Why murder mysteries and cryptic crosswords go hand in hand

From Agatha Christie to a new generation of crime writers, cryptic crosswords have long held a place in murder-mystery fiction. Debut novelist and Guardian crossword setter Alys Cummings explains why the two make such natural companions

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A cryptic crossword and a murder mystery are each bound by an unspoken agreement between the creator and reader: I will give you enough information to solve this, but you must put the pieces together yourself.

So it’s no wonder that crime writers, from Agatha Christie to Dorothy L Sayers, and TV shows, from Inspector Morse to Inside No 9, have been drawn to the puzzles in their stories. The latest writer to enter the cruciverbalist crime arena is Alys Cummings, whose debut novel, Murder Most Cryptic, was published in October.

Upside-down cakes on the rack (8)

Record, EP and lyrics initially included in reissued album cover (8)

Here’s a tip: stick with your revised version (4,3,6)

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