Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

The Independent's Cryptic Crossword | Play Online for Free | Independent

December 27, 2025 at 11:26 AM

PeterMF

@petermoorefuller.bsky.social

Doesn’t even join up…
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Hasn’t ruined Christmas though.

Big festive love to all! X

December 25, 2025 at 7:01 PM

Reposted by PeterMF

Charlie Methven

@charliemethven.bsky.social

A rare but fun appearance by the gaffer Eimi in the Independent today, featuring this absolute corker:

Pinter play involving three people: a woman and two men (8)
puzzles.independent.co.uk/games/crypti...

Play The Independent's Cryptic Crossword instantly online. The Independent's Cryptic Crossword is a fun and engaging Online game from The Independent. Play it and other games from The Independent.

puzzles.independent.co.uk

December 24, 2025 at 11:20 AM

Reposted by PeterMF

Henri

@henriwords.com

🎵 So here it is… 🎶

My Christmas #cryptic #crossword is now up!

- Get good rest (5)

- A hundred snakes eating a thousand biscuits (8)

- To work! (4)

www.mycrossword.co.uk/cryptic/2974

My compliments of the gorging season to one and all 🍗🍷

Cryptic crossword No 2,974 · MyCrossword

Solve Cryptic crossword No 2,974 on MyCrossword. 15x15 grid with 32 clues by Henri. Published Tue 23 Dec 2025. Features annotated solutions and special instructions. Free to solve online.

www.mycrossword.co.uk

December 23, 2025 at 11:57 AM

PeterMF

@petermoorefuller.bsky.social

Delighted to be back as Bard in the @the-independent.com today.

puzzles.independent.co.uk/games/crypti...

Big cheese beat restriction, having discovered tax not applicable (3,6)

Very impressive bit of extreme picknicking (4)

Here’s the family engaged in some extreme picknicking on Skye.

December 22, 2025 at 11:08 AM

Reposted by PeterMF

Alex Selby-Boothroyd

@alexselbyb.bsky.social

Have a go at The Economist's mildly festive cryptic crossword, produced by many visible hands:
www.economist.com/interactive/...

The weekend edition of The Economist's cryptic crossword, set by Asbo, Cityboy, De Beauvoir, Derailleur, Orbit, Paraphrase, Plomb de Nume and Tailender. Five bonus points if you can work out who everyone is!

December 20, 2025 at 6:33 PM

Reposted by PeterMF

Ian Dunt

@iandunt.bsky.social

Incredibly brave. Imagine the faceless bores the BBC will have making their programmes if they continue down this path.

Robin Ince @robinince.bsky.social · 20d

Very sad that I felt I had no choice but to resign from The Infinite Monkey Cage - a victory for the transphobes and other bigots - I did it because so much of the media has chosen to believe the kind and empathetic people are a fiction - they are real and so often unrepresented.

This is the saddest day of my professional life.
Today is not only the final recording of the latest series of The Infinite Monkey Cage, it is my last ever Monkey Cage.
I never thought that I would have to leave the show. I always imagined going on until | dropped dead under the studio lights due to a brain aneurysm caused by my final attempt to understand notions of quantum gravity or the shock of being told about fly maggot infestations in the sacks of macaque monkeys.
I resigned in September, after sixteen years of dedication to the show,
A show that I named and helped develop over all those years.
Unfortunately, my opinions outside the BBC have been considered problematic for sometime, whether it has been voicing support for the trans community, criticism of Donald Trump, numerous other outlandish opinions, including once gently criticising Stephen Fry.
These things were considered to conflict with being a freelance BBC science presenter

In a recent meeting where BBC Studio executives again voiced problems with me, I realised my choices.
Obedience and being quieter to remain making Monkey Cage, or 'Resign and have the freedom to speak out against what I believe are injustices'.
•
I chose the latter.
It broke my heart.
I love this show and I love the audience, and it is because of the audience in particular, that this decision was so difficult to make.
I kept thinking about all the extremist voices promoting hate and division. They are being given so many platforms, while voices that represent kindness, open mindedness, empathy seem to be scarcer and scarcer.
I felt I couldn't pamper myself with the luxury of silence.
One of my many privileges is that I am able to resign and I can speak out even if it is to the detriment of my career.

I have thought a lot about my heroes, Sinead O Connor, James Baldwin, Audre Lorde, and so many more.
I think of Sinead's words, "the job of an artist is to be themselves at any cost".
James Baldwin said prejudice was really just a word for cowardice.
Audre Lorde, viewing her life, wrote that her only regrets were her silences.
I think of my father as I resign, he brought me up to believe in fairness , justice and kindness.
Though my heart is broken, it is also full of fire.
I apologise to our incredible listeners for my departure, your love of the show means a great deal.
I am so sorry to let you down.
I hope that you can understand my reasoning.
I have to accept that I am not what the current
BBC expects of their freelance presenters.

Despite this I should add that I have always worked far more than my contracted hours to try and ensure the show was always the best it could be, as well as making myself accessible and responsive to the audience wherever and whenever I met them. Every night, we have recorded, I have been filled with determination to make the best show possible. This was not
"just a job"
I hope that with my departure I can be a better ally to the LGBTQ community, to the neurodivergent community, to activists fighting against those who aim to brutalise society, to those currently in prison on hunger strike, and to all those who fight for a more inclusive world.
From many conversations, I know there are many Monkey Cage listeners who support these communities and activists too.
The strawberry is dead.
Long live the strawberry. B

December 13, 2025 at 7:28 AM

PeterMF

@petermoorefuller.bsky.social

Preparing for workshop on design for publishing today and found this beautiful book I worked on - the war diaries of Eric Cordingly (former Bishop of Ely and chaplain of the Changhi POW camp).
thechangicross.co.uk/books
Eric's artwork in the book is absolutely stunning and so moving.

