I solved a London Times cryptic finally

The Game Room
1

I’ve been solving cryptic crosswords my whole adult life. American ones, e.g. the ones made by Cox and Rathvon. Generally I can do them without too much difficulty.

For the last year or so I’ve been working on British puzzles from the London Times. They are far more difficult. They use a lot of obscure words, a lot of obscure meanings of common words, and worst of all a lot of Britishisms I have no clue about. So I’m happy when I can even figure out half the clues.

But yesterday, for the first time ever, I solved a complete puzzle! Allow me to gloat satisfactorily.

2

Brilliant!

3

Congratulations! Care to share a clue?

4

How dare you; isn’t “brilliant” almost a pejorative in England?

5

No, it’s just a marker of the verbal penury of the person giving the compliment.

6

That explains a lot about “Cabin Pressure”.

To the OP: You do know, I hope, that Cox and Rathvon have put their entire archive online.

7

“Study a lot of pupils fit in” (7):

CONFORM

“Fit in” is the definition. “To con” means “to study”. “Form” is a British term for what we American call a school grade.

“What’s missing from front of book? An insect” (7):

KATYDID

“An insect” is the definition. There’s an 1872 children’s novel, which I had never heard of, called “What Katy Did”.

“Father loves taking king inside hotels abroad” (9):

PARADORES

“Pa” “adores” taking “r” inside. “Paradores” are a kind of hotel seen mostly in Spain. I had never heard the term before.

8

Congratulations! I remember solving my first Times. It took me four days, but worth every minute :slightly_smiling_face: