350 replies to this topic

[Tortellini]

Are there any cryptic crossword enthusiasts out there? I have just started by reading up on the different types of clues and trying my hand at the Guardian Cryptics - trouble is I only manage five or six of the clues per crossword! Even when I cheat and look at the answers, I don't get it. Can anyone learn to do them or are some people (e.g. me) never going to get it? And here's one I really don't get - if anyone would like to explain I would be very grateful:

 

Doubt lovelorn patient eating porcino is married (10)

Answer: Scepticism

 

[JimD]

Obviously 'Doubt' represents the whole answer.

 

'Is married' gives the ending 'ism'.

 

Porcino could give you the 'p' which is inside (i.e. eaten by) 'scetic' but I can't see how 'scetic' is formed from 'lovelorn patient'.

[fsharpminor]

Well the porcino is th 'cep' bit (ie a type of mushroom).  Patient is Stoic (with 'cep' inside, ie eating it), without the 'O' (ie lovelorn, no letter 'O') gives Stic  then 'is' and 'm' for married. The whole thing is Doubt ie Scepticism.

 

Thats is rather a stinker though !

[DaisyChain]

Ascetic means that someone has chosen to live a life of denying themselves 'normal pleasures'- such as love perhaps? 

[porilo]

Fsharpminor has beaten me to it. I was going to say all of that. Honestly.   It took me a while to work out though. I actually love cryptic crosswords and I do the ones in the Daily Mail and Daily Express every day. On Saturdays I "treat" myself to the Guardian, Telegraph and Times. I have to say that the Guardian ones are quite difficult and it takes a long time to get inside the head and the way of thinking of each individual compiler. On the opposite end of the scale I personally find the Daily Express quite easy and the Daily Mail just slightly more difficult than the Express. 

[Tortellini]

Thanks all  - but why does lovelorn mean without the "o"s? Porilo - that's helpful. I think I'll try one of the "easier" ones before trying The Guardian again.

[fsharpminor]

Lovelorn means without love.  In sport (eg tennis, love means zero or 0) so it means 'without an 'O'

[fsharpminor]

The Daily Telegraph for me is the one I prefer, though I agree that the Guardian and Times are a bit harder. On Sunday I like the Sunday Times, also often a bit tricky. They also have a 'Clue Writing' competition.

 

I actully compiled Cryptic Crosswords in my Uni days for the Union newspaper. The only clue I remeber vividly is this poor effort !

 

Unusual role after composer gets round, breaking wind to get degree  (8.2.4)                 

[linda.ff]

Bachelor of arts!

[Scaredycat]

How on earth did you work that out?

[fsharpminor]

Composer is Bach, then unusual role (anagrammed) is elor, so we have Bachelor  Round is  letter o, and breaking wind is farts. We get the degree Bachelor of Arts.

[Scaredycat]

Ooh, clever. Wouldn't have got that in a million years. Both my parents used to love cryptic crosswords. I'm, however, a dismal failure with that sort of thing.

[linda.ff]

A lot like a cake-walk? (9)

[Baach]

Is the question mark part of the clue, or yours?

Anagram of 'a lot like a', anyone?

[linda.ff]

Not an anagram. The question mark I added to the original clue, though I suppose it works without it.