# Crosswords **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 7, 2002, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crosswords/107762 "2002-05-07T19:26:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![grimpixie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@grimpixie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grimpixie)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2002, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crosswords/107762/1 "2002-05-07T19:26:12Z")
Here’s hoping that there are some other fans out there… I am no expert, but enjoy the mental gymnastics that crosswords offer. I have recently graduated to cryptic clues (nowhere near _The Times_ standard yet) and enjoy the sense of satisfaction that you get when you finaly solve them. So, here’s a thread for you to post your puzzlers in so that the collective mind of the Teeming Millions can come to your aid, or to simply post those clues that tickled your fancy. To start - Insinuate, in a devilish manner. (5) Imp-ly Gp ---
**Author:** ![MonkeyMensch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@MonkeyMensch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MonkeyMensch)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2002, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crosswords/107762/2 "2002-05-07T21:17:49Z")
Imply ---
**Author:** ![Jojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecd19e/32.png) [@Jojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jojo)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2002, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crosswords/107762/3 "2002-05-08T00:48:04Z")
Has a fresh egg in lent, regardless (9) ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2002, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crosswords/107762/4 "2002-05-08T04:26:52Z")
negligent? ---
**Author:** ![Opus1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/858c86/32.png) [@Opus1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Opus1)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2002, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crosswords/107762/5 "2002-05-08T05:57:25Z")
Ooh! I love crosswords. I’m a pro Scrabble player, so I absolutely ace any of the anagram clues, but I’m a bit shakier on the other ones. Are there any good free cryptics on the web? My only source is my subscription to Games magazine. ---
**Author:** ![zut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zut/32/2875_2.png) [@zut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zut)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2002, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crosswords/107762/6 "2002-05-08T12:26:27Z")
This might not be what you want, **Opus1** , but there’s a [puzzle website](http://www.greylabyrinth.com/) that I frequent where there’s a discussion forum dedicated to visitor-submitted puzzles. [One thread](http://www.greylabyrinth.com/Forums/Forum5/HTML/002200.html?627) in particular is a running cryptic thread. If you like cryptics, it’s fun to page through. The thread is much like this one (but a lot longer), only they have a dummy user name, with the password set as the answer to the current cryptic. Answer the cryptic, get the password, and post your own under the dummy name. There’s some additional cryptics in their archives, but you’ll have to search. ---
**Author:** ![kabbes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e99b99/32.png) [@kabbes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kabbes)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2002, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crosswords/107762/7 "2002-05-08T12:50:57Z")
How bizarre. I do a cryptic crossword every lunchtime and _this very day_ came back intending to start a SD thread on the topic (usually I’m left with one annoying clue, which was to be the basis of the thread, though today I finished it). Coincidence or what? Best clue today, in my opinion: **Devestated brother with two men securing organ (6-7).** Though I also quite liked **The woman copper, thin, having great strength (9)** Not a classic today, however. pan ---
**Author:** ![dono](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e0b2c6/32.png) [@dono](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dono)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2002, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crosswords/107762/8 "2002-05-08T12:53:51Z")
**The woman, copper …** Herculean ---
**Author:** ![dono](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e0b2c6/32.png) [@dono](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dono)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2002, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crosswords/107762/9 "2002-05-08T13:07:53Z")
**Devastated brother …** Broken-hearted This is fun - I don’t have access to cryptic crosswords anymore. Keep 'em coming! ---
**Author:** ![Hemlock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Hemlock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hemlock)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2002, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crosswords/107762/10 "2002-05-08T13:26:35Z")
My favorites are the Financial Times and the Times. The Telegraph is OK, but sometimes a bit lame. Speaking of which, I compile cryptic crosswords for a local magazine. I’ve put a couple on my website… [http://www.geocities.com/hkhemlock/xwrds.html](http://www.geocities.com/hkhemlock/xwrds.html) I must say, it’s more fun setting the clues than answering them. I use a computer program (link on my site) to do the tedious work of putting words into the frame (you can add your own words - I include quite a lot of Hong Kong-related words). The program helps you do anagrams and so on. But obviously you write the clues yourself. It takes a bit of effort to maintain a consistent standard of easiness/difficulty. OK… **Strange goatherd’s pit we’re in** (8,4) ---
