The Age Cryptic by LR #20620

I don't know about you but I found this one was tough. I'd struggle along and then Ah! I see it plain as day. Maybe I was just having a slow day? Maybe this puzzle was the equivalent of a Magic Eye image? I broke in with the SW corner and then across to the NE and finished in the SE.

1A - Concentrate! Line one at call centre (7)

Wow, starting with a shout I chose to ignore. "Concentrate" is our definition and "line" = CORD and "one" = I with "cALl centre" = AL to make fruit concentrate CORDIAL.

5A - Loves getting promotion to swamp head supervisor (7)

"Loves" is our definition and "getting promotion" is a bit misleading as it makes us think about job promotion but it's more advertising promo to make AD and "swamp" = MIRE and "head Supervisor" = S to make ADMIRES.

9A - Language is almost dead, and popular! (5)

"Language" is what we're looking for and "almost dead" = LAT(-e) "and popular" = IN for the dead language LATIN. Is this clue a semi &lit?

10A - Band encountered every single accountant (9)

"Band" is what we're looking for and "encountered" = MET, "every" = ALL, "single" = I and "accountant" = CA for a chartered accountant to make METALLICA. Awesome.

11A - Opposition leader sees shrink (7)

"Opposition leader" is who we're wanting and when we "see" something" shrink" we'll see it SHORTEN. for Bill Shorten, the current opposition leader for Australia (I include that more for the visitors from Canada, USA, India and the UK. I get a lot from Russia, too but they're mistakenly sent here for porn. They must be really disappointed.)

12A - Seal off intimate video (5,2)

Double definition: CLOSE UP.

13A - Helps Middle East sisters eliminate queen (7)

"Helps" is our definition and "middle eASt" = AS  and "SIST(-er)S eliminate queen" = SISTS as we take out the ER (Elizabeth Regina) from "sisters" for ASSISTS.

15A - Yearbook showed little Alistair, Guy and Nancy regularly (7)

"Yearbook" is our definition and "little AListair" = AL and "guy" = MAN and "nAnCy regularly" = AC for ALMANAC.

18A - Vice-monarch going down (7)

"Going down" is our definition and a "vice" = SIN and a "monarch" can be a KING for SINKING.

20A - Disciple of cryptic setter frames first puzzle (2,5)

"Disciple" is who we're after and "cryptic SETTER" is anagrind and fodder that will "frame" or go around the "first Puzzle" to make ST. (P)ETER.

22A  - Skype with topless boyfriend in French castle (7)

"French castle" is our definition and the program/app "Skype" lets you have a video CHAT with others. A "topless boyfriend" = (-b)EAU to make a CHATEAU.

24A - Investigate former Palestine group again (7)

"Investigate" is our definition and something "former" = EX, "Palestine" = P, "group"  = LO which I don't understand and "again" = RE to make EXPLORE. I don't know if "Palestine" is supposed to be PL and "group" = O as in the blood group but I can't find an abbreviation of Palestine that's PL. It's usually PS or PSE. I saw PNA as well. I'm just not sure where the L comes from.

25A - United Nations quietly left when Henry's wife died without warning (9)

"Without warning" is our definition and "United Nations" = UN, "quietly" = P for piano, "left" = L and "Henry's wife" = ANNE (he had a few) and "died" = D to make UNPLANNED.

26A - City loop's also known as...? (5)

"City" is what we want and "loop's" = O'S and "Also Known As" = AKA as it commonly does for the Japanese city OSAKA.

27A - Very thirsty for good French red mixed with cherry base (4,3)

"Very thirsty" is our definition and "good French" = BON as it's good in French, "RED mixed" is partial fodder and anagrind with "cherrY base" = Y to make BON(E DR)Y.

28A - Like our iPad app! Like it and note review (7)

"Like our iPad app!" is the definition - I'm happy to see someone else who enjoys an exclamation mark as much as I do! Bloody great! "like it" = DIG IT and "note review" = LA for the note and then reverse it to AL to make DIGITAL.

1D - See ancient photos of wintry periods (4,5)

"Wintry periods" is our definition and "see" = C and "ancient photos" = OLD SNAPS to make COLD SNAPS.

2D - Toxic stuff asphalt returned by post office to one boy (3,6)

"Toxic stuff" is our definition and "asphalt" = TAR being "returned" for RAT and "post office" = PO, "one" = I and "boy" = SON for RAT POISON.

3D - Burns when kiss is rejected by existing crush (7)

"Burns" is our definition and "kiss rejected" = -X from "E(-x)ISTING crush" leaves our fodder and anagrind to make IGNITES.

4D - Fruit for the French Jamaican man (5)

"Fruit" is our definition and "the French" = LE and the French word for "the" and "Jamaican man" = MON as it's how the Jamaicans say "man" to make a LEMON.

