The Shipping Forecast Puzzle Book by Alan Connor, which is partly but not predominantly cryptic, can be obtained from the Guardian bookshop. Individual letters: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N. More guidanceĬryptic devices: hidden answers double definitions cryptic definitions soundalikes initial letters spoonerisms containers reversals alternate letters cycling stammering taking most of a word the ‘%’ sign naked words first and last letters middle letters removing middle letters defining by example.īits and bobs: Roman numerals Nato alphabet Greek letters chemistry abbreviations for countries points of the compass more points of the compass playing cards capital letters boys and girls apostrophes cricket alcohol the church politics Latin royals newspapers writers doctors drugs music animals cars cities rivers boats when the setter’s name appears when the solver appears “cheating”. Annotated solution here if you get stuck. I’m thinking also of many of the clues in this extraordinary prize puzzle by Picaroon, which I won’t spoil by saying anything more. … where you’ll need lots of crossing letters before you’ll see WORDLESS. I’m thinking of clues like this recent one from Qaos …
Even less often than, say, the triple ellipses, the dots might indicate that the solver is up to something that gleefully breaks the rules of crosswords. Very occasionally, there might be three or more clues linked in this way, and solvers work out for themselves whether the third overlaps with the second or with the first – or, more likely, not at all.īeginners: any questions on this, or any other quirk of crosswording? Seasoned solvers: any favourite examples? The second is GOLF COURSE (also known as a links) and we’re told that the animal in the first, LYNX, sounds the same. Here’s a pair from the Times:ġ5a … in this sporting venue that’s suffering closure with fog (4,6) Or it might be that the first clue doesn’t end until halfway through the second. The answers (BYRON and THRONE) are unconnected, but the RON that features both clues is directly referred to only in the first clue. Here’s Eccles in the Independent:ġ0a One who wrote poems attributed to Howard, perhaps … (5) Lanternfish Crosswords: Great for building vocabulary and testing grammar and a lot more fun than a test.
Possibly, a bit of the wordplay in one appears (unannounced) in the other. But in crosswording terms, you can ignore each of the ellipses.Įvery so often, though, the clues really are linked. The first clue (for BANG ON) would end a little abruptly if it couldn’t carry on to the second (for CHILDREN). Here’s an example from Anto in the quiptic, the Guardian’s puzzle for beginners:ĩa It’s right to discuss at tedious length … (4,2)ġ0a … issue some would prefer to observe in silence (8) Most of the time it’s simply that the apparent meaning of the first clue (which usually has nothing to do with the answer) can be extended to become a longer sentence that takes in the second clue, too. … and the next begins in the same way, is the setter trying to tell you something? Sometimes, the answer is actually yes.
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