**Author:** ![kabbes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e99b99/32.png) [@kabbes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kabbes)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2002, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crosswords/107762/11 "2002-05-08T14:03:42Z")
That looks like an almighty anagram, which I’m not very good at without at least one letter. Too many options. Airtight pods? by any chance? ---
**Author:** ![kabbes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e99b99/32.png) [@kabbes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kabbes)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2002, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crosswords/107762/12 "2002-05-08T14:05:24Z")
Oh - and **Innocent guests, ill unfortunately** (9) pan ---
**Author:** ![dono](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e0b2c6/32.png) [@dono](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dono)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2002, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crosswords/107762/13 "2002-05-08T14:49:15Z")
**Innocent …** Guiltless But danged if I can figure **Hemlock** ’s out. I did searches on some really strange combinations of words, thinking that maybe it was a Hong Kong thing (perhaps a non-Yank sports reference?), but haven’t come up with anything yet. ---
**Author:** ![Hemlock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Hemlock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hemlock)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2002, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crosswords/107762/14 "2002-05-08T15:18:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by kabbes \* > \*\*Oh - and > > **Innocent guests, ill unfortunately** (9) > > pan \*\* guiltless **dono** No, my clue is much closer to home than Hong Kong ---
**Author:** ![kabbes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e99b99/32.png) [@kabbes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kabbes)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2002, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crosswords/107762/15 "2002-05-08T15:18:51Z")
Well done. On **Hemlock’s** ; best I can come up with is still “Airtight pods”. But anagrams are not my strong point. As I say, I generally have to wait to get a few letters. Try **Humming sailors with a pungent preparation** (8-5) pan ---
**Author:** ![Hemlock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Hemlock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hemlock)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2002, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crosswords/107762/16 "2002-05-08T15:28:58Z")
At the risk of being tiresome… 1. Grain found in prehistoric earthwork (4) 2. Gun for Hunter S (8) 3. Devil sounds unwell - it’s Vlad’s work (8) 4. The best of times for covering fliers? (7) 5. Prayer for Li, sunburnt youth leader (6) 6. After game, set pol awkwardly beside French tower in appeal to voters (11, 4) 7. Reprobate should be stamped on (4) 8. Being unconcerned about other people, elf tends screens incorrectly (4,11) 9. Continue pulling virago (6) 10. Woman manipulates media with odd bits of theory (8) 11. Diddley or Peep expires in trunks (6) 12. Egghead in ancient Afghanistan has cell (8) 13. Criminals use publicity campaign after middle of retrial (6) [HK-related but easy] 14. Dictator has dirt about first leader (6) 15. Let young lady see dancer (8) ---
**Author:** ![Hemlock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Hemlock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hemlock)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2002, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crosswords/107762/17 "2002-05-08T15:43:29Z")
At the risk of being tiresome… 1. Grain found in prehistoric earthwork (4) 2. Gun for Hunter S (8) 3. Devil sounds unwell - it’s Vlad’s work (8) 4. The best of times for covering fliers? (7) 5. Prayer for Li, sunburnt youth leader (6) 6. After game, set pol awkwardly beside French tower in appeal to voters (11, 4) 7. Reprobate should be stamped on (4) 8. Being unconcerned about other people, elf tends screens incorrectly (4-11) 9. Continue pulling virago (6) 10. Woman manipulates media with odd bits of theory (8) 11. Diddley or Peep expires in trunks (6) 12. Egghead in ancient Afghanistan has cell (8) 13. Criminals use publicity campaign after middle of retrial (6) [HK-related but easy] 14. Dictator has dirt about first leader (6) 15. Let young lady see dancer (8) ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2002, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crosswords/107762/18 "2002-05-08T15:47:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by kabbes \* > \*\*Humming sailors with a pungent preparation (8-5)pan \*\* Smelling salts. ---
**Author:** ![grimpixie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@grimpixie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grimpixie)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2002, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crosswords/107762/19 "2002-05-08T15:49:25Z")
As a relative newcomer to the cryptic game, can I ask people to give a few words of explanation when they solve… Herculean and guiltless I see, but I’m not sure why there should be **two** men in **Devestated brother…** As for the others ??? Gp ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2002, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crosswords/107762/20 "2002-05-08T15:57:22Z")
Generally (but not always) the clues are two-part - the actual clue (that you might find in a quick crossword) and the cryptic bit. The cleverness on the part of the crossword setter is to make the two halves add up. There are official words for these bits, but I can’t remember what they are (and I’m junior-intermediate when it comes to solving clues, too). Anyway though, the simple one I got: **Humming sailors with a pungent preparation** Humming = smelling (smelly) Sailors = salts (slang term) with a = filler words Pungent preparation = smelling salts. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crosswords/107762.md?page=2)