Job Discussion Forums

dmb · Joined: 12 Feb 2003 Posts: 8397

Are Cryptics just a British thing. I have never seen them in any US newspaper.
An example of a cryptic clue

HIJKLMNO (5)

once again · Joined: 27 Jan 2003 Posts: 815

Water.

I will let you explain why. Laughing

Chris_Crossley

The letter sequence "H to O" is a pun on the chemical formula for dihydrogen monoxide (though a lot of people would simply say, "hydrogen oxide"). I assume that people do know what that formula is? (Ha, ha!) Very Happy

IanN · Joined: 31 Jul 2004 Posts: 78 Location: Valencia

How about this one then.

GEG (9,3)

dmb · Joined: 12 Feb 2003 Posts: 8397

leeroy · Joined: 30 Jan 2003 Posts: 777 Location: London UK

I am a big fan of "Coffee Time" crosswords, like those found in quality publications such as The Sun and The Mirror. Mostly it's just synonyms ("Vehicle. (3)").

I just don't get Cryptic clues at all - even once I have the answers..

"Yellow Elephant waters lower once inside charcoal - she suggested? (9,3)"

wtf? Smile

In fact, a work colleague is training me at the moment. She has completed a cryptic crossword for me, and my homework is to decode the answers to work out the crossword "code" - which I am assured does in fact exist.

(By the way, that's not a real crossword clue, I just made it up!)

dmb · Joined: 12 Feb 2003 Posts: 8397

IanN · Joined: 31 Jul 2004 Posts: 78 Location: Valencia

Larry Parnell · Joined: 06 Jun 2004 Posts: 172

leeroy · Joined: 30 Jan 2003 Posts: 777 Location: London UK

You're both wrong - but I'll give you a clue.

It begins with "B", and ends with "s".

There's a vowel in the middle Smile

Guest · Posted: Fri Nov 05, 2004 7:19 pm Post subject:

There is no way in the world that my small brain can cope with Cryptic Crosswords, however I did suffer withdrawal symptoms from ordinary Crossword Puzzles when I first came to China 15 months ago.

I had been avidly doing Crossword Puzzles for the previous 15 years and where I live in China, there are absolutely no English newspapers or magazines.

I now have to satisfy myself with online word games and the site is quite good - it is :

www.wordsurfing.co.uk

greentea · Joined: 28 Jun 2003 Posts: 205

A few sites:

http://www.uclick.com/puzzles/

http://www.latimes.com/services/site/la-crosswords-ssipage,0,2662050.ssipage

http://guides.lycos.com/uexpress/crossword/print.asp

http://www.billboard.com/bb/crossword/index.jsp

http://puzzles.about.com/library/features/dailyxwd/qprsat.htm

http://my.aol.com/entertainment/crossword/printcurrent.psp?date=041114

http://uproar.com/ (for Rhonda)

dmb · Joined: 12 Feb 2003 Posts: 8397

IanN · Joined: 31 Jul 2004 Posts: 78 Location: Valencia

Scrambled Egg

dmb · Joined: 12 Feb 2003 Posts: 8397

of course. It's obvious now. Cheers Ian.