Hugs Posted January 16, 2005 Share Posted January 16, 2005 I thought this was a funny article on Cryptic crosswords. I'd never realised that other countries didn't have them, but then again I'd never thought about it. I can remember telling my mum she must have a twisted mind if she could do the cryptic crosswords and now find myself doing them! My fave is the Daily Telegraph, mainly because after a few days I can understand (hopefully) the writer of it and manage to nearly finish it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Declan Posted January 16, 2005 Share Posted January 16, 2005 I enjoy cryptic crosswords. I did know that the Americans didn't have cyrptic ones - I think Bill Bryson mentioned it in one of his books, but I assumed that was due to their straightforwardness. I would have thought the French or Spanish or someone like that would make devilish crosswords. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keristal Posted January 16, 2005 Share Posted January 16, 2005 Love em too, like Hugs the Telegraph is my favourite though it can depend on which setter, the last year or so there have been some pigs of puzzles. I grew up with the cryptic crossword as one of my Dad's hobbies was setting them and for a while he set them for The Grauniad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugs Posted January 16, 2005 Author Share Posted January 16, 2005 I had to look up Grauniad The Guardian is a left-of-centre British daily newspaper, famous for its misprints - hence it is sometimes affectionately referred to as The Grauniad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hollandaise Posted January 16, 2005 Share Posted January 16, 2005 I consider myself an intelligent person. I'm a writer, so I work with language every day. I can spell extremely well, my grasp of English grammar is reasonable, and I have a smattering of other languages as well, helped on by a grounding in classics. Yet I cannot do cryptic crosswords. My brain simply refuses to work on that level. It began to hurt just reading that article. People always say 'Let's ask X. She'll know the answer to this.' And I never do, because I'm not on that special 'crossword' wavelength and I never will be. It's embarrassing! EDITED to add that if the Guardian wants to lose its reputation for misprints, they should employ me as chief sub-editor. I can spot a typo in the galleys at twenty paces! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mission Posted January 16, 2005 Share Posted January 16, 2005 I like normal crosswords but have always struggled with the cryptic ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Declan Posted January 16, 2005 Share Posted January 16, 2005 Hollandaise - Yeah, the skills required to solve a cryptic crossword aren't linguistic (although a good vocabulary and good spelling are very useful). It is logical approach that matters that enables you to work out the clues. For example, you need to recognise the words that indicate the pressence of an anagram. Some people just read the clue as a whole and look for a word which answers the whole clue, when really the definition is only part of the clue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Observer Posted January 16, 2005 Share Posted January 16, 2005 Also, if you do the same author's cryptic crosswords, you begin to recognise the style of their clues so they become easier to interpret. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hollandaise Posted January 16, 2005 Share Posted January 16, 2005 Okay, is it possible to put up some cryptic clues on this thread? Just so I can demonstrate how completely unable to answer them I am? I was going to try one myself. But my brain refused to even function. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keristal Posted January 16, 2005 Share Posted January 16, 2005 Try these two from the Telegraph. Sudden disaster can be sorted out by Prescott? Aha! (11 letters) Reviled in audible attack (9 letters) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Muso Posted January 16, 2005 Share Posted January 16, 2005 Hollandaise - Yeah, the skills required to solve a cryptic crossword aren't linguistic (although a good vocabulary and good spelling are very useful). It is logical approach that matters that enables you to work out the clues. For example, you need to recognise the words that indicate the pressence of an anagram. Some people just read the clue as a whole and look for a word which answers the whole clue, when really the definition is only part of the clue. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> HAHAHAHA Ive got to quote this again its so funny i nearly wet my pantys (although a good vocabulary and good spelling are very useful) For example, you need to recognise the words that indicate the pressence of an anagram. HAAHAH HAAHAH, Cant type---------laughing------sides hurting-------I feel your pressence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoulMan Posted January 16, 2005 Share Posted January 16, 2005 I know its not good but that was funny as hes got an itty bitty bit of a point there. Did you go the rovers last night then? I was in there for a couple mate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hollandaise Posted January 16, 2005 Share Posted January 16, 2005 Try these two from the Telegraph. Sudden disaster can be sorted out by Prescott? Aha! (11 letters) Reviled in audible attack (9 letters) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> 1. Presumably, guessing from what you've said earlier, 'Prescott? Aha!' is an anagram of an 11 letter word meaning 'sudden disaster' or approximating to the same. My brain stops there. 2. Reviled in audible attack sounds like what I'm about to do to the concept of cryptic clues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave the Cardboard Box Posted January 16, 2005 Share Posted January 16, 2005 Bit of a spelling Catastrophe there Declan.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hollandaise Posted January 16, 2005 Share Posted January 16, 2005 Thanks, Dave. Soon as I saw your name at the bottom of the forum, I thought 'He'll know the answer'. And you did! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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