How to Solve Cryptic Crossword Puzzles | The New Yorker
TLDRThe transcript captures a lively discussion on the art of crossword puzzles, particularly focusing on the differences between American and British cryptic crosswords. The conversation is filled with humor and examples of clues, highlighting the complexity and linguistic play involved in cryptic crosswords. The participants explore the structure of clues, which typically consist of a straight definition and a cryptic part that involves wordplay, anagrams, or hidden words. The transcript also includes a series of cryptic and American-style clues for words like 'loo', 'London', 'British', and 'Jane Austen', demonstrating the distinct approaches to crossword puzzle construction.
Takeaways
- ๐งฉ Cryptic crosswords are more popular in Britain and involve two parts: a descriptive part and a cryptic part that plays with language and word chunks.
- ๐ค American crossword puzzles tend to have more literal clues, making them easier to solve compared to the British cryptic tradition.
- ๐ British cryptic crossword clues are puzzles within puzzles, requiring solvers to understand the specific grammar of cryptic clues.
- ๐ฏ Cryptic clues often include anagrams, hidden words, and homophones, with specific indicators like 'jumbled' or 'in a storm' to guide solvers.
- ๐ The definition part of a cryptic clue must be at the beginning or the end of the clue, never in the middle.
- ๐๏ธ An example of a cryptic clue for 'loo' is 'place to go stare endlessly', where 'stare endlessly' leads to removing the 'k' from 'stare' to get 'loo'.
- ๐ถ The clue 'House of Pain debuts "Jump Around", three' involves taking the start of each word to form the word 'HOP', which is a synonym for 'jump around'.
- ๐ฌ๐ง For the word 'London', a cryptic clue could be 'east side of Teflon Don's city', using 'Teflon Don' as a reference to a city and taking the east side ('lon') to form 'London'.
- ๐ฌ๐ง The word 'British' can be cryptically clued as 'contents of P.B.R., it is half aluminium, they say', where 'P.B.R.' stands for 'pint of bitter', a British phrase.
- ๐ A cryptic clue for 'Jane Austen' might be 'Good grade for school in capital is half ten, or figure close to ten', using 'A' for good grade, 'U' for university, and 'ten' as a figure.
- ๐ Cryptic crosswords are like their own language, requiring solvers to understand the specific grammar and structure to solve them effectively.
Q & A
What is the main difference between cryptic and American-style crossword clues?
-Cryptic clues have both a descriptive and a cryptic part, involving language play and word chunks, while American-style clues are more literal and definitional.
Why are cryptic crosswords more popular in Britain than in America?
-Cryptic crosswords are more popular in Britain possibly because they require a deeper understanding of the language and its nuances, which may not appeal as broadly to Americans who may prefer the more straightforward American-style clues.
How do you solve the cryptic clue for 'loo'?
-The cryptic clue for 'loo' is 'place to go stare endlessly'. Here, 'place to go' is the straight part indicating 'loo' is a place, and 'stare endlessly' leads to removing the 'k' from 'endlessly' to get 'loo'.
What is the American-style clue for the word related to the British throne?
-The American-style clue is 'British throne, question mark', which directly hints at the answer being a term associated with the British monarchy.
How does the cryptic clue for 'House of Pain debuts' work?
-The cryptic clue 'House of Pain debuts' works by taking the first letters of 'House of Pain' (H, O, P) and using them as a synonym for 'jump around', which is the answer.
What is the anagram indicator in cryptic crossword clues?
-An anagram indicator in cryptic clues is a word or phrase that suggests the answer should be an anagram of the letters in the clue, such as 'jumbled' or 'in a storm'.
How do hidden words work in cryptic crosswords?
-Hidden words in cryptic crosswords are phrases that are hidden across two or more words, and they are often indicated by words like 'contains'.
What is the cryptic clue for 'London'?
-The cryptic clue for 'London' is 'east side of Teflon Don's city', where 'east side of Teflon' gives 'lon' and 'Don's city' gives 'don', combining to form 'London'.
How does the cryptic clue for 'British' work?
-The cryptic clue for 'British' is 'contents of P.B.R., it is half aluminium, they say', where 'contents of P.B.R.' gives 'BR', 'it is half' indicates taking half of 'aluminium' (Al), resulting in 'British'.
What is the cryptic clue for 'Jane Austen'?
-The cryptic clue for 'Jane Austen' is 'Good grade for school in capital is half ten, or figure close to ten', which leads to taking 'A' for 'good grade', 'U' for 'school', and rearranging 'Au' and 'S' from 'half ten' (10) to form 'Jane Austen'.
Outlines
๐งฉ Introduction to Cryptic Crosswords
This paragraph introduces the concept of cryptic crosswords, highlighting their popularity in Britain and the unique structure of their clues. It explains that each clue has a descriptive part and a cryptic part, where language and wordplay are used. The conversation touches on the differences between American and British crosswords, with the former being more literal. The speakers also discuss the challenge and appeal of cryptics, emphasizing the need to understand their 'grammar' to solve them effectively.
๐ Wordplay in Cryptic and American Crosswords
This paragraph delves into the specifics of wordplay in cryptic crosswords, using examples to illustrate how clues are constructed. It contrasts the cryptic style with the more straightforward American crossword clues. The speakers provide examples of cryptic clues for words like 'loo', 'London', 'British', and 'Jane Austen', demonstrating the use of anagrams, hidden words, and homophones. The paragraph emphasizes the creativity and complexity involved in solving cryptic crosswords and the joy of deciphering their clues.
Mindmap
Keywords
๐กCryptic
๐กAmerican-style clue
๐กLanguage play
๐กAnagram
๐กHomophones
๐กDefinition part
๐กCryptic part
๐กPuzzle within a puzzle
๐กLanguage understanding
๐กIndicator words
Highlights
Cryptic crosswords are more popular in Britain, known for their two-part clues that include a descriptive and a cryptic element.
American puzzles are considered easier due to their more literal clues compared to the British cryptic tradition.
British cryptic crosswords feature clues that are puzzles within puzzles, unlike the definitional clues common in American crosswords.
The cryptic clue for 'loo' is 'place to go stare endlessly', demonstrating the play with language and word chunks.
The reason for the popularity of cryptics in Britain could be attributed to cultural preferences for language play.
Cryptic crosswords require understanding the grammar of language in a unique way, much like learning a new language.
In cryptic clues, the straight and cryptic parts are not explicitly stated, challenging solvers to discern them.
Anagram indicators in cryptic clues, such as 'jumbled' or 'in a storm', signal the need to rearrange letters.
Hidden words in cryptic clues are revealed by phrases like 'contains', indicating the answer spans multiple words.
Homophones are used in cryptic clues, adding another layer of complexity to the puzzle-solving process.
The definition part of a cryptic clue is always at the beginning or end, never in the middle.
The American-style clue for 'London' humorously suggests it's a place to get bronchitis, according to Fran Lebowitz.
The cryptic clue for 'London' involves the phrase 'east side of Teflon Don's city', cleverly using wordplay.
The cryptic clue for 'British' involves the phrase 'contents of P.B.R., it is half aluminium, they say', showcasing cryptic wordplay.
The American-style clue for 'Jane Austen' references Virginia Woolf's quote about her impact on the young.
The cryptic clue for 'Jane Austen' is a complex play on words involving 'good grade for school in capital is half ten', demonstrating the depth of cryptic puzzles.
The transcript provides a comprehensive overview of the differences between American and British crossword styles, highlighting the unique challenges of cryptic crosswords.
The conversation includes practical examples of both American and cryptic clues, offering insights into the structure and solving techniques.
Transcripts
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