The Daily Telegraph once did an article about me and cryptics at my home at the time in Thornleigh, and asked if there was someone around who could pose as they took a photo of me explaining how cryptics worked. I grabbed my young neighbour and he played his part. From that time, 15 years ago, my student and I never spoke of cryptics and my family moved away a relatively short time after and we didn’t keep up the relationship. Things changed a few months back. I received an email from the former neighbour, now in his late 20s, asking about writing cryptics. (When I knew this neighbour, he was probably about 14 years old.) It was difficult at first thinking of him as fully grown-up, as that wasn’t my memory of him, but there was no doubt from his emails that he had a pretty good grasp of cryptic setting and the fact that he approached me for help demonstrated a certain level of maturity. It turns out our brief time in the spotlight did nothing to spark an interest in cryptics, as he didn’t take up solving until a few years ago and very quickly migrated to having a go at writing clues and now crosswords.
He has asked me to look over his work and provide feedback. I sent him a cryptic crossword book (Teach Yourself Crosswords by Alec Robins – out of print, but secondhand copies are available) that I consider to be essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the basics of cryptics (setting and solving), as most people start out with the limited knowledge they have gleaned by solving particular crosswords. The result is usually a clone of the crossword they solve, complete with any bad habits setters might have, and no true understanding of how cryptics work. Now I’m answering questions on ticklish subjects like “is black head = B ok”, order of operation in clues and definitions that imply rather than implicitly state. I like talking about such things and no doubt some of the results of this correspondence will end up on this blog.
I’m always happy to answer questions about setting and solving either through the blog or by email, and I’ll solve your crosswords too as long as you remember that I’m not called The Stickler for nothing.
| Across | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | BOOKSTALL | |
| Where to get a novel rubber-stamp used in organisation of ballots (9) | Ok inside anagram of BALLOTS | |
| 6 | SAPID | |
| Savoury guacamole, say, when offered around (5) | (DIP + AS) reversed | |
| 9 | GOT UP | |
| Trade union, after work pressure, won (3,2) | (TU after GO) + P | |
| 10 | FINANCIAL | |
| With money organised, I can put in terminal (9) | Anagram of I CAN inside FINAL | |
| 11 | THE WHOLE SHEBANG | |
| Cut openings in bag then ruined everything (3,5,7) | (HEW + HOLES) inside anagram of BAG THEN | |
| 12 | STREAMED | |
| Moved quickly on banks of river broken up into separate flows (8) | STEAMED outside R | |
| 14 | CENT | |
| Small amount of money mailed expressly (4) | Sounds like SENT | |
| 17 | GAME | |
| Number involved in playing American sport (4) | playinG AMErican | |
| 19 | SEDATEST | |
| Incomplete vehicle check is most uneventful (8) | (SEDA)N + TEST | |
| 23 | RESURRECTIONIST | |
| Old body snatcher is engaged by recruiters not needing preparation (15) | IS inside anagram of RECRUITERS NOT | |
| 25 | GO IT ALONE | |
| To act independently, Information Technology invested in design by individual (2,2,5) | IT inside (GOAL + ONE) | |
| 26 | DWELT | |
| Reflection of blue paint ultimately remained (5) | LEWD reversed + PAIN(T) | |
| 27 | RANDY | |
| Hot alcoholic drink without a head (5) | B(RANDY) | |
| 28 | ENTERITIS | |
| Admit it is an intestinal problem (9) | ENTER + IT + IS | |
| Down | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | BIGOTS | |
| Prejudiced people operate in small sections (6) | GO inside BITS | |
| 2 | OUTLETS | |
| Rents more places than stores? (7) | Double Definition | |
| 3 | SAPPHIRE | |
| Computer program used in government area is a gem (8) | APP inside SHIRE | |
| 4 | AFFILIATE | |
| Two fellows in trouble scoffed behind the back of one associate (9) | (FF inside AIL) + (ATE after I) | |
| 5 | LINKS | |
| Head of Lloyds signs bonds (5) | (L)LOYDS + INKS | |
| 6 | SANDED | |
| Parts of benches (and edges) should be smooth (6) | bencheS AND EDges | |
| 7 | PRIVATE | |
| Soldier snoops briefly around tank (7) | (PRIE)S outside VAT | |
| 8 | DELEGATE | |
| Agent from eastern section accepting an external appointment (8) | (E + LEG) inside DATE | |
| 13 | ENACTMENT | |
| Item regularly found in canteen violated a law (9) | I(T)E(M) inside anagram of CANTEEN | |
| 15 | AGAR-AGAR | |
| A newspaper backed and reproduced setter (4-4) | [A + (RAG reversed)] repeated | |
| 16 | SECONDER | |
| Person who supports a motion may be censored in an unconventional way (8) | Anagram of CENSORED | |
| 18 | MISSION | |
| Fail to see one on task-force (7) | MISS + I + ON | |
| 20 | TRIDENT | |
| Transport in explosive missile (7) | RIDE inside TNT | |
| 21 | GREASY | |
| Like oil as ingested by horse (6) | AS inside GREY | |
| 22 | STATUS | |
| Doctor’s immediately taking on American position (6) | STAT + US | |
| 24 | ERODE | |
| Grind down shaft fixed in the centre of wheels (5) | ROD inside WH(EE)LS |
Knew 12a SPREADED could not possibly be right.
But could not get past SP****ED.
158 was a Christmas Treat David, now for New Years.
David
Your blog reminds me that we cannot always predict the outcome of a random act. It is heartening to learn that at one of the “next generation” is interested enough in words to start generating puzzles. I wish him well. This year I was pleased that my two grandsons in years 4 and 6 were able to share solving several clues in David’s puzzle, so perhaps our language is not dying.
My attempts to clue are feeble, and I fail to persevere, so I stand in awe of those who can regularly challenge me to a match of wits.
That said, it is easier to dissect a clue than it is to create one.
So I will only be a little churlish when I comment on the plural/singular in 12a. The clue led me up many paths before I remembered that the Flying Scotsman had set records.
Like Richard I enjoyed the Christmas challenge, and look forward to another year of puzzling. Roll on 2017 and puzzle No 160.
David,
I particularly enjoyed this. It might help that I got it out without any aids but I appreciated all sorts of things: “rubber stamp” = OK; “when offered around” as (very appropriate) reversal indicator; the pretty much invisible seam in “playing American sport”; “reflection of blue = DWEL” and, again, the inconspicuous seam in “blue paint”; “accepting an external appointment” to put DATE around something; and everything about 15-dn, especially the definition.
I did, however, spend a while on 27-ac wondering how “hot” defines HANDY – until I realised I needed a stronger drink!
I’m pleased to report that I had no trouble with 12-ac., though STEAM = move fast obviously relates steaming to the forms of transport that preceded steam engines, and might seem odd to younger solvers. It’s no longer in even the Complete Macquarie (assuming it once was), but it’s in the Oz Oxford, Collins, Chambers and probably others too, so clearly, fair game.
Thanks,
Steve = : ^ )