This page is home to a table detailing the major differences between noteworthy cryptic crossword publications; any and all difficulty assessments are purely speculative, so mileage may vary.
Comparison of cryptic crosswords[]
| Crossword | Frequency | Difficulty | Grid type | Multiple setters? | Puzzle available online? | Solutions available online? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Mail | Daily | Easy | Blocked | Yes, anonymous | Yes, free | Yes, free | Online version Not cryptic; American |
| Daily Telegraph | Daily | Easy/medium | Blocked | Yes, anonymous | Yes, by subscription | Yes, free | |
| Enigmatic Variations | Sunday | Hard/very hard | Barred | Yes, named | Yes, by subscription | Yes, free | Printed in The Telegraph on Sunday |
| Telegraph Toughie | Tuesday–Friday | Medium/hard | Blocked | Yes, named | Yes, by subscription | Yes, free | Printed in The Daily Telegraph |
| The Independent | Daily | Easy-hard | Blocked | Yes, named | Yes, free | Yes, free | Solutions also available at Fifteensquared |
| Independent on Sunday | Sunday | Medium/hard | Blocked | Yes, named | No? | Yes, free | |
| Inquisitor | Sunday? | Hard/very hard | Barred | Yes, named | No? | Yes, free | |
| The Spectator | Weekly? | Hard/very hard? | Barred | Yes?, named | Yes, free | Yes, free | |
| Beelzebub | Sunday? | Hard/very hard? | Barred | Yes?, named | No? | Yes, free | Printed in The Independent on Sunday |
| The Guardian | Daily | Easy-hard | Blocked | Yes, named | Yes, free | Yes, free | Solutions also available at |
| The Guardian Quiptic | Monday | Easy | Blocked | Yes, named | Yes, free | Yes, free | Solutions also available at Fifteensquared |
| Everyman | Sunday | Easy | Blocked | No?, anonymous | Yes, free | Yes, free | Printed in The Observer |
| Azed | Sunday | Hard/very hard | Barred | No, named | Yes, free | Yes, free | Printed in The Observer |
| The Times | Daily | Medium-hard | Blocked | Yes, anonymous | Yes, by subscription | Yes, free | |
| The Hindu | Daily | Medium | Blocked | Yes, named | Yes, by subscription | Yes, free | Indian newspaper |
| The Listener | Saturday | Very hard | Barred | Yes, named | Yes, by subscription | ? | Printed in The Times |
| The Sunday Times | Sunday | Medium | Blocked | No?, anonymous | Yes, by subscription | Yes, free | |
| Mephisto | Sunday | Hard/very hard | Barred | Yes, anonymous? | Yes, by subscription | Yes, free | Printed in The Sunday Times |
| Financial Times | Daily | Medium-hard | Blocked | Yes, named | Yes, free | Yes, free | |
| Cyclops (Private Eye) | Fortnightly | Medium-hard | Blocked | No, named | Yes, free | Yes, free | Solutions also available at Fifteensquared |
| Globe and Mail (Canada) | Daily | Easy-medium | Blocked | No (Mon–Fri), yes (Sat) | Yes, free | Yes, free | |
| Metro | Daily | Medium | Blocked | Yes, anonymous | Yes, free | No |