# Cryptics **URL:** \ **Category:** Thread Games\ **Created:** [March 29, 2016, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cryptics/750525 "2016-03-29T14:43:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 16
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2016, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cryptics/750525/301 "2016-09-22T03:11:29Z")
Run ticks off American League baseball team (7) ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2016, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cryptics/750525/302 "2016-11-04T05:30:04Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > Eureka! Hurrah!! I am out of room 7!!! > > You were right about the reading of the instructions! I was overthinking it! You were right about the other thing too!!! > > 3 months! Woo-hoo!!! > > Now for the denouement. I’ve been working on the other puzzles in the article you linked to all these months ago, and I think I’ve got just about as far as I’m going to get. I’ve made no more progress on the _Bluebeard’s Castle_ one; any hints? ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2016, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cryptics/750525/303 "2016-11-04T13:35:07Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > I’ve been working on the other puzzles in the article you linked to all these months ago, and I think I’ve got just about as far as I’m going to get. I’ve made no more progress on the _Bluebeard’s Castle_ one; any hints? You were right that “taggee” was IT. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2016, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cryptics/750525/304 "2016-11-04T14:28:12Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > You were right that “taggee” was IT. I’m not sure that gets me very far. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2016, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cryptics/750525/305 "2016-11-04T15:15:00Z")
It tells you to use the code on all the final room clues, giving you the new cryptic clues in each case. I kept getting words like taggee, which made no sense. When you suggested IT for taggee, it helped break it open for me because I realized the new clues \*were \*the right way to go-- even if the results did not seem to make sense at first. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2016, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cryptics/750525/306 "2016-11-04T19:24:24Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > It tells you to use the code on all the final room clues, giving you the new cryptic clues in each case. I kept getting words like taggee, which made no sense. When you suggested IT for taggee, it helped break it open for me because I realized the new clues \*were \*the right way to go-- even if the results did not seem to make sense at first. Yeah, but I still don’t know who Britannia’s Alex is, or which letters to replace in each clue (except it’s one of 7 possibilities). I still like VELDT for 2 Down (change “lapses” to “lasses” in the clue), but that hasn’t helped me crack any of the crossing answers. Still working on it, I guess. I hope my suggestion didn’t give too much away; at the time, I was just guessing. Did you ever figure out the denouement? What did you think of the other puzzles linked from that article (I think I’ve only completely solved a couple), and did you ever read the article itself? ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2016, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cryptics/750525/307 "2016-11-04T22:47:25Z")
Replace the letters in the clues any time they occur according to the keys. I don’t have the clues in front of me, but I don’t think it remains “Britannia’s Alex.” And no, the denouement eluded me, \*even knowing the answer \* from the article. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2016, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cryptics/750525/308 "2016-11-05T04:08:08Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > Replace the letters in the clues any time they occur according to the keys. I don’t have the clues in front of me, but I don’t think it remains “Britannia’s Alex.” If so, “Britannia’s Alex” becomes “Bkitannia’s Apex”, so I don’t think I’m supposed to replace every letter. But “apex” looks promising. I guess I was assuming that I only had to do one substitution in each clue. > [@](#): > > And no, the denouement eluded me, \*even knowing the answer \* from the article. Did you find any of the other puzzles interesting? (You probably finished them so long ago you don’t remember.) I’m still working on _In a Century of Letters…_, and a couple others. Still don’t really grok _Tourist Spots_. _Teleportland_ I liked. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2016, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cryptics/750525/309 "2016-11-05T04:47:12Z")
Ah, but you \*are \*supposed to replace every letter. That was the tough thing to realize. Think of it this way: [Spoiler]If the clue said “doll’s head…” you would think of the letter “D,” right? But what if that same clue became “dqll’s head.” Dqll is not a word, but why is that relevant!? The head would be the same![/spoiler] ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2016, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cryptics/750525/310 "2016-11-05T05:56:40Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > Ah, but you \*are \*supposed to replace every letter. That was the tough thing to realize. Think of it this way: > > [Spoiler]If the clue said “doll’s head…” you would think of the letter “D,” right? > > But what if that same clue became “dqll’s head.” Dqll is not a word, but why is that relevant!? The head would be the same![/spoiler] Okay, well, that does change things up a bit, but the answers aren’t exactly leaping out at me. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2016, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cryptics/750525/311 "2016-11-05T14:49:23Z")
