Monthly puzzle and clue-writing competition: terms & conditions

Terms & Conditions

The terms and conditions governing your entry to the Azed Clue-Writing Competition are made up of the Azed FAQs and Azed Competition Rules set out below (together, the “T&Cs”). By submitting an entry to any Azed Competition you agree to be bound by these T&Cs and confirm that you have read and understood our Privacy Notice which can be found at https://observer.co.uk/policy/privacy.

Azed FAQs

How is Azed different from other crosswords?

The cryptic crossword as we know it was shaped by The Observer. In 1926, the paper became home to Torquemada (Edward Powys Mathers), considered by many to have invented the cryptic form of the crossword. His playful, literary style helped establish the form as a new and distinctly British puzzle tradition.

He was succeeded in 1939 by Ximenes (Derrick Macnutt), a schoolmaster whose precise and principled approach defined a generation. His guide, Ximenes on the Art of the Crossword, set the standards that most cryptic setters still follow today, so much so that many compilers describe themselves as “Ximenean” or not.

In 1972, Jonathan Crowther took over the puzzle under the name Azed — a reversal of “Deza,” named after Diego de Deza, a Spanish inquisitor. In keeping with the tradition of his predecessors, who also borrowed their pseudonyms from the Spanish Inquisition, Crowther gave the pattern a personal touch, creating something uniquely his own.

He has now been setting Azed for over 50 years, making him not only the longest-serving compiler in Observer history, but also the world’s longest-serving cryptic crossword setter.

Each Azed puzzle features a clue-writing competition. Solvers are invited to devise a clue for a given word, and the best entries win a prize, though for many, appearing in the winners’ list or earning a VHC (Very Highly Commended) is reward enough.

If you’re new to Azed, don’t be discouraged by the barred grid or the tradition; this is a puzzle that rewards curiosity, not just expertise. A good place to start is Colin Dexter’s book Cracking Cryptic Crosswords. Dexter - the creator of Inspector Morse and a long-standing Azed fan - was both a clue-writing competitor and a close friend of Jonathan Crowther.

You can also ease in gradually:

• Try a few clues
• Work backwards from the published solutions
• Or read our friendly guide written: 👉 How to Solve Azed (and Gemelo)

What do the bars (thick lines) mean?

In Azed, the thick bars in the grid serve the same purpose as black squares in other crosswords — they indicate where one word ends and the next begins. The main difference is that there are no black squares; instead, the grid is filled with bars that act as dividers. A square located between two bars — and not crossed by another word — is called "unchecked," meaning it appears in only one clue. The good news is that barred puzzles typically have fewer unchecked squares than blocked ones, which provides more cross-checking letters to aid your solving. The layout might seem unfamiliar at first, but many solvers find it more satisfying, and it enables the setter to incorporate longer, more intriguing words and grid designs.

What is the best dictionary to use?

The recommended dictionary for Azed is the Chambers Dictionary (2016 edition). It’s the standard reference for this puzzle, and for many cryptic crosswords that use rare, archaic, or specialised vocabulary. If a solution isn’t in Chambers — or is a proper name, or only found elsewhere — Jonathan will usually mention it in a brief note at the end of the clues. These footnotes typically suggest Chambers and include a line such as “but see 3 Down” if a particular clue requires a different source. This is his way of quietly alerting solvers while keeping the main clues uncluttered.

When are Azed puzzles published?

From 6 July 2025, Azed puzzles will usually be published on the first Sunday of each month with an additional puzzle at Christmas.

Where do I send queries about Azed puzzles?

Email us at the contact details set out at the bottom of the Azed Competition Rules below if you have any queries about Azed puzzles.

What is the Azed Clue-Writing Competition?

Every Azed puzzle features one clue, marked with an asterisk or otherwise indicated, which serves as the basis for that month's Azed Clue-Writing Competition (each being an “Azed Competition”).

Solvers hoping to win a prize in the Azed Competition must: (a) provide a correct solution to the whole Azed puzzle; (b) submit a cryptic clue of their own to replace the asterisked definition; and (c) provide a brief explanation of their clue. This must all then be submitted to The Observer in accordance with the Azed Competition Rules set out below.

Azed prize draw

On occasion, the Observer or the crossword setter may designate an Azed puzzle as a prize draw puzzle in place of the regular monthly clue writing competition. In these cases, no clue will be marked with an asterisk and no clue-writing entry is required. To enter, solvers must submit a correct solution to the whole puzzle in accordance with the standard Azed terms and conditions below. Winners will be selected at random from all correct entries received.

