Cryptic Crosswords

[Michael Wallace]

I don't see how it fits perfectly. The clue suggests a singular answer (rather than "They keep going up and down") and I don't see any punny or cryptic link to bouncy castles. Am I missing something?

Amusingly I was about to post almost precisely this until I spotted that it's because you can reread one of the words in the clue (similar to ill-gotten, for instance). Clever stuff.

[Charlie Reams]

Amusingly I was about to post almost precisely this until I spotted that it's because you can reread one of the words in the clue (similar to ill-gotten, for instance). Clever stuff.

Oh, cute.

[Paul Howe]

Looks like an endorsement for the Telegraph, cheers lads.

It's somewhat heartening to know that the Times is considered difficult as this is the one I usually try, only to get stuck after 2 or 3 clues.

[Dinos Sfyris]

Amusingly I was about to post almost precisely this until I spotted that it's because you can reread one of the words in the clue (similar to ill-gotten, for instance). Clever stuff.

Oh, cute.

I missed this until I reread it. Cheers Michael

[M. George Quinn]

Yeah,I missed it too. Was too busy looking at alternate definitions of down and thinking about boobies.

[David O'Donnell]

Keeps going up and down? (6,7)

BOUNCY CASTLES fits this pretty nicely I reckon.

Nice work, Corby.

[Chris Corby]

Here is my effort at a cryptic clue

Family saloon, almost vintage, very tidy, one male owner of a degree in engineering (5,9)
_________________________________________________________________________________

I have had a bulging mailbag asking me for the solution to this (thank you Mrs Trellis from North Wales) and although the clue was aimed only at Countdown fans (i.e. not appropriate for Telegraph cryptic fans), the solving is along the lines of one of their puzzles where you solve it a bit at a time:

CAR = Family saloon
OL = Almost vintage (OLD without the D)
V = Very (acceptable abbrev of 'Very' as in "V. Good")
ORDER = Tidy
MAN = One male

which leaves you with "owner of a degree in engineering" and that is Carol Vorderman

[David O'Donnell]

Sorry Corby senior, I meant to have a crack at this one. Good clue by the way.

[Chris Corby]

Sorry Corby senior, I meant to have a crack at this one. Good clue by the way.

Cheers David. Another favourite clue of mine is (I didn't make this one up)

They hold wicked lights (6,6)

[Charlie Reams]

Chris Corby, please join Jason Cullen in the spoiler sin bin.

[Chris Corby]

Chris Corby, please join Jason Cullen in the spoiler sin bin.

Why?

[M. George Quinn]

Because I haven't seen the final yet.

[Chris Corby]

Sorry folks - have now edited my offending remark

[David O'Donnell]

Sorry Corby senior, I meant to have a crack at this one. Good clue by the way.

Cheers David. Another favourite clue of mine is (I didn't make this one up)

They hold wicked lights (6,6)

Just back online today - will have a think about this one during work.

[Charlie Reams]

A few one-word clues which I remember being impressed by (mostly from The Times):

• Starfish (6)
• Geg (9,3)
• Wolf (3)

The last one is probably a bit hard with no intersecting clues, but I'll throw it out there anyway.

[Jon Corby]

Geg (9,3)

Scrambled egg

[Ross Allatt]

... and I don't see any punny or cryptic link to bouncy castles. Am I missing something?

Yes

Keeps = castles for Charlie's benefit

I love doing crosswords, but never get enough time these days to really get my teeth into one. One of my favourite clues came from the Guardian some years ago:

Wrinkled old retainer (7)

More surprisingly (easier to solve), this one came up the other day:

No stains made by w**kers (8)

[Joseph Bolas]

A few one-word clues which I remember being impressed by (mostly from The Times):

• Starfish (6)
• Geg (9,3)
• Wolf (3)

The last one is probably a bit hard with no intersecting clues, but I'll throw it out there anyway.

For the 3rd one, I was reading it backwards and it says FLOW so I was thinking of EBB as ebb I believe means to go back and FLOW is reading backwards ?

[Charlie Reams]

Both SCRAMBLED EGG and EBB are correct

Keeps = castles for Charlie's benefit

Yeah I got there in the end.

No stains made by w**kers (8)

Onanists. (The Private Eye crossword is mostly in this style.)

[David O'Donnell]

Onanists. (The Private Eye crossword is mostly in this style.)

Always amuses, Cyclops had this clue in the last issue:

"Sexist vibrating gismo, yes ....... no ....... YES!"

[Michael Wallace]

A few one-word clues which I remember being impressed by (mostly from The Times):

• Starfish (6)
• Geg (9,3)
• Wolf (3)

The last one is probably a bit hard with no intersecting clues, but I'll throw it out there anyway.

