Cryptic crosswords

[GeoffW]

I enjoy cryptic crosswords, although the not too difficult variety. I couldn't, for instance, solve something like The Times crossword - and I mean that I probably couldn't solve a single clue.

So I thought I'd try my hand at compiling one myself. I've never really seen the subject being discussed in here, so I assume that I'm all alone in this particular amusement. But, just in case, here's my offering.

I have several more just in case anybody is interested, though I suspect they won't be.

https://crosshare.org/crosswords/MJMU1C ... -cryptic-1

[ChrisGreaves]

So I thought I'd try my hand at compiling one myself. I've never really seen the subject being discussed in here, so I assume that I'm all alone in this particular amusement. But, just in case, here's my offering.

Geoff, I fired it up and it works. Well you knew that anyway, but I thought to let you know that a total stranger to the page has given it a shot. I quickly solved two clues, got a third one wrong, and worked out how to remove a faulty answer (Hint: <DEL> key )

So "Well done, that man!")

I wrote a puzzle generator back in the 70s and had fun with the algorithm to fill in the squares with real words ("First catch your dictionary")

Cryptics themselves are a puzzle to me. My vocabulary is OK, my brain is acutely warped, friends have been telling me for fifty years that I ought to be good at them, but I am not. I get frustrated too easily. And like you, all too often, I give up after getting just the one of two words. (Not that case today; today is another busy day here ...)

I have several more just in case anybody is interested, though I suspect they won't be.

I am interested and will for sure try them.

Question: How would you go about rating/fabricating them on a level of difficulty? I think that this is a major problem if only because "difficult" is a subjective measure of the user, not the designer.

If you were to grade your "several more" as YOU see them, that would be a start for me.

I did not (yet) save my work to Google, but when I do that suggests a mechanism for unlocking one or more answers: Suppose that after a period (24 hours?) after saving, one clue could be unlocked? A time-release mechanism, which would be a helping hand for those roto-tillers who are struggling?

Thanks for this. You have filled a valuable gap in Eileen's Lounge.
Cheers, Chris

[HansV]

I'm having a go. I solved a few clues almost immediately, then got stuck. Will look again later.

[ChrisGreaves]

I'm having a go. I solved a few clues almost immediately, then got stuck. Will look again later.

316862 Across: A cross Administrator calls on a Panoramic Lounger for helping Hans

Cheers, Chris

[HansV]

[ChrisGreaves]

If you were to grade your "several more" as YOU see them, that would be a start for me.

For those of you new to crossword puzzles:
The words that make the solution are not the difficult part; but getting the words is.
The words are obtained from the clues.
And as Hans and I both know, the clues can be the very devil at times!

My basic understanding of cryptic crossword clues is that they can be classified into different types. Explanation of Clue Types provides a list of 15 types.

I would be VERY interested in a set of puzzles (i.e. CLUES) of a specific type.
For example, perhaps I am good at Anagrams, but not so good at Homophones.

A puzzle with only anagrams as clues would be a good puzzle just before light-out, whereas a puzzle with Homophones would be better suited to a three-hour train trip across Europe.

For someone who (like me) would like to be good at cryptic crosswords before the lights go out, I am really looking for an instance of a puzzle with (say) fifteen sets of clues. Choosing the Anagram clues would let me solve the puzzle lickety-split; choosing the Homophones version would shut me up for three hours.

Same words as solutions, but fifteen clues for each word.

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Something like the table of ratios of clue-types shown above.
Then the Hanss and Chriss of this world could dial up a ratio of each type

Is this asking too much? It would be a great training tool.

I suspect that I am really looking at a computer-assisted method of generating a dictionary with fifteen clues per word. That would be a reference database for the puzzle publisher.
Cheers, Chris

[GeoffW]

Somebody pointed out a typo in one of the answers, so I had to change a few words around to fix it. I've changed the link in the first post.

[GeoffW]

Answering the question Chris raised, the difficulty rating I think is given by the site or the administrator, possibly based on how quickly he solves it.

And as far as unlocking clues. This software allows letters, words, or the whole crossword to be revealed - the eye icon at the top.

[ChrisGreaves]

So I thought I'd try my hand at compiling one myself.

Well I am embarrassed.
Because GeoffW is so clever I just assumed that he had written the program, set up the web site etc.
How my estimation of him has fallen!
He was just arranging words into spaces and writing up some clues.

So you-all - especially GeoffW - can ignore my suggestions for grades/types of clues etc.
If anyone does that, I guess it'll have to be me
Cheers, Chris

[StuartR]

I used to love doing cryptic crosswords, but after my favourite compiler (Araucaria) died I stopped, and I think I have lost some of the skill.

I had a quick go at this one and got about 1/3 of the answers, but then I had to go out. I will try again later.

[StuartR]

I found this harder than I should have done because the clues did not give word length(s) of the answers. This is especially important when the answer is more than one word.

[HansV]

I'm afraid it's too difficult for me, English not being my mother tongue.

[ChrisGreaves]

I'm afraid it's too difficult for me, English not being my mother tongue.

You know what Hans?
Sometimes you really tick me off

Especially when you get one more word than do ***I***!
Cheers, Chris

[BobH]

Gave it a quick look. Will get back to it when I have time. Dr. appt. awaits at the mo.

[GeoffW]

I found this harder than I should have done because the clues did not give word length(s) of the answers. This is especially important when the answer is more than one word.

Thanks for the feedback Stuart. I've given the word lengths in clues where there's more than one word in the answer.

I used to love doing cryptic crosswords, but after my favourite compiler (Araucaria) died I stopped, and I think I have lost some of the skill.

I had to look up Araucaria (the word as well as the compiler). It's apparently the monkey puzzle tree. If that's an indication of the sorts of words he uses, it would be well beyond my skills.

It is a skill which can be lost. I came back to it after many years, and I found it a lot harder than when I had stopped.

I'm afraid it's too difficult for me, English not being my mother tongue.

That is definitely a factor, and I admire your command of English.

But cryptics have another dimension, which involves learning how to read and solve the clues. That can be a real challenge even in one's own mother tongue.

[GeoffW]

Here's another one

[HansV]

When my father was still alive, we used to solve the cryptic crossword in our Dutch newspaper on Sunday. We were reasonable good at it.
But solving a cryptic crossword in another language adds another layer of complexity.

[ChrisGreaves]

But cryptics have another dimension, which involves learning how to read and solve the clues.

Agreed!

[GeoffW]

Agreed!

A rapacity consented (6)
Or

Geared up and assured (6)

[StuartR]

I got all but two of your latest creation. Defeated by 1 across and 4 down. The letter counts helped.