What is The Azed Slip?

The Azed Slip is a monthly news-sheet written by Azed, giving details of the winning clues and other commendable submissions, plus the judge’s comments on the competition and on crosswords in general. It can be read for free at The Crossword Centre - www.crossword.org.uk/Azedslip.html - or in printed form for a fee of £20 per year. Cheques for this amount, payable to The Crossword Club, should be sent, along with your name and address to The Azed Slip, Coombe Farm, Awbridge, Romsey SO51 OHN - their website can be found at www.thecrossword.club. Fees may also be paid via online bank transfer to The Crossword Club, a/c no. 31020250, sort code 40-39-05.

All Azed Slips from Mar 1972 to May 2022 are available to view in the Azed Slip Archive at www.andlit.org.uk. The Azed Slip Archive, The Crossword Centre and The Crossword Club are not affiliated with or endorsed by The Observer.

Azed Competition Rules - monthly clue writing competition

Promoter: The promoter of the Azed Competition is Tortoise Media Ltd T/A The Observer whose registered office is at The Harley Building, 77-79 New Cavendish Street, London, England W1W 6XB (“The Observer”).

Entry period: Digital entries to each month’s Azed Competition must be received by The Observer before midnight on the Saturday that is one week after the publication of that month’s Azed puzzle (the “Closing Date”). Postal entries must be postmarked no later than the Saturday following publication and must reach us within 10 days of the puzzle's publication (i.e., by the Wednesday of the week following publication).

Any entry received after the relevant Closing Date will not be accepted.

Winners are announced the following month, alongside the next Azed monthly competition puzzle. The Observer reserves the right to change the announcement dates of winners, for example, due to holidays such as Christmas.

For example, for an Azed puzzle published on Sunday 6 July 2025, entries must be submitted online before midnight on Saturday 12 July 2025 or (if posted) must be postmarked no later than Saturday 12 July 2025 and arrive with us before the 16th July.

How to enter: To enter the Azed Competition entrants must submit an entry before the Closing Date that includes: (a) a correct solution to that month’s Azed puzzle as completed by the entrant; (b) a cryptic clue drafted by the entrant to replace the asterisked definition; and (c) a brief explanation of the entrant’s cryptic clue. Entrants may submit their entry either:

• online by following these steps:

1. Head to https://observer.co.uk/puzzles
2. From that page, you'll see options for all our puzzles (including Sudoku). Scroll down and click 'find out more' for the full list of Azed crosswords.
3. You will then see the full list of all Azed crosswords as clickable articles (the top link will be the crossword for that week).
4. Complete the crossword, and once finished, click 'submit' (top left corner, next to the timer).
5. When you submit, you'll be prompted to enter your name and email.
6. Once you have submitted your name and email, you will then see a form to complete.
7. This form will ask for your email address and home address, your clue to replace the definition asterisked and a brief explanation of your clue.
8. Once this form is completed and submitted you will have successfully entered the competition. You must however ensure that you follow through with clicking on each form to submit it! 

PLEASE NOTE: You will only be able to submit once so please do not click 'submit' until you are satisfied that the crossword is fully completed and you are happy with your entry. If the grid isn't complete, it will prompt you: 'Are you sure you want to submit, the whole grid is not complete?’

• by post to:
  Azed No. [enter puzzle number], The Observer, 22 Berners Street, London W1T 3LP. Please note that your clue and your explanation for your clue should be on a separate piece of paper, securely attached to the solution sheet, and your name and address should be on both.
  
  Winner selection: The Azed Competition is a skill-based contest. The Azed judge will assess all valid entries and will select the three clues that are judged to be best based on originality, creativity, cryptic excellence and precision (who will win prizes in accordance with Rule 6 below). The judge may also select any other entries that the judge considers to be VHC (these entries and information about the entrants may be published in accordance with Rules 11 and 12 below). Only entries from UK residents are eligible for the top three prize-winning positions. Entries from non-UK residents will be eligible for the VHC category only. The judge’s decision is final, and no correspondence will be entered into.
  
  Prizes: The prizes for each month’s Azed Competition are book tokens in the following amounts: (1) £35 for first place; (2) £30 for second place; and (3) £25 for third place. The book tokens are redeemable in the UK only. No prizes are awarded for entries that are selected as being VHC.
  