I remember an episode of Drop the Dead Donkey where 'gegs' was a clue that one of the characters (whose name escapes me) couldn't get for the entire episode.

Is Starfish PISCES?

[Charlie Reams]

Always amuses, Cyclops had this clue in the last issue:

"Sexist vibrating gismo, yes ....... no ....... YES!"

I won't answer because I have insider knowledge, but it is quite a nice clue.

Is Starfish PISCES?

Yep

[Michael Wallace]

Onanists. (The Private Eye crossword is mostly in this style.)

Always amuses, Cyclops had this clue in the last issue:

"Sexist vibrating gismo, yes ....... no ....... YES!"

I'm guessing that's something like MISOGYNY (anagram of gismo, then, Y(es) N(o) Y(es))?

[Charlie Reams]

I'm guessing that's something like MISOGYNY (anagram of gismo, then, Y(es) N(o) Y(es))?

Yes indeed.

[David O'Donnell]

Sorry Corby senior, I meant to have a crack at this one. Good clue by the way.

Cheers David. Another favourite clue of mine is (I didn't make this one up)

They hold wicked lights (6,6)

CANDLE STICKS?

Edit: the second meaning of wicked only dawned on me on the way home from work, felt sure I would see that someone else had posted - fortunately it was far enough back

[M. George Quinn]

I finally got the answer to wolf yesterday and did a little dance then noticed Joseph had already got it and sunk into a whiskey-fuelled depression.

I remember my dad showing me this clue from the Times, as a kid, and I thought it was beezer:

_______ the Titanic didn't _______ the Titanic. (7)

George

[David O'Donnell]

After much badgering for another crossword I have decided to relent - actually it was only Dinos and even then he was merely humouring me I really don't need that much encouragement.

Here it is

There is a theme of sorts but it's a bit hit and miss (mostly miss) motivated as it was by another night of insomnia.

[Chris Corby]

Sorry Corby senior, I meant to have a crack at this one. Good clue by the way.

Cheers David. Another favourite clue of mine is (I didn't make this one up)

They hold wicked lights (6,6)

CANDLE STICKS?

Edit: the second meaning of wicked only dawned on me on the way home from work, felt sure I would see that someone else had posted - fortunately it was far enough back

Spot on David, hope you were still concentrating on your driving......

[Chris Corby]

I finally got the answer to wolf yesterday and did a little dance then noticed Joseph had already got it and sunk into a whiskey-fuelled depression.

I remember my dad showing me this clue from the Times, as a kid, and I thought it was beezer:

_______ the Titanic didn't _______ the Titanic. (7)

George

No-one seems to have got this yet but don't think we are not trying. Corby Jnr and I were discussing it over a Chinese meal today and we are both baffled by it, nowhere near getting a handle on it in fact. Thoughts were the two blanks (is that an underscore and is that relevant?) also 'Titanic' has a capital 'T' in both instances so it must be a proper noun, not another word for 'large', so apart from the ship, what other 'Titanic' is there? ICEBERG is associated with the ship but what sense does that make? No don't tell us...................................yet

[Charlie Reams]

No-one seems to have got this yet but don't think we are not trying. Corby Jnr and I were discussing it over a Chinese meal today and we are both baffled by it, nowhere near getting a handle on it in fact. Thoughts were the two blanks (is that an underscore and is that relevant?) also 'Titanic' has a capital 'T' in both instances so it must be a proper noun, not another word for 'large', so apart from the ship, what other 'Titanic' is there? ICEBERG is associated with the ship but what sense does that make? No don't tell us...................................yet

It's perfectly allowable for capitalised Titanic to mean the uncapitalised sense. Also it could be the adjective from Titan, as in Classical Greek mythology. No idea where that would lead, but just saying.

[Chris Corby]

No-one seems to have got this yet but don't think we are not trying. Corby Jnr and I were discussing it over a Chinese meal today and we are both baffled by it, nowhere near getting a handle on it in fact. Thoughts were the two blanks (is that an underscore and is that relevant?) also 'Titanic' has a capital 'T' in both instances so it must be a proper noun, not another word for 'large', so apart from the ship, what other 'Titanic' is there? ICEBERG is associated with the ship but what sense does that make? No don't tell us...................................yet

It's perfectly allowable for capitalised Titanic to mean the uncapitalised sense. Also it could be the adjective from Titan, as in Classical Greek mythology. No idea where that would lead, but just saying.

