York Sloggers and Betters 2025

This weekend was the annual get together of crossword bloggers and setters in York, (the official title of the event as seen in the title of this post is, of course, a Spoonerism), organised by John Henderson. You can read about last year's event here. I first came in 2018 and this was my 6th visit.

As usual, there was a quiz on the Friday night and a day of puzzles and conversation on Saturday culminating with a curry for 32 and then drinks at the York Tap at the railway station today at lunchtime for those travelling by train.

This was the schedule

Dawn came with me again and we drove up on Friday morning. We had a good trip arriving before 1pm and had lunch a the Fox & Roman, across the road from the Stableside, where we, and many others, were staying.

Here is the quiz. We had 5 on our team, known as Burtie's Beauties, after Emma and Jim's dog. Along with Dawn and myself, we also had St John, who was, like Emma and Jim, there for the first time.

John introducing the quiz. There were more than ever here this year, with 12 teams taking part (there were 10 last year).

Angus and Tav (known collectively as Gustav) were our quizmasters again.

As always, the quiz was excellent and rather clever. Of the twelve teams we came eleventh, but never mind - it was good fun.

Saturday morning was bright and sunny. Dawn left early to go and visit her sister Jilly in Clitheroe, so I did the day's Times crosswords and then headed for the Marcia Inn in Bishopsgate on foot, even though Dawn had told me not to as I'm still recovering from a knee injury.

This was my route.

The gates at the Stableside.

I crossed the racetrack to walk along the path inside.

The grandstand is on the other side.

The church.

The bishop's palace.

 

And here I was at The Marcia Inn.

They have a map at the entrance.

They had a good range of beers on again. I remembered having so White Rat last year and rather liking it, so that was my first beer of the day.

As usual, there was a pile of crosswords to attemp (see photo at the top of the post) and I added twenty copies of mine (see here and see the solution here) which turned out not to be enough as they were all gone well before lunch.

I was joined at my table by St John and we were later joined by Tom Reynolds as we tried to solve a number of puzzles.

I neglected to tak any more photos. I got rather busier later.

In the evening we went for a curry, with a drink first at the Dick Turpin...

...before crossing the road to Woodthorpe Spice.

Curry for 32 please!

Another great weekend. Dawn returned from her sister Jilly's in time for breakfast thsi morning and we were home by 1pm. Thank-you, as ever, to John Henderson for organising it, to all the setters who provided the cruciverbal enetertainment, and to them and everone else for the convivial company.

Will I be back next year? I think so.

P.S. You can find a lot of the crosswords that were provided and blogs for the on the Fifteensquared website. My favourite was Something for the Weekend by Leo for the ingenious device... well I'll let you try it and find out for yourselves. Click on the pdf link at the top of Shanne's blog for the puzzle.