How to Solve Cryptic Crossword Puzzles | The New Yorker

The New Yorker
26 Nov 201908:57
EducationalLearning
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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
  • 🧩 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.
  • 🤔 American crossword puzzles tend to have more literal clues, making them easier to solve compared to the British cryptic tradition.
  • 🌟 British cryptic crossword clues are puzzles within puzzles, requiring solvers to understand the specific grammar of cryptic clues.
  • 🎯 Cryptic clues often include anagrams, hidden words, and homophones, with specific indicators like 'jumbled' or 'in a storm' to guide solvers.
  • 🔍 The definition part of a cryptic clue must be at the beginning or the end of the clue, never in the middle.
  • 🏙️ 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'.
  • 🎶 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'.
  • 🇬🇧 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'.
  • 🇬🇧 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.
  • 📚 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.
  • 🌐 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
00:00
🧩 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.

05:04
🌍 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
💡Cryptic
Cryptic puzzles, particularly cryptic crosswords, are highlighted for their complexity and linguistic playfulness. They consist of clues that are divided into two parts: a straight or direct clue and a cryptic component that employs wordplay, anagrams, homophones, or other forms of linguistic tricks. This distinction is fundamental to understanding the unique challenge they present compared to more straightforward puzzles, as exemplified in the video when 'place to go stare endlessly' cleverly clues 'loo' by instructing the solver to remove the 'k' from 'look' (stare endlessly), leaving 'loo'.
💡American-style clue
In contrast to cryptic clues, American-style clues are generally more literal and straightforward. This style of clueing is often found in American crosswords where the clue directly leads to the answer without the layered complexity and wordplay characteristic of cryptic clues. The video contrasts this style with cryptic clues by discussing common American clues for the word 'loo', highlighting the difference in puzzle-solving approaches between American and British traditions.
💡Language play
Language play is a core aspect of cryptic puzzles, as it involves manipulating words, sounds, and meanings to craft clues that are both misleading and accurate. This concept is illustrated in the video through examples like anagrams, homophones, and truncations. The enjoyment and challenge of cryptic puzzles often lie in decoding this playful use of language to arrive at the intended answer.
💡Anagram
Anagrams are a popular form of wordplay used in cryptic clues, where letters in a word or phrase are rearranged to form a different word or phrase. In the video, the initial guess for solving 'House of Pain debuts, "Jump Around", three' involves thinking of an anagram, demonstrating how solvers must consider various forms of language manipulation to decipher clues.
💡Homophones
Homophones are words that sound alike but have different meanings and possibly different spellings, which are used in cryptic clues to add another layer of challenge. The video discusses how cryptic clues sometimes play with homophones, requiring solvers to think about words that sound similar to the answer but are spelled differently, as illustrated in the clue for a 'stringed instrument untruthful person heard.'
💡Definition part
In cryptic clues, the definition part serves as the straightforward component that directly refers to the answer, akin to traditional crossword clues. The video emphasizes that in cryptic clues, the definition is always located at either the beginning or the end of the clue, never in the middle. This rule helps solvers anchor their thinking and start unraveling the clue's cryptic part.
💡Cryptic part
The cryptic part of a clue introduces the wordplay, requiring solvers to engage with the clue beyond its surface meaning. This can involve anagrams, deletions, homophones, and other forms of linguistic tricks. The video illustrates this with several examples, including the cryptic clue for 'loo,' where 'stare endlessly' clues removing the last letter of 'look.'
💡Puzzle within a puzzle
This concept refers to the nature of each cryptic clue acting as its own mini-puzzle that solvers must decode to arrive at the answer. It highlights the layered complexity of cryptic crosswords, where not only the overall crossword but each individual clue presents a unique challenge. The video's discussion around the British cryptic tradition encapsulates this idea, contrasting it with the more direct American style.
💡Language understanding
The video suggests that solving cryptic crosswords requires a specific kind of linguistic understanding, akin to learning a new language. This metaphor emphasizes the specialized knowledge and skills needed to interpret cryptic clues, such as familiarity with common indicators and wordplay techniques. It points out that mastery comes with practice and learning, similar to acquiring proficiency in a new language.
💡Indicator words
Indicator words are specific words or phrases in cryptic clues that hint at the type of wordplay being employed, such as 'jumbled' for anagrams or 'concealed by' for hidden word clues. The video mentions these indicators as part of the 'whole bag of indicators' cryptic constructors use, helping solvers identify the nature of the cryptic manipulation and guiding them towards the solution.
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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Cryptic CrosswordsBritish TraditionWordplayCrossword CluesLanguage PuzzlesAmerican CrosswordsPuzzle SolvingHumorEducational