I hate to disagree with the great Soo (and of course risk a lifetime ban from the forum, which in my case is probably just a few weeks anyway) but cryptic crosswords follow their own rules. If 'Titanic' is used in this context as being gigantic, it is not permissible to capitalise it. If you want to mislead readers by suggesting it refers to the god or liner you would have to put the word at the beginning of the clue in order to get away with a capital 'T'. For example, the simple clue 'Partner of Large' (6) the answer is 'Little' referring to that great comedic duo; it would not be permissible to put 'Large' in lower case because it refers to a name but putting a capital 'L' in the clue makes it very easy. It would be a better clue to disguise the fact that it is a name, as in 'Large partner' (6) by putting the key word at the beginning. Where is Michael MacDonald-Cooper when you need him?

[M. George Quinn]

(1,4,2)

[Charlie Reams]

I would put misleading capitalisation in the same category as misleading punctuation (which is definitely allowed) but I will happily concede the point if you know otherwise.

Either way the Classical interpretation remains possible.

[Jon Corby]

I would put misleading capitalisation in the same category as misleading punctuation (which is definitely allowed) but I will happily concede the point if you know otherwise.

Either way the Classical interpretation remains possible.

I would have assumed misleading capitalisation was fine too, but I couldn't say for sure. That said, I actually don't like the idea that there are hard and fast rules about stuff like this - if the clue works, that's all there is to it in my opinion...

[Charlie Reams]

I actually don't like the idea that there are hard and fast rules about stuff like this - if the clue works, that's all there is to it in my opinion...

I think there have to be some rules to make things fun (wow, I could definitely be a PE teacher.) For example the inflection suggested by the clue ought to match the answer, or the number of possible solutions is so great that you could never be confident you'd solved it. Also I generally think it's unfair when clues are "twice removed" from the answer (e.g. ones where you have to think of a synonym and then anagram it) because there's just far too many things to try, and solving is driven by grinding rather than inspiration.

[Chris Corby]

Thanks George. I now know the answer, and you are right, it is 'beezer'. And I am pleased that the capital 'T' was correctly used!!

[Chris Corby]

I finally got the answer to wolf yesterday and did a little dance then noticed Joseph had already got it and sunk into a whiskey-fuelled depression.

I remember my dad showing me this clue from the Times, as a kid, and I thought it was beezer:

_______ the Titanic didn't _______ the Titanic. (7)

George

It's now been long enough since my last post that I presume I won't spoil anyone's enjoyment by publishing the answer - also waiting for M George to do it but hasn't - so, dear readers, prepare to be amazed:

A BAND ON

[Jon O'Neill]

That is ridiculously cool.

[Charlie Reams]

I hate to disagree with the great Soo (and of course risk a lifetime ban from the forum, which in my case is probably just a few weeks anyway) but cryptic crosswords follow their own rules.

There's a clue in yesterday's Sunday Times crossword which uses "Jersey" to refer to a jumper.

[Chris Corby]

I hate to disagree with the great Soo (and of course risk a lifetime ban from the forum, which in my case is probably just a few weeks anyway) but cryptic crosswords follow their own rules.

There's a clue in yesterday's Sunday Times crossword which uses "Jersey" to refer to a jumper.

Firstly, what are you doing reading the 'Sunday Times'? Had your newsagent run out of the 'Sunday Sport''?

Secondly, what was the answer to the clue?

Thirdly, as I desperately cling to a straw as I am drowning, the word for the jumper you described is named after Jersey fishermen who were the first to wear the garment...

[Joseph Bolas]

I finally got the answer to wolf yesterday and did a little dance then noticed Joseph had already got it and sunk into a whiskey-fuelled depression.

I remember my dad showing me this clue from the Times, as a kid, and I thought it was beezer:

_______ the Titanic didn't _______ the Titanic. (7)

George

It's now been long enough since my last post that I presume I won't spoil anyone's enjoyment by publishing the answer - also waiting for M George to do it but hasn't - so, dear readers, prepare to be amazed:

A BAND ON

This was a good clue.

I knew that the answer had something to do with splitting up the word in one of the gapes, but I couldn't work it out. I had come across this puzzle before with the same logic as the other clue.

A _______ doctor had _______ and therefore was _______ to operate (7).

[Charlie Reams]

Firstly, what are you doing reading the 'Sunday Times'? Had your newsagent run out of the 'Sunday Sport''?

Surely you mean the Morning Star? I am a student you know.

Secondly, what was the answer to the clue?

The clue was "Competitors' spectacles seen around Jersey" (4,7) and the answer is SHOW JUMPERS (unless I've screwed up the crossword, which is possible.)

Thirdly, as I desperately cling to a straw as I am drowning, the word for the jumper you described is named after Jersey fishermen who were the first to wear the garment...

