We’ve been working with academics and scientists to identify the behaviour that promotes brain health,’ says Silver. Telegraph Puzzles Editor Chris Lancaster notes that research suggests solving is ‘good for exercising your brain. Puzzles probably can’t stop the onset of dementia, but keeping mentally active may contribute to people being affected only later, or more slowly.’ A happy distraction that may actually be good for you: what’s not to like? Of course, while Cross Atlantic looks across the ocean for inspiration, it is resolutely British in the detail of its clues and solutions, exploring our culture, language, general knowledge and mores. This is a crossword, says Silver, ‘wearing a bowler hat, carrying a briefcase, with a rolled-up umbrella under its arm. It has a British accent. All of the references are British.’ Assembled by the country’s best compilers, it will have, he says, ‘a real British twist, with that sense of fun and character’. No other British newspaper regularly offers anything like it. Some of the puzzles we’ve been running at The Telegraph have been around for decades and decades. Our world famous Cryptic Crossword, for example, is known for playing a crucial part in World War II. In 1942, it was used to test the wits of the fastest solvers in the country, which led to the best of them being invited to work as code-breakers at Bletchley Park. Even with our long history of puzzling, we’re dedicated to giving you new and exciting puzzles. This is where Cross Atlantic comes in. No matter which puzzle you decide to play, you’ll be able to enjoy it at its absolute best. Because as well as being beautifully designed, you won't find a single advert in the Puzzles app.

Importantly, even though our Cross Atlantics look like American-style puzzles, the clues and answers are as British as it gets. You won’t be expected to know your FDA from your NBA, or your FBI from your CSI. It’s no coincidence that this rugby-themed puzzle is appearing on the same day as the Superbowl, after all. Video games are a passion of mine, so much so that it was my entire career before choosing to write about puzzles. This means I’m particularly delighted that The Last of Us show from HBO is making some waves.Our Cross Atlantics are particularly friendly to solvers, as they feature more topical references than our other puzzles, and are created in a more compact style. This means that solving just a handful of clues will give you hints to help you find other answers, and can help get you out of a jam. If only Ellie and Joel’s journey was as simple. There’s a little something for everyone, no matter what your skill level or how much time you have; our Mini Crossword and PlusWord should only take a couple of minutes of your time each day. Cross Atlantic 74 Today’s Cross Atlantic features not just one, but two themes. We don’t think they are related, but, as you’ll find when you spot them, they would make for an interesting mash-up, which we would definitely pay to watch. Par solving time: 20 minutes

Showcase your puzzling prowess by building daily streaks for finishing your favourite games. You'll also be able to earn fun achievements by reaching milestones and taking on new brain-teasers.One thing you shouldn’t give up on, however, is today’s Cross Atlantic. It’s themed around Shrove Tuesday and pancakes, so you shouldn’t have too much trouble getting a head start on some of the clues. I won’t spoil it any further, as some of you have personal best times to consider; however you should keep an eye out for some ingredients mentioned in creative ways. In case you’re not familiar with the basic story of The Last of Us, it’s an emotionally driven story about a young girl and a man caught in a zombie apocalypse. If that sounds familiar, yes, all this has been done before. There are plenty of horror films and television shows that explore the journeys of survivors following an apocalyptic event, from George A Romero’s Night of the Living Dead to recent series such as The Walking Dead. This year, I’m already trying to be better about my eating habits, so I’ve not got a whole lot to give up. Although I might try my hand at my dad’s pancake recipe, just to keep the tradition going. At least that’s what I’m going to tell my trainer.

For too long, people have considered games to be filled with needless violence or boring stories, when that’s simply a common misconception. The televised The Last of Us is a great demonstration of gaming’s worth as a medium for art and world-building. So far the show has been very faithful to the game. People who’d never think to turn on a PlayStation (or indeed any games console) are loving the series, and it’s scoring highly with critics and audiences alike.Despite an accusation thrown at me by a colleague just now, “short and occasionally slightly blue” isn’t a description of a certain well-known royal’s frostbite. Rather, it’s a pretty accurate précis of today’s Cryptic Crossword, which bears the hallmarks of one of our regular Thursday compilers: Ray Terrell.

That’s not to say that the puzzles are free of subtlety and nuance. In probably my favourite clue today, some lateral thinking is required: Dan Silver: “This is an American-style crossword but wearing a bowler hat, carrying a briefcase, with a rolled up umbrella under its arm, and a British accent.” With the new puzzle joining a stable of games from the ‘Mini’ – a new 5x5 crossword – to the Toughie – an established super-hard cryptic – there will be something for everyone, expert or dabbler. The beginner may find themselves hooked and stay on, trying out ever-harder puzzles. The genius of Cross Atlantic is the diversity in its clues which, while never formally cryptic, will get readers thinking laterally. ‘As one does to an unfit boiler’ runs one in the opening puzzle. I won’t tell you the answer, but it’s a play on words that gets the mind moving just as far and fast as any Toughie, yet which everyone will know. As well as the Toughie, there are plenty more challenges and teasers to play online. Can you beat our team’s average solving times? Happy Shrove Tuesday – or as many might know it better, Pancake Day. I always associate Pancake Day with a strange thing: my dad standing by the stovetop. It was an unusual sight as my mother is the superior chef, but he’d produce dozens of glorious crepes for us children to inhale.What makes The Last of Us different, however, is that Ellie, the young girl, and Joel, the adult accompanying her, aren’t related. They are strangers at the beginning of the story, and the tale revolves around them growing closer and trusting each other after the devastating circumstances that have brought them together. Though the apocalypse is the set dressing, it’s that dynamic that pushed The Last of Us to be considered among the best games ever.