Mark has spent most of his crossword career as a solver, winning the Times competition six times, and has branched out occasionally into other puzzles, achieving two ‘podium finishes’ in The Times Sudoku Championship.

Mark is 47, and has two young children. As Mr Magoo, he has been setting puzzles for about 10 years, mostly for the Magpie, has five appearances in the Listener, and was invited in 2010 to join the team compiling for the Spectator.