"Titanic" (the ship) is named for the adjective "titanic", which comes from "Titanic" (the Classical sense), so you could make the same (bad) argument for that clue too.

You might be right that some crossword setters wouldn't use a trick like that, but unless you know the setter you're dealing with, it's best to consider all the options I think.

[Jon O'Neill]

This was a good clue.

I knew that the answer had something to do with splitting up the word in one of the gapes, but I couldn't work it out. I had come across this puzzle before with the same logic as the other clue.

A _______ doctor had _______ and therefore was _______ to operate (7).

notable

[M. George Quinn]

Cute

[Kirk Bevins]

I like that

[David O'Donnell]

Nice clue!

I meant to ask Charlie if he knew Cyclops, the Private Eye compiler, as he alluded to this fact some time ago.

Well Charlie, do ya?

[Charlie Reams]

I meant to ask Charlie if he knew Cyclops, the Private Eye compiler, as he alluded to this fact some time ago.

Well Charlie, do ya?

I don't, sorry. Did I allude to that? It was unintentional if I did.

[Jon Corby]

I meant to ask Charlie if he knew Cyclops, the Private Eye compiler, as he alluded to this fact some time ago.

Well Charlie, do ya?

No, what he said was that he was very familiar with the one-eyed riddler.

[Michael Wallace]

Another example of a capitalised word being used as a distraction (from Private Eye, in fact):

Den Skinner's thing (openly gay) (7)

(not an especially good clue, but thought I'd mention it as I'd just read it and there was some debate on the issue)

[Chris Corby]

The discussion about capitalization is my fault I think. I did the Telegraph cryptic for years (still the best one for the middle level of difficulty) and it did have certain rules. I am sure Private Eye and certain other publications do not follow any rules at all!

I think you are on the button with SHOW JUMPERS Charlie; now I am off to design my avatar. Just looked at yours Charlie - exactly when did you start shaving?

[Charlie Reams]

Just looked at yours Charlie - exactly when did you start shaving?

The photo is a couple of years old (I have a beard now.)

[Chris Corby]

MR CHARLIE REAMS - AN APOLOGY

On 28th June in this topic, Mr Christopher Corby suggested that the only way a word like 'titanic' could be capitalized in a cryptic clue was if it referred to a proper noun and not its other meaning of gigantic. He claimed this was a hard and fast rule. Well it might have been 20 or 30 years ago when he regularly completed the Telegraph crossword but not now. New compilers clearly have changed the rules as yesterday in The Telegraph a clue began "Tell Frank................" and the solution to the clue clearly indicated that "Frank" is this context was not a proper noun but a word meaning 'straight talking'. Mr Corby would like to apologise to Mr Reams for doubting his word and has agreed to pay all his costs.


Hunt, Lunt & Cunningham (Solicitors)

[Charlie Reams]

Mr Corby would like to apologise to Mr Reams for doubting his word and has agreed to pay all his costs.

Does that include my spiralling web hosting costs?

[Chris Corby]

Does that include my spiralling web hosting costs?

No, but if you are skint I do know a place where the seller of The Big Issue snuffed it so the pitch is vacant.

[Joseph Bolas]

Another example of a capitalised word being used as a distraction (from Private Eye, in fact):

Den Skinner's thing (openly gay) (7)

(not an especially good clue, but thought I'd mention it as I'd just read it and there was some debate on the issue)

I don't think anyone has solved this clue, so could you give us a nudge please .

[Michael Wallace]

Another example of a capitalised word being used as a distraction (from Private Eye, in fact):

Den Skinner's thing (openly gay) (7)

(not an especially good clue, but thought I'd mention it as I'd just read it and there was some debate on the issue)

I don't think anyone has solved this clue, so could you give us a nudge please .

Sorry for the slow reply, I've not been paying much attention lately.

This took me embarrassingly long to solve a second time, but I'll put the answer in a hard-to-read colour (although if you only want a hint then try splitting up the clue into what's likely to be the definition/construction based on the fact you know that Skinner's thing should really be skinner's thing).

HIDEOUT

[Ralph Gillions]

I see there is a programme about Cryptic Crosswords on BBC4 tonight at 9 0'clock.
The preview in my paper says "It will tickle you"

[David O'Donnell]

I see there is a programme about Cryptic Crosswords on BBC4 tonight at 9 0'clock.
The preview in my paper says "It will tickle you"

Nice one, I will be watching it smeared in honey and have my living room bedecked with hankies.

[Jon Corby]

Here's a good clue - very simple but very clever:


Tired Postman

[Paul Howe]

Here's a good clue - very simple but very clever:


Tired Postman

I'm tempted to ask how many letters, but fear I may be provoking a horrendous pun.