Retired Nantwich teacher Tom Johnson is in a class of his own when it comes to testing the grey matter of newspaper and magazine crossword fans.
Now the grandfather-of-three has put his lifelong love of a problem-solving into a new book All Squared charting the history of the British crossword.
Tom, who taught French and German at Malbank School and at the former Nantwich and Acton Grammar School from 1969 to 2002, already edits and compiles crosswords for the Spectator and New Statesman magazines.
He also supplies to major newspaper titles such as Financial Times and Guardian and for many years he put Puzzler magazine readers through their paces in 640 issues.
With his wife Jean, Tom runs WordWeaver Ltd, a crossword compiling and proof-reading company, from their home in Nantwich.
He said: “Crossword compiling had been a very important hobby throughout my teaching career and since my retirement in 2002 I have broadened my output so much so that I must now be one of the most prolific professional compilers in the country.
“There’s something deeply satisfying about cracking a good puzzle. It teaches patience, builds vocabulary, and honestly, it’s just fun.”
Tom, who was also examinations officer for Malbank School, has always had a keen eye for detail.
From an early age in his home city of Birmingham he enjoyed solving the Reader’s Crossword in the Birmingham Evening Mail. He saw his first puzzle in print in the paper in 1962.
He added: “I love language and words. How wordplay disguises the true meaning of what is intended in the clue, how phrases can be re-interpreted to mean something quite different.
“Bar of soap” can be understood as a definition of “Rovers Return” or “Sidesman” could be a “Team-mate”, and why is the “Thames” a “flower”? Because it is something that flows, hence a “flow-er.”
“Dreaming up a new clue to a word or phrase which I have clued on a few previous occasions is what keeps my brain ticking over. Twenty two years after retiring it’s kept me mentally active, alert and happy.”
All Squared is an insight into the mind of a crossword compiler and includes 90 of Tom’s puzzles.
The book is £12.99 and can be purchased at Nantwich Bookshop and by emailing Tom at [email protected]
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