Over the past week, after an absence of many years, I have taken up the cryptic crossword again. Don Mary and The Fuehrer first introduced me to the seductive and tyrannical world of the cryptic crossword many years ago. They did the cryptic and the quick throughout the morning, each filling in a word or two as they bustled around. Unlike their battles over Scrabble, which is a blood sport in our family, they cooperated to conquer the crossword - recognising a mutual enemy, perhaps. They taught me how to understand some of the clues and I figured out a lot of the others by comparing the answers the next day with the clues from the day before.
But it can rule your life, the cryptic. Once started, it's hard to let go. And the thrill of a clue deciphered, or a crossword completed in just a few minutes - because the answers came so easily today - keeps you going over the dry days where there are always two or three words left unsolved, or the entire crossword is impossible.
I only do the crossword in The West Australian. It's pretty straightforward (for a cryptic). All you need is some basic general knowledge and a decent grip on words. I got a bit cocky once and tried out The Australian's crossword, which, I think, is lifted from The Times. If you don't have a degree with a double major in classics and philosophy and haven't worked as the editor of the Oxford English Dictionary for the past five years, it's going to take you a few minutes more to slog through.
After weeks and weeks of staring, more and more numbly, at the wretched thing I had a eureka moment and got three clues out. I went straight to Miss Maud's and indulged myself with a slice of Princess cake. Princess is the best. The best!
17 comments:
You may not know this, HB, but The Cryptic was one of the first clues I had that you were a kindred spirit.
And so was that.
And also this:
1. (6,7) Ernie's friend that is, and the chicken's (with a speech impediment).
(I'm still working on your title clue, btw.)
Die-et?
Tie-up?
Give me a minute....
You're close, grasshopper.
Also: Bertie Wooster.
That clue, by the way, wasn't mine - my brain doesn't bend enough to come up with clues. It has a hard enough time just solving them.
After tearing my hair out all morning...I believe...the answer is...
tie -in
And so it is, TB. Congratulations.
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The other frustrating thing about a cryptic crossword is when you get the word, but you don't understand why.
Is that a clue?
Ok how does that mean 'encased in metal'?
?
???
The only way I can see it, is the first 3 letters of "that is encased" spell tie, and the word "in" is encased between the words "encased" and "metal".
Also, a crypo-simile for "metal" could be "iron", and there's an "in" encased in "iron".
But, really, that's just a delusional, after-the-fact, kind of reading.
The answer is tie-in; which is a type of connection.
Tie-in is composed of that is (ie) sitting inside (encased in) tin (metal).
Listen, you two (HBB and SF); how do you know all this stuff? I went to an ok school (catholic admittedly) and obviously missed something along the way. I am in awe of your superior knowledge.
god, that sounded crawly and sucky, didn't it? I must want something.
I'm with you , K. They are far, far ahead in this game.
I also want something. But I think that thing is coffee. Oh, and world peace. Of course.
I'd settle for a nice box of Quality Street.
Thank you, K. and Qu, but SuperFreo's not actually all that cluey on the old cryptics. Pretty impressed with True Blue's deduction skills, though!
Maybe I need to do an English degree.
Inglish sminglish.
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