Who is John Halpern (aka. Paul)?
Meet the Guardian’s Cryptic Crossword Setter
Hi, I'm John Halpern!
I’m the UK's Number 1 crossword setter, writing for The Times, Telegraph, FT, Independent and perhaps most famously for The Guardian under the pseudonym ‘Paul'.
I am passionate about having everyone fall in love with the fun of wordplay, and believe that honing wordplay skills can contribute to keeping your brain healthy and active.
This is why I have created my masterclasses, workshops and public speaking events to help fans unlock the mysteries of the crossword.
As well as this I offer personal tuition, bespoke gifts and books for all lovers of wordplay and puzzles.