  Prize conditions: Prizes are non-transferable, non-refundable, and no cash alternative is offered. However, The Observer reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to substitute any advertised prize for a prize of an equal or higher value if circumstances require. The Observer will not be responsible or liable for any costs associated with collecting or redeeming a prize, unless expressly stated otherwise.
  
  Winner notification: Winners will be notified promptly after judging using the contact details provided at the point of entry. The winners may be required to confirm eligibility, acceptance of these T&Cs, and, where relevant, acceptance of any associated publicity obligations within five working days of notification. If a winner does not respond to any such request by The Observer in time or is found to be ineligible under these T&Cs, The Observer reserves the right to award the prize to the next best-scoring entry (as judged according to the same criteria).
  
  Prize delivery: The Observer will make all reasonable efforts to contact and deliver the prizes to valid winners. Delivery of the prizes will be online for winning entries submitted online and by post for winning entries submitted by post, and will be made within a reasonable period after winner confirmation. The Observer does not accept liability for undelivered or late prizes where the delay or failure to deliver is caused by factors beyond The Observer’s reasonable control, such as strikes, postal failures, or a winner supplying inaccurate information.
  
  Disclosure of winner’s details: Winners will normally be announced in the print edition of The Observer that is published three weeks after publication of the Azed Competition. By entering the Azed Competition, each entrant acknowledges that in the event of a win their surname and county of residence may be published by The Observer and/or disclosed to persons enquiring as required by applicable law and regulations. Any entrant may object to their information being made available in this way, or may request that the amount of information made available be reduced, by contacting The Observer using the contact details at the end of these T&Cs. However, please be aware that The Observer may still be required to provide this information to the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (and/or any other relevant regulatory authorities). This may happen where The Observer is required to demonstrate that it has awarded the prizes advertised. To request disclosure of winners’ details, enquirers must submit a request to the email address set out below by no later than one month after the Closing Date. Details will only be disclosed (if permitted by law) after the prizes have been awarded.
  
  Licence: Where you submit any content as part of your entry, you grant The Observer a worldwide, royalty-free, sub-licensable licence to use, reproduce, and display that content (with or without modification, solely for the purposes of administrating each Azed Competition, selecting winners, and any reasonable related promotional activity connected with the Azed Competitions).
  
  Publicity: If you are a winner, or if your entry is judged to be VHC, you agree to participate in any reasonable publicity required by The Observer. The Observer may use the name of all winning or VHC entrants for editorial, advertising, marketing, and promotional purposes without compensation.
  
  Disqualification: Entries that do not comply with these T&Cs or appear to be duplicates or bulk entries may be disqualified.
  
  Liability: Nothing in these T&Cs limits or excludes any person’s liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, for fraud or for any matter for which liability cannot be lawfully limited or excluded. In particular, consumers have legal rights in relation to products that are faulty or not as described and services which are not performed with reasonable care and skill and these legal rights are in addition to and are not affected in any way by anything contained in these T&Cs. However, to the fullest extent permissible by law, The Observer will not be liable for: (i) any loss, liability or damage caused by someone other than The Observer or someone acting under The Observer’s direct instructions and in accordance with The Observer’s instructions; (ii) any loss, liability or damage caused by any event or circumstance beyond The Observer’s reasonable control; (iii) any loss of profits or revenue, loss of anticipated savings or loss of goodwill; or (iv) any unavailability of The Observer’s website or app.
  
  Cancellation and variation: The Observer reserves the right to vary, suspend or cancel the Azed Competition (in whole or in part) and/or these T&Cs if it considers it necessary or appropriate to do so, including if there is any actual or anticipated breach of applicable law or if variation, suspension or cancellation is necessary due to an event outside The Observer’s reasonable control.
  
  Severance and waiver: If any part of these T&Cs is or becomes invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the rest of these T&Cs will not be affected. The Observer’s failure to enforce any term of these T&Cs will not constitute a waiver of that provision.
  
  Personal data: Entrants acknowledge that any personal data of entrants processed in connection with each Azed Competition will be processed in accordance with The Observer’s Privacy Notice, which is available at https://observer.co.uk/policy/privacy.
  
  Law and jurisdiction: The Azed Competitions and these T&Cs are governed by English law, and any disputes arising in connection with them shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.
  
