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GeezerVison is showing www.leftfieldcryptics.com — Out of Left Field Cryptics Welcome to the home of Kosman and Picciotto's weekly cryptic crosswordOur puzzles, formerly in The Nation, are now available by subscription on the Patreon site. The first puzzle of this weekly series dropped on April 2, 2020. Subscribers receive
What the experts sayVeteran cryptic constructors Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon: "Even if the country boasted a hundred different weekly cryptic crosswords, Kosman and Picciotto's puzzle would stand out. It flies its own flag and pipes its own tune. It makes the world less dreary and more cheery." Crossword constructor Brendan Emmett Quigley: "When you’ve got maestros like Kosman and Picciotto on your home team, you’re in good hands. You want humor? You got it. Themes? Naturally! New standards in cryptic forms? Damn right. Put it this way: I know these guys, they’re okay." Eight times finalist in the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament Al Sanders: "I’ve done hundreds of the Kosman and Picciotto cryptics in The Nation and in their Out of Left Field series. I find theirs to be the most inventive and creative standard American cryptics out there. They are hands down my favorite." See below for sample puzzles, including our last Nation puzzle and its solution. Our Puzzle CompilationsKosman and Picciotto puzzles are not available in book form. Our Nation cryptic crosswords are collected in six PDFs: Out of Left Field #1-6. Each one consists of 48 to 60 puzzles and their solutions.
Early puzzles from our Out of Left Field subscription service, and their solutions, are available as PDFs in one-year compilations. Most are accompanied by PUZ files for solving on a screen.
These eight compilations are only available here. Three-time winner of the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament and virtuoso crossword constructor Trip Payne: "I thoroughly enjoyed Out of Left Field #2; not only were there many new discoveries and clever clues, but I was impressed at the number of ways the puzzles innovated within the cryptic structure. One of my favorite puzzle books in years." Humorist Ellis Weiner: "Gents, I've almost finished Out of Left Field #3. 'Pace yourself.' I AM. Still. They're so great, I can't stop. Therefore kindly have Out of Left Field #4 available by end of business one week from today. Thank you for your attention to this important matter. Yrs., etc.," If you have an iPhone or iPad, you can get Out of Left Field e-books consisting of 20 puzzles each via the Puzzazz app, which is available free on the App Store. The app is great for beginners, as it provides excellent hints. These are the same crosswords as in the first two Nation compilations above.
Cryptics: How To
An introduction to this style of puzzle, excerpted from Word Salad: An animated slide show, with examples. An e-book encyclopedia of cryptics: Word Salad is the most comprehensive guide to cryptic crosswords ever published in the United States. The main part of the e-book consists of dozens of chapters on cryptic clueing, and includes hundreds of examples. Those chapters are preceded by a big-picture introduction, and followed by a tour of the cryptic scene in North America and the debates that liven it up. The intended audience ranges from the cryptic newbie to the seasoned constructor. Check out the table of contents. Will Shortz, crossword editor for the New York Times and public radio’s puzzlemaster: “Solving cryptic crosswords is one of the joys of my life, and I don’t know of any better or more entertaining introduction to the puzzle than this book.” Word Salad is available in an e-book format (epub) which you can read on just about any computer, tablet, or phone. You can purchase it here. 
About UsJoshua Kosman retired in 2024 after Henri Picciotto is a math educator. Visit his Together, we edited hundreds of cryptic crosswords for the National Puzzlers League's monthly magazine The Enigma, from 1996 to 2011. Some of the best among those puzzles are in the book National Puzzlers' League Cryptic Crosswords (edited by Joshua Kosman and Henri Picciotto; Random House, November 2005 — now available for free on the NPL Web site.)
From June 2011 to March 2020, we co-constructed the cryptic crossword in The Nation magazine. (All those puzzles are collected in PDF compilations — see above.) Sample Puzzles |
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