The new clues with the changes are still very hard. Look at what happens with 2 down. You no longer have all normal words. “Tah ta ehitokiap” seems nonsense… but how might a 5-letter cryptic answer come from it, considering the other part of the clue? 8 across is just mean (and makes me groan): Pet one of these… easte??(5) ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2016, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cryptics/750525/312 "2016-11-06T03:33:02Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > The new clues with the changes are still very hard. Look at what happens with 2 down. You no longer have all normal words. “Tah ta ehitokiap” seems nonsense… but how might a 5-letter cryptic answer come from it, considering the other part of the clue? Okay, I think I’ve got 2 down now, but it didn’t fit with 7 across, so I must have had that one wrong. I think it’s right now, too. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2016, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cryptics/750525/313 "2016-11-06T04:28:53Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Okay, I think I’ve got 2 down now, but it didn’t fit with 7 across, so I must have had that one wrong. I think it’s right now, too. Great. You got 7 across? It’s another example where the letter substitution seems like it can’t be right until you get it. Toss Eapt’s Scotch concoctions (5) ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2016, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cryptics/750525/314 "2016-11-06T05:40:13Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > Toss Eapt’s Scotch concoctions (5) Yeah, I thought it was PEATS. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2016, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cryptics/750525/315 "2016-11-06T06:19:42Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Yeah, I thought it was PEATS. Which works… but doesn’t match the crossing letter. Though is peat moss from Scotland? Heh heh. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2016, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cryptics/750525/316 "2016-11-06T17:43:14Z")
[Newest WSJ Puzzle](http://blogs.wsj.com/puzzle/2016/11/04/star-chart-saturday-puzzle-nov-5/) ---
**Author:** ![dominic65](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7bcc69/32.png) [@dominic65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dominic65)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2016, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cryptics/750525/317 "2016-11-12T10:54:18Z")
I’ve recently discovered this thread. Thanks for the tip about that Middle of the Road puzzle ([http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=19444789&postcount=214](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=19444789&postcount=214)). I needed the hint about a certain publication in order to work out precisely how to do the last part, but :eek:. I’m looking forward to trying more of the “jaw dropping” puzzles mentioned in that link, although from the sound of it the Bluebeard’s Castle one you guys have been discussing (I have tried not to peek) sounds like a toughie. A few loose ends: Health food snacks help a sick mutant (4, 5) KALE CHIPS (HELP A SICK anag.) Pirates blast Cubs (4) BUCS (anag.) Run ticks off American League baseball team (7) (R (Run) + ANGERS (ticks off)) ====== With long clothing train in spring (4) ---
**Author:** ![dominic65](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7bcc69/32.png) [@dominic65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dominic65)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2016, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cryptics/750525/318 "2016-11-12T11:10:28Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > And can you explain 11D, Repel endless group of fighters standing opposite? Yeah, I don’t get that one. Possibly “repel” = SEE OFF -\> SE OF -\> FO ES, but if that’s right then it should be something more like “Repel endless standing…” “Repel” could be a reversal indicator instead of “standing”, or maybe we need a different synonym for it. I suspect overlapping wordplay and definition, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![dominic65](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7bcc69/32.png) [@dominic65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dominic65)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2016, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cryptics/750525/319 "2016-11-12T12:17:13Z")
Wait, now I see it: group = SET endless group of = SE OF “repel” that to get FO ES ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2016, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cryptics/750525/320 "2016-11-12T13:36:15Z")
> [@dominic65](#): > > I’ve recently discovered this thread. Thanks for the tip about that Middle of the Road puzzle ([http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=19444789&postcount=214](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=19444789&postcount=214)). I needed the hint about a certain publication in order to work out precisely how to do the last part, but :eek:. I’m looking forward to trying more of the “jaw dropping” puzzles mentioned in that link, although from the sound of it the Bluebeard’s Castle one you guys have been discussing (I have tried not to peek) sounds like a toughie. > > A few loose ends: > > Health food snacks help a sick mutant (4, 5) > KALE CHIPS (HELP A SICK anag.) > > Pirates blast Cubs (4) > BUCS (anag.) > > Run ticks off American League baseball team (7) > (R (Run) + ANGERS (ticks off)) > > ====== > > With long clothing train in spring (4) If you figure out the final denouement from Bluebeard’s Castle, I’d appreciate it. ××××× WELL W+EL+L ××××× [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cryptics/750525.md?page=15) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cryptics/750525.md?page=17)