Forget Wordle and Sudoko... how the Observer’s crossword has stood the test of time

On the publication of today’s 4,000th Everyman crossword, setter Alan Connor is asked about the ‘entry-level’ puzzle’s history and his five predecessors

Readers, how might one describe “the angry outburst of a common man who is stumped by a cryptic clue on his birthday”? Answer: Everyman’s anniversary crossword. This weekend, with the sort of opening riddle that would never pass muster alongside our weekly Everyman grid, the Observer is taking time to mark the 4,000th outing of its celebrated, supposedly entry-level Sunday puzzle.

First published in August 1945, Everyman is one of Fleet Street’s most established and beloved crossword challenges and yet has passed down through only six skilled compilers’ hands. This Sunday the occasion is celebrated in a special anniversary layout, featuring an appropriate selection of historic Everyman clues.