If you enjoy the type of puzzle provided by a cryptic crossword, then this informal and friendly group can help turn quite a solitary pastime into something more social. We meet over coffee at the PostCode Cafe to brainstorm puzzles, swap anecdotes, and aim to improve our skills.

From October 2025 we will be having two different groups meeting alongside each other, on Friday mornings, twice a month. The longer standing group ('Cryptics 1', starting at 10 am) tackle various newspaper daily full cryptics (Times, Guardian, Telegraph, Independent, or similar), however this group is sadly at full capacity and we can only offer a place on the waiting list for this one. We do now however have a second 'Cryptic Improvers Group' as well, starting at 10:30 am, and taking on crosswords that are specifically set for solvers who are still building up their skills; the types of puzzles we select here are things like the Times Quick Cryptic, the Guardian Everyman or Quiptic, or other newspapers with puzzles at an improvers level; this remains open for any new members who want to brush up on technique and enjoy the satisfaction of getting a completed grid.