• Board index ‹ Everything Else ‹ A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
  • Change font size
  • Print view
  • Home • FAQ • Search • Register • Login

It is currently Thu Feb 21, 2019 3:03 pm

Cryptic crosswords

mind games and funny bones
Post a reply
45 posts • Page 1 of 3 • 1, 2, 3

Cryptic crosswords

Postby Philellinas » Mon Jan 17, 2011 5:14 pm

English as a language could almost have been invented for the setters of cryptic crosswords such is its elasticity and malleability. I quote a recent clue:-
Paddy field contains start of rice (5)
If you think you need to be twisted or warped to enjoy cryptic crosswords you may be right or you may be missing out on one of life's pleasures. There are no prizes, unfortunately, but an apprenticeship at GCHQ may be yours.
Philellinas
 
Posts: 518
Joined: Wed Oct 29, 2008 10:03 am
Location: Far west Levant
Top

Re: Cryptic crosswords

Postby gary booth » Mon Jan 17, 2011 7:10 pm

After some head scratching, pencil chewing and scribbling my guess is SHORT -don't worry I know it's wrong but it obeys some logic:
The word has to have an 'R' in it i.e. start of rice.
field as in Cricket = SHORT - cricket postion.
paddy = SHORT (tempered)
Close but no cigar?
gary booth
 
Posts: 421
Joined: Fri Mar 19, 2010 11:47 am
  • E-mail
Top

Re: Cryptic crosswords

Postby kevin » Mon Jan 17, 2011 10:52 pm

Strop. Field as in stop containing the first letter of rice.

This is one of my favourite cryptic clues from a long time ago.

H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O. (5)
kevin
 
Posts: 811
Joined: Wed Dec 14, 2005 4:58 pm
Location: Amen Corner
Top

Re: Cryptic crosswords

Postby Dominic » Tue Jan 18, 2011 3:52 am

Water (H to O)

Here's another:
Of, of, of, of, of, of, of, of, of, of (10)
Dominic
 
Posts: 1680
Joined: Wed Feb 16, 2005 1:48 pm
Location: From Clapton to Clapham, daily
  • Website
Top

Re: Cryptic crosswords

Postby Con Murphy » Tue Jan 18, 2011 9:19 am

Dominic wrote:Water (H to O)

Here's another:
Of, of, of, of, of, of, of, of, of, of (10)


Often.

Virtually directed at those camping (2,3,7)
Con Murphy
 
Posts: 2202
Joined: Tue Jun 08, 2004 9:41 am
Location: Stoke-Barehills
Top

Re: Cryptic crosswords

Postby NormanD » Tue Jan 18, 2011 9:25 am

Con Murphy wrote:
Dominic wrote:Water (H to O)

Here's another:
Of, of, of, of, of, of, of, of, of, of (10)


Often.
Con, your answer doesn't fit the clue

A ten letter word is needed, no? Maybe 'oftentimes'?
NormanD
 
Posts: 6190
Joined: Sat Jun 12, 2004 8:28 pm
Location: 77 Sunset Strip
  • E-mail
Top

Re: Cryptic crosswords

Postby Con Murphy » Tue Jan 18, 2011 9:38 am

NormanD wrote:
Con Murphy wrote:
Dominic wrote:Water (H to O)

Here's another:
Of, of, of, of, of, of, of, of, of, of (10)


Often.
Con, your answer doesn't fit the clue

A ten letter word is needed, no? Maybe 'oftentimes'?


Oops.

Frozen water sun-beaten and rehabilitated (1, 5, 9)

Never do the x-word before the third coffee's kicked in.
Con Murphy
 
Posts: 2202
Joined: Tue Jun 08, 2004 9:41 am
Location: Stoke-Barehills
Top

Re: Cryptic crosswords

Postby Pete Fowler » Tue Jan 18, 2011 1:06 pm

I used to love Bunthorne in The Guardian:

Gegs? (9,4)

and

IST? (10)
Pete Fowler
 
Posts: 175
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 12:58 pm
Location: Macclesfield
Top

Re: Cryptic crosswords

Postby NormanD » Tue Jan 18, 2011 1:08 pm

Pete Fowler wrote:Gegs? (9,4)

Scrambled eggs

I was going to pose that one
NormanD
 
Posts: 6190
Joined: Sat Jun 12, 2004 8:28 pm
Location: 77 Sunset Strip
  • E-mail
Top

Re: Cryptic crosswords

Postby Con Murphy » Tue Jan 18, 2011 2:36 pm

Pete Fowler wrote:IST? (10)


No-one's answering this one because it's too easy, right?
Con Murphy
 
Posts: 2202
Joined: Tue Jun 08, 2004 9:41 am
Location: Stoke-Barehills
Top

Re: Cryptic crosswords

Postby Philellinas » Tue Jan 18, 2011 2:47 pm

Con Murphy wrote:
Pete Fowler wrote:IST? (10)


No-one's answering this one because it's too easy, right?


I couldn't get beyond CAPITALIST but that did seem rather non-cryptic.
Philellinas
 
Posts: 518
Joined: Wed Oct 29, 2008 10:03 am
Location: Far west Levant
Top

Re: Cryptic crosswords

Postby Pete Fowler » Tue Jan 18, 2011 4:55 pm

No, you're right (capitalist) and I thought it was clever - well, it took me bloody ages one Saturday morning. Put me quite off my Brian Matthew, so it did. (Why am I suddenly becoming Jim MacDonald? - tell you why, I just saw him in our local Tescos)
Pete Fowler
 
Posts: 175
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 12:58 pm
Location: Macclesfield
Top

Re: Cryptic crosswords

Postby Hugh Weldon » Tue Jan 18, 2011 7:08 pm

So you did.

A friend appeared in a play with him a year or so back, apparently he throws in all those 'so you dids' and 'so you ares' whatever the script says. He's not heading back to Corrie after the recent bloodbath is he?, can't remember how he was written out last time.
Hugh Weldon
 
Posts: 2156
Joined: Sat Jun 12, 2004 12:01 pm
Location: London N11
Top

Re: Cryptic crosswords

Postby David Flower » Tue Jan 18, 2011 11:30 pm

the Bunthorne clues are slight cheats really. Unless otherwise stated there should be a definition in the clue somewhere. The best setters always manage that, and the best clues are those that are elegant, make sense in themselves and yet are still devilishly misleading
David Flower
 
Posts: 871
Joined: Fri Jun 18, 2004 3:08 pm
  • Website
Top

Cryptic crosswords

Postby Philellinas » Fri Jan 21, 2011 11:49 am

Three more elegant clues gleaned from yesterday's T------- Toughie:-
Arterial route with a junction in unfinished road repair (5)
Some setters sloppily accepting 'the ultimate in technology' for 'hi-fi' (6,6)
Why Enigma Variation writer isn't Elgar (9)

Please send answers on a post to the usual address. The Big (Unpaid) Society still cannot afford any prizes.
Philellinas
 
Posts: 518
Joined: Wed Oct 29, 2008 10:03 am
Location: Far west Levant
Top

Next

Post a reply
45 posts • Page 1 of 3 • 1, 2, 3

Return to A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest

  • Board index
  • The team • Delete all board cookies • All times are UTC [ DST ]
© 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 phpBB Group