British cryptics feel impenetrable when you first learn about them, but I think in some ways they are actually easier than American style once you learn how they work. Each clue has two parts: the actual definition, and a wordplay or more cryptic explanation of the answer (like an anagram or a pun). The wordplay can be challenging to wrap your head around, but they have the advantage that the clues are self-confirming. Meaning as soon as you get it, you'll know it's correct because the answer will work for both the wordplay and for the definition. This is unlike American crosswords where you only know if you're correct because the crossing entries all match up, which usually means you have to go back and change your answers as you go.

There are different sizes - the smaller ones are not hard to do in a sitting. For the larger ones, I find myself working on one area at a time, then putting it down and working on another area later. It's not too bad - almost like a jigsaw puzzle.