5D - Tyrants get gold bed raised above vermin (9)

"Tyrants" is our definition and "gold" = AU, "bed raised, above" = COT reversed to TOC for a down clue and our "vermin" = RATS for AUTOCRATS. It took me a while for this because I thought "get au" was a container and I was trying to get "au" somewhere in the middle or around the A from 15A.

6D - Turnbull married drunk student at mass (7)

"Turnbull" is our definition and "married" = M, "drunk" = ALCO as a slang word for a drunk (I think) and a "student" = L then "mass" = M to make MALCOLM.

7D - Mention rear (5)

Double definition: RAISE. "Mention" as in to raise the subject of something and "rear" is when a horse raises on its hind legs or to raise children.

8D - Pointed to southern string instrument (5)

"Pointed" is our definition and "southern" = S and a "string instrument" = HARP for SHARP as in direct and to the point. How I like my friends. I have no time for BSAs.

14D - Weaver uses Singer you repaired (9)

"Weaver" is who we're looking for (not me, sadface) and "SINGER YOU repaired" is fodder and anagrind to make SIGOURNEY Weaver the famous actress.

16D - Turn of the century couches and shirt? Hold it right there... (3,2,4)

"Hold it right there" is our definition and "turn of the century" = TON (100 in cricket/100 years) reversed to NOT and "couches" = SOFA and "shirt" = T for a tee-shirt to make NOT SO FAST!

17D - Surprise when mongrel at empty venue gets dance (9)

"Surprise" is our definition and "mongrel" = CUR and "empty VenuE" = VE  and a "dance" is a BALL to make CURVEBALL. Yay, a baseball reference!

19D - Country lad, nice sort (7)

"Country" is what we're looking for and "NICE LAD sort" is fodder and anagrind for ICELAND.

21D - Grandpa's on Glee beginning hit tune (3,4)

"Hit tune" is our definition and "grandpa's ON" = POP'S ON and "Glee beginning" = G for a POP SONG.

22D - Morsel for poor bum under chair outside (5)

"Morsel" is our definition and "poor BUM" is partial fodder and anagrind which will go "under" ChaiR outside" = CR to make CR(UMB)

23D - Ski resort in Naples evicts 50 roughly (5)

"Ski resort" is what we're after and "NAP(-l)ES evicts 50" means to pull the "50" = L out of "Naples" to leave NAPES and then "roughly" is an anagrind to remix for ASPEN.

24D - Friend Edith's content to be finished (5)

I got to this corner last and then this clue last and thought "Hey there haven't been any hidden word clues!" and look and see LR did fit one in.  Definition is "finished" and our signpost is "content" showing us that in "friEND EDith's" is ENDED and quite fitting for our last clue.

All done! So the only query I have is with 24A and where the L comes from otherwise, although it took me a while, I got everything else figured out. As always let me know if you got a different solution or came to the answers another way. I've not seen the solution yet so I could have errors here.

Hope your Monday was kind.

Just an extra; my husband was picking on me today when he caught me holding two pencils and wondered why. It may look weird but I don't want to use the eraser in my fancy pencil so I use the Bic eraser, and write with my Rotring. He thinks it's weird but It's very natural for me. I used to study with a highlighter in my left hand going over notes and textbook and then my right hand had two colours of pen where I'd write definitions and topics in one colour and explanation and details in another. I made myself ambidextrous this way to make study faster. Anyone else have weird habits like that?

The Age Cryptic by DA #20,618

A theme! A themed DA strikes fear and dread in many but not me! I fib, but I was ready to dig right in. Here all of the across clues are in theme but lack a definition with only one mystery down clue included in the theme. I scored 3D first then 12A and 9A which set me up for the theme which is Comedians! I'd first thought comedy duos but it was just comics and I was happy to see two women represented, too. As I'd worked the puzzle from top to bottom I waited a while for them to show.

Just remembering all across clues are comedians:

8A - I shortly renamed sexes as extremes (8)

"I" followed by "shortly renamed" = CALLED (-D) with "sexes as extremes" = Male & Female put to the "extremes" of our answer to make Shaun M(I)(CALLE)F. He's a bit of a silver fox, isn't he? I'll watch anything he's in on TV. I love his admiration of the classic comedy greats.

9A - Zeppelin pilot fished from Blue Lakes holding (6)

"Zeppelin pilot" = Z being "fished from blue" = A(-Z)URE where "fished from" is a deletion signpost with "Lakes holding" must mean LL with "holding" as a container to make Stan L(AURE)L. I've not seen "lake" becoming an L before so I'm not sure but it seems most likely.

10A - State celebrity (4)

"State" is a homophone signpost and "celebrity" = IDOL and gets us Eric IDLE.

