Telegraph reader cracks two-year challenge of 'world's hardest crossword' in two hours

A Telegraph reader has cracked what was claimed to be the world's hardest crossword in less than two hours.

Crossword compiler Marc Breman, 56, believed his cryptic creation would leave the most hardcore crossword fans feeling frustrated and estimated it would take two years to complete. 

But reader Simon Anthony solved the puzzle in less than two hours.

The 44-year-old from London said: "I am a very keen puzzler and did enjoy the crossword, some of the clues were definitely tricky, but two years would be a stretch. 

"I did enjoy the puzzle though, it used a lot of interesting vocabulary and cluing, although some of the clues were outrageous."

The crossword, which can be accessed here, took a fortnihgt to create and was claimed to be 100 times harder than any Mr Breman had constructed in his 30-year career for various titles and publications.  

The 64 "fiendishly tough" clues were claimed to be virtually impossible to crack - but Telegraph Puzzles editor Chris Lancaster said: “I think it could be cracked if it was worked on for two hours straight, but it certainly won’t take two years.   

“Whilst it’s definitely harder than the average crossword, I don’t think it’s the hardest that I have ever seen. 

“By nature crosswords are very subjective so what one person may find very difficult, another may find easy and vice-versa.”  

Mr Breman writes an average of 13,500 clues per year and has constructed more than 30,000 puzzles since 1991.  

His latest puzzle, which he devised for “fun”, is said to be particularly difficult because the clues are based on linguistic wordplay, codes and numerous hidden meanings.  

Its hardest clue is said to be '4 down' - Dishonest, short of getting further at King's Head - because it "relies on an uncommon usage of an obscure word".  

Mr Breman said: "I'm not saying that this crossword cannot be completed, because of course it can.  

"But it is nevertheless fiendishly tough and significantly harder than anything I've ever compiled before.  

"It was referred to by a colleague as the 'world's hardest' - an opinion which, based on my own professional experience, seems about right."

Unlike quick crosswords, which can be solved with the help of a thesaurus or internet program, cryptic puzzles like this one can only be completed with experience and an ability to think laterally.  

"Based on the feedback of other compilers who have seen it or tried it, mine is about 100 times harder," Mr Breman said.  "If that description is indeed correct, then it stands to reason that it would take the average enthusiast 100 times longer to solve it. This amounts to 100 weeks, or just over two years."  

However, he did add that there would be people who would likely complete it faster than others.  

Mr Lancaster commented that whilst the puzzle was reasonably challenging it was no harder that some of the Telegraph Toughie crosswords or Enigmatic Variations, adding: “I'd expect anybody who can solve these to be able to crack Mr Breman's crossword within a few hours.”  

The puzzle can be downloaded from Mr Breman's website, marcbreman.london.  

The first 10 people to crack it were to receive a signed copy of his new book, 'The Foggiest Notion', which is itself based on a crossword puzzle.

The clues... Across

• 1 Leave after finding nothing in big rambling empty space (4,6)

• 6 Tolerate swimming in sea that tastes of tarragon (9)

• 13 Exterminator has drink within Denmark's borders (5)

• 14 Round a great deal, turning out hit that's within hearing (7)

• 15 Some heat to cook rice, getting address in Spain back (7)

• 16 People fail to perform with that woman's leaderless energy (8)

• 17 Tiny bit hard, production being broadcast (6)

• 18 American uncle has left grand in Wimbledon (4)

• 21 Endless call to finish measurement system in the tube (6)

• 23 Tune has audible pause and it slows down (3,5)

• 25 Virtuoso pianist makes record, capturing mezzo's heart (5)

• 27 Car blockade has husband running from Bonn to Berlin (8)

• 29 Head of casting is apparent during whole film (4)

• 31 Force redhead to leave ales out for sugar supplier... (7)

• 35 ... while two presidents take one for water (5)

• 36 Borderless land with musical backing gets an F, say (9)

• 38 Mention missing British swimmer (5)

• 39 Lost message initially not appearing in court (7)

• 41 One wrapped in bacon, informally, often after chicken (4)

• 42 Lack of cover not applicable to holiday-making, old excepted (8)

• 44 Refrain, having renounced Catholic god (5)

• 46 Rarest natural thing in a situation outside (8)

• 48 The same time out taken by royal chief (6)

• 51 Yorkshire flower of zero application (4)

• 52 Supermarket's first poster is a simple thing (6)

• 54 Renaissance figure reaches endgame with US subject (8)

• 58 Played role wearing top, wasting second getting seafood (7)

• 59 Dance, taking drug, joining large set (7)

• 60 Follower rejected conclusion and hit organised religion (5)

• 61 Is transported and held inside devil's workshop (4,5)

• 62 Jellyfish swallowed gem formation that's often crystallised (4,6)

And Down...

• 1 Writer, say, coming back with papers (4)

• 2 During dance, he'll deploy carrier (7)

• 3 Old rallying point in old TV series with no middle or end (5)

• 4 Dishonest, short of getting further at King's Head (6)

• 5 Scholarship got one a lot of land, formerly (8)

• 7 Antipodean took cover during deployment of cane (7)

• 8 Tommy is no mod, getting work as leader (4,5)

• 9 Rod in scrap to get Lombardy crown (4)

• 10 Heard title more in Paris - too much (7)

• 11 Platform has no space for student or new conciseness (4)

• 12 The trouble with growth is protection (6)

• 19 Exploit terrible initial take-off during flight (8)

• 20 Flirt, visiting first beach in the Costa Blanca (4,6)

• 22 Going by coach with island head for professional purposes (2,8)

• 24 What Nietzsche wrote about rates and capital (9)

• 26 Cook foremost cuisine with leading playboy (4)

• 28 Artist occupies avian property (5)

• 30 Work hard to remove rut developing out of chaos (4)

• 32 Almost a return to Atari's ultimate computers (5)

• 33 They're collected from border in record time (8)

• 34 Night, without a current replacement weapon (4)

• 37 English drink not registered as Dutch export (4)

• 40 Pizza supplier finds time right to race round during song (9)

• 43 Drinking group gets rest to set broken foot (8)

• 44 Fuss about a large bear (6)

• 45 Kane's last word to girlfriend (7)

• 47 Number added to recipients of email that's stolen (7)

• 49 Everyone in Italy needing extremes, audibly disapproving (7)

• 50 Twisted descent, all so twisted, reaches bottom end (6)

• 53 Clip ends off negative that's found on the floor (4)

• 55 Elizabethan has to get irregular start, not uniform (5)

• 56 Swelling school terms' starts by six months (4)

• 57 24 having a drink (4)

You can submit your solved puzzles to Mr Breman  at www.marcbreman.london. The first 10 people who solve it will receive a signed copy of his new book, The Foggiest Notion, which is based on a crossword puzzle.