  Contact: Enquiries about the Azed Competitions can be sent to The Observer at: readers@observer.co.uk and puzzles@observer.co.uk

Azed Prize Draw Rules

These are the Terms & Conditions (“T&Cs”) that apply when an Azed Crossword is published as a Prize Draw rather than a Clue-Writing Competition. By submitting an entry, you agree to be bound by these T&Cs and confirm that you have read and understood our Privacy Notice.

Promoter: The promoter of the Crossword Prize Draws is Tortoise Media Ltd T/A The Observer whose registered office is at The Harley Building, 77-79 New Cavendish Street, London, England W1W 6XB (“The Observer”).

Entry period: Entries must be received before midnight on the Saturday after the puzzle’s publication (the “Closing Date”). Postal entries must be postmarked by that Saturday and received within ten days of publication (i.e., by the following Wednesday).

How to enter:

• Online: Submit your correct solution via the Observer puzzles page.
• By post: Send your completed crossword to: Azed [puzzle number], The Observer, 22 Berners Street, London W1T 3LP, with your name and address clearly written.

Eligibility: UK residents aged 18+ only. One entry per person. Entry on behalf of another is not allowed. Employees of The Observer, their families, and other parties directly associated with the competition are ineligible.

Winner selection: All correct entries will be entered into a random draw. Winners will normally be announced in The Observer on Sunday, one month after the Closing Date.

Prizes: Winners receive book tokens as stated alongside each puzzle. Prizes are non-transferable and no cash alternative is offered. The Observer reserves the right to substitute any prize for one of equivalent or greater value.

Winner notification and publicity: Winners may be required to confirm eligibility and accept any publicity obligations. Names (surname and county) may be published or disclosed where required by law or regulation.

General terms: This Azed Prize Draw is governed by English law. The Observer reserves the right to suspend or cancel the Azed Prize Draw or amend these T&Cs if required. Entry confirms agreement to data processing per the Privacy Notice.

Entry period: Entries to each Azed Prize Draw must be received by The Observer before midnight on the Saturday after the publication of the relevant crossword (the “Closing Date”). Postal entries must be postmarked no later than the Saturday following publication and must reach us within ten days of puzzle publication. Any entry received after the relevant Closing Date will not be accepted.

For example, for an Azed crossword published on Sunday 6 July 2025, entries must be submitted online before midnight on Saturday 12 July 2025 or (if posted) must be postmarked no later than Saturday 12 July 2025 and must reach us within ten days of publication of the puzzle (i.e. by Wednesday week following publication).

Winners will normally be announced alongside a new puzzle in the same series. For Azed, winners are typically announced one month after the one they relate to. In some cases — such as over the Christmas period, or when the calendar month presents scheduling constraints — this timing may shift slightly. We recommend checking each Sunday’s edition for the latest results.

How to enter: To enter the Azed Prize Draw, entrants must submit a complete solution to the relevant Azed crossword before the Closing Date, either:

• online by following these steps:

1. Head to https://observer.co.uk/puzzles
2. From that page, you'll see options for all our puzzles (including Sudoku). Scroll down and click 'find out more' for the full list of Azed puzzles.
3. You will then see the full list of all Azed crosswords as clickable articles (the first link will be the crossword for that week).
4. Complete the crossword, and once finished, click 'submit' (top left corner, next to the timer).
5. When you submit, you'll be prompted to enter your name and email to be eligible for the competition. PLEASE NOTE: You will only be able to submit once so please do not click 'submit' until you are satisfied that the crossword is fully completed and you are happy with your entry. If the grid isn't complete, it will prompt you: 'Are you sure you want to submit, the whole grid is not complete?’
6. • by post to: The Observer, 22 Berners Street, London W1T 3LP, enclosing a copy of your completed crossword with your name and address clearly written on or securely affixed to this.

Eligibility: The Azed Prize Draw is open to residents of the UK aged 18 or over. Only one entry per person per crossword is permitted. Entries on behalf of another person will not be accepted. Azed Prize Draws are not open to: (i) employees, freelance contributors or any other individuals engaged by The Observer, Tortoise Media, AmuseLabs, or any of their respective group companies; (ii) members of the immediate family and/or household (whether related or not) of any of those individuals; or (iii) anyone else connected to the Crossword Prize Draws.

Winner selection: All eligible entries containing complete and correct solutions will be entered into a random draw and the winners will be randomly selected and will normally be announced in The Observer that is published on the Sunday one month after the Closing Date for each Crossword Prize Draw. There will be three (3) winners for the Azed Crossword Prize Draw.

