat on Discord this morning about this hybrid and longest possible arrows. I put this together accordingly – it’s not hard but exemplifies...
2020-12-17 16:48:21 +0000 UTC View Post
This is Mark's monthly war with the Times Monthly Club Special crossword. See if you know any of the words in it!
2020-12-13 13:18:00 +0000 UTC View PostHi all,
We have a really super bonus to share with you courtesy of the Cracking-The-Cryptic-Fan-Discord server. Each month setters compile puzzles based around a particular theme and, for November, this was Modern Art. The ...
2020-12-08 19:37:06 +0000 UTC View PostHello, everyone. Thank you for supporting us here! It's time for our monthly reward.
Every so often we think you deserve the pinnacle of sudoku solving, a sudoku hunt. This year, with Christmas coming up, we asked Akash Jain (Udukos) to see ...
2020-12-01 19:54:32 +0000 UTC View PostTeenagers! Kids! Adults! Ever wondered about becoming a spy? You can go on a journey to discover how it would work here!
Work your way through Joke van Veenendaal's brilliant puzzles, and feel free to email us the answer to the finale - but ...
2020-11-25 19:43:39 +0000 UTC View Post
Mark throws himself at 6 Times Crosswords - with what results?
2020-11-20 15:33:07 +0000 UTC View Post
Mark explains how to solve the Fibonacci/Lucas Puzzle(s) that were November's monthly reward puzzle.
2020-11-17 12:52:55 +0000 UTC View PostHi everybody,
We hope you all managed to give Sam's puzzle a try - what a beast! Many people commented to say that they needed a little bit of trial and error to complete it, which is understandable but there is a logical path! 2020-11-15 12:47:01 +0000 UTC View Post
Mark tries to remount the crossword horse after a poor training session last time. These three Times crosswords are from the following Thur/Fri/Saturday.
2020-11-14 15:34:55 +0000 UTC View Post