CRYPTIC CROSSWORDS: How do you do them, and are there any good resources on how to solve them?

Question

I want to impress my Granny, who is magic at cryptic crosswords - please help!

Answer 1

yes you can text any sort of question wether its a general or cryptic one to 63336 its called AQA (all questions answered) its amazing!!

It works everytime and the answers that come back are really in depth and well explainded! its a great little number to have!!

Answer 2

You can buy books that explain how the crossword setters write the clues, how to recognise that you are looking for an anagram or whatever. Amazon have a selection, just search 'how to solve cryptic crosswords'.

After that then it is just a question of practise. If your Granny enjoys cryptic crosswords then she would probably enjoy showing you how she gets the answers. If you want to surprise her then just buy the newspaper every day - you can practise and you get the answers the following day so you can work out why the answer is correct.

I taught my boyfriend how to do cryptics - now it is very competitive between us for who answers most/finishes first!!

Have fun!

Answer 3

A few years ago from a catalogue I bought a crossword handkerchief; as well as a crossword to solve it also had masses and masses of information on how to solve cryptic crosswords, how to recognise anagrams, etc. and was really good. If you can find one anywhere it contains great and helpful information, which I've never found in any crossword book. If I can find any more info about it I'll add to my answer later.

Answer 4

I learnt to solve cryptic crosswords by checking the answers with the clues, one by one, and trying to justify the answers.
This is an arduous task, but helps you to put yourself in the mind of the compiler and work out his line of reasoning. Though time consuming, this exercise leaves an indelible print of solving methods in your mind.
Some people have responded here giving references to various sites, but I personally prefer the hard way I have described above. Once you are able to explain the solution of a clue, its sheer beauty hits you like a gunshot, and you get great thrill out of it. Thereafter you can start solving cryptic clues yourself with a good degree of success. I would commend some great cryptic crosswords that appear in British newspapers.
If your granny is great in solving cryptic crosswords, and if she has a YA e mail ID, can you give it, so that I could exchange notes with her? Thanks.

Answer 5

Just remember they're WORD games, not tests of your knowledge. For example, the word "flower" might mean a river (something which flows). Once you think among those lines, and do a few, you'll pick it up.

There are certain rules that the compiler has to follow, for instance the clue has to contain a proper definition of the answer, even though it may be disguised. Otherwise, you're entitled to call "foul!"

For example, the word "and" should be put between two different ways of saying the same thing, e.g.

Clue - Become disenchanted with high-diving and lose one's temper 2,3,3,4,3.

Solution - Go off the deep end.

See how knowing about the "and" makes it read differently?

There's loads more, good luck!

Answer 6

A great book is Collins The Complete Crossword Companion by Jeremy Howard-Williams (ISBN 0583333281)

Answer 7

I love doing cryptic crosswords (okay, trying to do them!)

You normally have two ways to get to the answer - a clue and a way to work out the answer. Try the below websites and find out which one you understand best! (I prefer bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A563690)

Buy a newspaper two days in a row and work out where the answers came from!

Good luck - and enjoy yourself pushing those little grey cells!!!

Answer 8

i love them, you have to think very laterally, but when you get a real difficult answer its great, its like anything just practice and you get to know the ideas they use !!

I would answer your maths question, but i dont even understand the question.lol

Answer 9

they are for grown ups, solve your 3 piece puzzle and work your way up....