Discover the secrets of wordplay wizardry by seeing John Halpern AKA Paul, the Guardian’s most published setter, in action as he writes a real-life Guardian crossword – a perfect present for a puzzle lover.

Watch the Guardian cryptic crossword being created in front of your very eyes from start to finish. Whether you are an experienced solver or a complete beginner, leading crossword setter John Halpern AKA Paul will show you how cryptic clues work and how they are written.

Understanding the mind of a crossword setter will help you become a better solver, as well as encourage you to try your hand at setting your own clues.

There will be plenty of time to ask Paul any questions you may have about crosswords. You will leave the day with a better understanding of the setting process, with handouts to help you continue to develop your crossword solving and setting skills after the course.

Preparation

You’re encouraged to bring along any words and phrases you would particularly like to see in a crossword, some of which may just end up in the Guardian crossword printed in the newspaper.

Content

A brief history of the crossword
The process of creating a cryptic crossword puzzle from scratch
The rules of solving and setting cryptic crosswords – and when they can be broken
How to create clues, anagrams, hidden words, double definitions, reversals, containers, sound-alikes etc
Write your own clues and contribute to the live creation of a crossword that will be printed in the Guardian
The editing process
Practical exercises and group work, commenting on Paul’s cryptic crossword as he creates it
Your chance to ask any questions

Tutor profile

John Halpern (aka Paul) is the Guardian’s and the UK’s most published cryptic crossword setter. His crosswords also appear in the Financial Times, the Independent and the Times, among other publications. John lives in Brighton and is married to a woman whose name is an anagram of “entail”. They have a son whose name is hidden in the word “taramasalata”. John is the author of The Centenary of the Crossword and tweets @crosswordpaul.

All Guardian Masterclasses are fully accessible - but please contact us if you have any queries or concerns.

Full course and returns information on the Masterclasses website

The art of the crossword: How to solve clues and create your own puzzles