The Changi Cross | Books

Details on our books, Down to Bedrock, The Changi Cross and Echoes of Captivity, by Eric and Louise Cordingly.

thechangicross.co.uk

December 11, 2025 at 11:45 AM

PeterMF

@petermoorefuller.bsky.social

Back in @economist.com today as Playfair. Featuring:

Churning butter bestriding revolutionary medieval machine (9)

Urgency in Buddha’s teachings? (5)

Director, sailor and soldier in love (9)

www.economist.com/interactive/...

Weekend crossword for Dec 6th 2025

December 6, 2025 at 2:05 PM

PeterMF

@petermoorefuller.bsky.social

Delighted to appearing as Bard in the next issue of @unchcrosswords.com !
(And in fine company too!)

November 29, 2025 at 4:38 PM

PeterMF

@petermoorefuller.bsky.social

You’ve only got until bedtime tomorrow to enter a solution for my debut as Glyph @theguardian.com Genius crossword.

www.theguardian.com/crosswords/2...

#cryptic #crossword #puzzle

Deadline for entries is 23:59 GMT on Saturday 29 November. You need to register once and then sign in to theguardian.com to enter our online competition for a £100 monthly prize

Weekend crossword for Nov 22nd 2025

November 28, 2025 at 9:47 AM

PeterMF

@petermoorefuller.bsky.social

Just cancelled my Adobe membership after so many years - used to buy it in disc form. Took a lot of clicks! (yes I’m sure, yes I’m sure etc etc).

Had to download my files 10 at a time (seriously?)

Freeeeeeedom!

November 27, 2025 at 4:40 PM

Reposted by PeterMF

Unch Crosswords

@unchcrosswords.com

Issue 2 available for (pre)sale now: unchcrosswords.com

cover of Unch Issue 2 (jan 2026). text reads "Unch: the clued-up crossword magazine". the main image is an multicolour pattern with empty white squares with 3d-effect trails of blue, yellow and pink.

November 26, 2025 at 5:45 PM

PeterMF

@petermoorefuller.bsky.social

Lecturing about design literacy for the first time today on a new MSc module in Science Communication at UEA and got sketched by one of the students!
This is how straight I think my nose is. Others may disagree.

November 25, 2025 at 1:19 PM

PeterMF

@petermoorefuller.bsky.social

Back in the @economist.com crossword today as Playfair. Featuring:

Dating app where Canadian swinger bags Frenchman (6)

US President after Auntie’s money, initially journalist surprised (8)

Confirmation of holiday cover for head of chemistry (10)

www.economist.com/interactive/...

November 22, 2025 at 5:20 PM

PeterMF

@petermoorefuller.bsky.social

Greetings from Bergen @unchcrosswords.com ❄️
Just finished an excellent puzzle by @liari.bsky.social

November 19, 2025 at 10:35 AM

PeterMF

@petermoorefuller.bsky.social

Thanks to YouTube Music for offering up a tesselating bleak landscape of forgotten musical favourites. Spooky.

November 14, 2025 at 12:53 PM

PeterMF

@petermoorefuller.bsky.social

Well blimey it’s been an exciting few days for this puzzle. Lots of head scratches, penny drops and some brilliant feedback.

Thanks indeed to everyone that’s followed me since or sent me a message about it. This crossword community is ace.

www.theguardian.com/crosswords/2...

Deadline for entries is 23:59 GMT on Saturday 29 November. You need to register once and then sign in to theguardian.com to enter our online competition for a £100 monthly prize

November 6, 2025 at 2:02 PM

PeterMF

@petermoorefuller.bsky.social

Thank you @mister-norm.bsky.social !

Norm Kemp @mister-norm.bsky.social · Nov 4

This crossword is exceptional www.theguardian.com/crosswords/2...
Hard but very much worth the effort.

Deadline for entries is 23:59 GMT on Saturday 29 November. You need to register once and then sign in to theguardian.com to enter our online competition for a £100 monthly prize

The Independent's Cryptic Crossword | Play Online for Free | Independent

November 4, 2025 at 9:19 AM

Reposted by PeterMF

William Snow

@willsnow8.bsky.social

It’s me in the Independent today.

Sample clue:
Cantankerous ill youngster straddles potty (5)

You can solve this cryptic crossword FOR FREE at puzzles.independent.co.uk/games/cryptic-crossword-independent

Play The Independent's Cryptic Crossword instantly online. The Independent's Cryptic Crossword is a fun and engaging Online game from The Independent. Play it and other games from The Independent.

puzzles.independent.co.uk

November 4, 2025 at 7:03 AM

PeterMF

@petermoorefuller.bsky.social

So excited to be making my debut as Glyph in @theguardian.com Genius slot today.

Cheers to @alanconnor.bsky.social for the spot, and thank you so much to the great folks that tested this puzzle.

Hope you enjoy solving it as much as I enjoyed writing it!

www.theguardian.com/crosswords/2...

Deadline for entries is 23:59 GMT on Saturday 29 November. You need to register once and then sign in to theguardian.com to enter our online competition for a £100 monthly prize

November 3, 2025 at 12:27 PM

PeterMF

@petermoorefuller.bsky.social

Another one!

Great to be back as Playfair in @economist.com today (subs), featuring:

🩺 Doctor’s downright intense replacement (12)

🎹 Dance music ultimately built on repetition around beginning of 90s (6)

🎬 List odd characters in Burton’s Oscar winner (6)

www.economist.com/interactive/...

Weekend crossword