Prizes: The prizes for the Azed Prize Draw are book tokens (redeemable in the UK only) £25 book token for each winner.

Prize conditions: Prizes are non-transferable, non-refundable, and no cash alternative is offered. However, The Observer reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to substitute any advertised prize for a prize of an equal or higher value if circumstances require. The Observer will not be responsible or liable for any costs associated with collecting or redeeming a prize, unless expressly stated otherwise.

Winner notification: Winners will be notified using the contact details provided at the point of entry. The winners may be required to confirm eligibility, acceptance of these T&Cs, and, where relevant, acceptance of any associated publicity obligations within five working days of notification. If a winner does not respond to any such request by The Observer in time or is found to be ineligible under these T&Cs, The Observer reserves the right to select an alternative winner.

Prize delivery: The Observer will make all reasonable efforts to contact and deliver the prizes to valid winners. Delivery of the prizes will be online for winning entries submitted online and by post for winning entries submitted by post, and will be made within a reasonable period after winner confirmation. The Observer does not accept liability for undelivered or late prizes where the delay or failure to deliver is caused by factors beyond The Observer’s reasonable control, such as strikes, postal failures, or a winner supplying inaccurate information.

Disclosure of winner’s details: By entering an Azed Prize Draw, each entrant acknowledges that in the event of a win their surname and county of residence may be published by The Observer and/or disclosed to persons enquiring as required by applicable law and regulations. Any entrant may object to their information being made available in this way, or may request that the amount of information made available be reduced, by contacting The Observer using the contact details at the end of these T&Cs. However, please be aware that The Observer may still be required to provide this information to the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (and/or any other relevant regulatory authorities). This may happen where The Observer is required to demonstrate that it has awarded the prizes advertised. To request disclosure of winners’ details, enquirers must submit a request to the email address set out below by no later than one month after the Closing Date. Details will only be disclosed (if permitted by law) after the prizes have been awarded.

Publicity: If you are a winner you agree to participate in any reasonable publicity required by The Observer. The Observer may use the name of all winning or commended entrants for editorial, advertising, marketing, and promotional purposes without compensation.

Disqualification: Entries that do not comply with these T&Cs or appear to be duplicates or bulk entries may be disqualified.

Liability: Nothing in these T&Cs limits or excludes any person’s liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, for fraud or for any matter for which liability cannot be lawfully limited or excluded. In particular, consumers have legal rights in relation to products that are faulty or not as described and services which are not performed with reasonable care and skill and these legal rights are in addition to and are not affected in any way by anything contained in these T&Cs. However, to the fullest extent permissible by law, The Observer will not be liable for: (i) any loss, liability or damage caused by someone other than The Observer or someone acting under The Observer’s direct instructions and in accordance with The Observer’s instructions; (ii) any loss, liability or damage caused by any event or circumstance beyond The Observer’s reasonable control; (iii) any loss of profits or revenue, loss of anticipated savings or loss of goodwill; or (iv) any unavailability of The Observer’s website or app.

Cancellation and variation: The Observer reserves the right to vary, suspend or cancel the Azed Prize Draws (in whole or in part) and/or these T&Cs if it considers it necessary or appropriate to do so, including if there is any actual or anticipated breach of applicable law or if variation, suspension or cancellation is necessary due to an event outside The Observer’s reasonable control.

Severance and waiver: If any part of these T&Cs is or becomes invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the rest of these T&Cs will not be affected. The Observer’s failure to enforce any term of these T&Cs will not constitute a waiver of that provision.

Personal data: Entrants acknowledge that any personal data of entrants processed in connection with each Azed Prize Draw will be processed in accordance with The Observer’s Privacy Notice, which is available at https://observer.co.uk/policy/privacy.

Disputes: Subject to paragraph 18 below, if there is a dispute about any Crossword Prize Draw or these T&Cs, The Observer’s decisions are final. If there is a dispute between these T&Cs and any other document referred to in these T&Cs, these T&Cs take precedence to the extent necessary to resolve the conflict.

Law and jurisdiction: The Azed Prize Draw and these T&Cs are governed by English law, and any disputes arising in connection with them shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

Contact: Enquiries about the Crossword Prize Draws can be sent to The Observer at: readers@observer.co.uk and puzzles@observer.co.uk