Tag Archives: solution

Cryptic crosswords are all about definitions. You can’t have equation between clue and answer without some kind of definition IMO. Back in my cryptic learning days at school in the 1970s we used to solve The Guardian cryptic every week … Continue reading →

I was doing my regular scan of the Net looking for interesting cryptic things when I came across an article about an English setter, Philistine, who had been talking cryptics on a radio program. He had put together a puzzle … Continue reading →

Some word puzzle chestnuts just won’t go away. Talk to puzzle solvers long enough and GEGS (Answer: Scrambled eggs) and HIJKLMNO (H to O; Answer: Water) are bound to turn up and be cited as “classic” cryptic clues. I think … Continue reading →

A couple of weeks ago a crossword friend sent me a link to an article about a newspaper group (McClatchy) in the States, specifically the Centre Daily Times (CDT) changing its puzzle page. If you take time to read it, … Continue reading →

I see the use of language as a fundamental part of any cryptic clue. It’s all language, of course, but as each clue can have multiple (separate) parts, the way it’s put together to relay the answer is crucial. In … Continue reading →

I’ve come across a number of blogs recently with postings equating easy cryptics with the number of anagrams they contain. It’s certainly true that the (full) anagram is probably the easiest and quickest type of clue to write, but there … Continue reading →

In 2006 the Macquarie Dictionary people asked me to consult on their Macquarie Crossword Dictionary that hadn’t been updated since the first edition in 1990. With just about everything stored on computers, there was a real opportunity to create a … Continue reading →

I often get asked “Do you have a book?” or “Have you thought about writing a book?” It seems to be a natural progression for someone in a profession, especially one like crossword writing, where there are aren’t many people … Continue reading →

Clue-writing competitions are common on the internet. There are a number of different types like the public ones run through the Google group, rec.puzzles.crosswords, or club ones like the Times or in the ACC’s magazine, CroZworld. Sometimes they are impromptu, … Continue reading →

Crossword blogs are a great source of information regarding particular crosswords, but more, they provide insight into the psyche of crossword solvers. I have taken many comments from crossword blogs and used them as a basis for cryptic comment of … Continue reading →