# Help with a cryptic crossword

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-a-cryptic-crossword/208430>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 20, 2003, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-a-cryptic-crossword/208430 "2003-10-20T00:38:51Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![manwithaplan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@manwithaplan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manwithaplan)\
**Post date:** [October 21, 2003, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-a-cryptic-crossword/208430/21 "2003-10-21T15:33:26Z")

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Golden Gate Bridge, and  
French Bread

GEGS (9,4)

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**Author:** ![everton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecb155/32.png) [@everton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/everton)\
**Post date:** [October 21, 2003, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-a-cryptic-crossword/208430/22 "2003-10-21T15:50:03Z")

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GEGS (9,4)

Scrambled eggs

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**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\
**Post date:** [October 21, 2003, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-a-cryptic-crossword/208430/23 "2003-10-21T16:54:59Z")

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I don’t know whether it is true or not, but I heard a story about a clue of “An embarassing mistake” (8). I’ll put the rest in a spoiler so you can have a go at the clue.

A: spelling. Unfortunately, a proof-reader spotted the clue and changed it to “embarrassing” before being published.

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**Author:** ![Omphaloskeptic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bcef8e/32.png) [@Omphaloskeptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omphaloskeptic)\
**Post date:** [October 21, 2003, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-a-cryptic-crossword/208430/24 "2003-10-21T19:44:30Z")

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Shouldn’t “A jammed cylinder” be

jelly roll?

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**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\
**Post date:** [October 21, 2003, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-a-cryptic-crossword/208430/25 "2003-10-21T20:02:21Z")

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No, because the clue originally appeared in the Times (of London) 😉  
Meanwhile, “GEGS”, “hijklmno”, “ICUM” and “Pain!”, nice though they are, are not Cryptic Definitions, they are reverse cryptics, wherein the answer defines the clue rather than vice versa. End of nitpick.

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