11A - A right odd turn, getting stuck into pot (4,6)

I had this with cross letters but I'm stumped o the solution. I got as far as "A right" = AR  and "an odd turn" doesn't seem to work as taking out odd letters or as a reversal of something so maybe it's the ILL part? I don't know how we get BILL MURRAY. I asked over at the D.A. Trippers and got help from Ray and Mort. "pot" = BILLY as in a Billy can and I was on track with AR, it was "odd" that was throwing me as it means RUM and I fell on this element last week, too. "Turn" is then the reversal signpost so it's like this: BILL (MUR + RA)Y

12A - Everyone surpassed 31 days (6)

"Everyone" = ALL and "surpassed" means to put ALL after "31 days" = MAY for the dearly missed Rik MAYALL. My heart is still a bit broken, I adore him.

14A - Stylishly accepting news... (8)

"Stylishly" = COOLY which will be "accepting news" = NN I guess for "network news?" to make The Big Yin Billy CO(NN)OLLY. I had the first and last two in place and my husband got the answer for me. He was very chuffed with himself for getting one, even though he didn't know how.

15A - ...bloke recalled sweet FA (7)

"Bloke" = CHAP and "sweet FA" is slang for nothing or NIL being "recalled" or reversed to make Charlie CHAP(LIN).

17A - Unit's regularly insecure... (5,2)

Sneaky DA! Hiding actions in compound words. He does this to us twice  in this puzzle. "UnItS regularly" = UIS going "in" a word for "secure" = LOCK to make LO(UIS) C.K. which is not a (5,2) he's a (5,1,1) and that held up the SE corner for me.

20A - ... at family's happening (8)

"at" = AT, "family's" = KIN'S and "happening" = ON (as in "it's on, this is going to happen!") to make Rowan ATKINSON. I don't know why the ellipses though for these clues.

22, 26A - Top secret ring infiltrated past summit (6,8)

This one was just wicked. I got it from cross letters but I had to play the ABC game to get the first letter W. "Top secret" = WIG with a "ring infiltrating" (I changed the tense) = HOOP to make W(HOOP)I G and then "past" = OLD and "summit" = BERG for WHOOPI GOLDBERG. I'd not considered a "berg" as a summit before so this clue really was a solve it after you solve it kind. Even then it was damned tough and concentrated in the SE corner so it took ages to solve out that section.

23A - Horse races initially delayed, detained by dancers (4,6)

Again, I got this with cross letters and I'm not sure what "horse races" gets us that we may have to drop a first letter indicated by "initially delayed" but I know "detained by dancers" = JIVERS splitting around to be J(OAN R)IVERS. So it must be a "horse" = ?OAN...I think I see it. ROAN and "initially delayed" means to drop the R to the back as OANR. I knew roan was a type of coat colouring in dogs but didn't know it applied to horses as well or was a type of horse. I am not a horse person.

24A - Throwback sheep? That's wrong (4)

It is very wrong, stop throwing sheep! "Throwback sheep" = RAM being reversed to MAR and "that's wrong" = X as the red mark on an incorrect answer to become MARX and you can choose your favourite brother. I like Harpo, I'm a sucker for slapstick.

25A - Case as covered by dregs (6)

This is saying we want the word CASE but we will "cover" the letters AS with a synonym of "dregs" = LEES to become C(LEES)E

1D - Beginning to fasten bad fracture in Robin's basin? (8)

"Robin's basin" is our definition and our "beginning" = BIRTH which will "fasten" around "BAD fracture" to be BIR(D BA)TH.

2D - Speaker opening (4)

This is the mystery theme in the down clues and it's another homophone like 10A with "speaker" being our signpost and and "opener" = DOOR for Bryan DAWE. A complete unknown for me and my accent didn't help me. I had the cross letters and thought maybe Hale and Pace which DA used in one of his older theme puzzles around partners. Thinking of old Roman speeches starting with "Hey'all!" or something.

3D - International doing well to grab FIFA medal in finals (6)

This was my first solved. Jump to the end for the signpost "finals" and notice "doinG welL tO graB FIFA medaL" = GLOBAL for "international".

4D - A couple fellows vanquished reported plague (7)

"Plague" is our definition and "A couple fellows" = A FF with "vanquished reported" = LICKED/LICT for AFFLICT.

5D - Bally lovebird? (8)

Here's the other example of hiding elements in a compound word. "Bally" = FLAMING as "bally" is a mild curse meaning damned and "ring" = O to make FLAMINGO as our "bird" and what a sneaky trick.

6D - Our price to roam Caribbean Island (6,4)

"Caribbean Island" is what we are looking for and "OUR PRICE TO roam" is fodder and anagrind to make PUERTO RICO.

7D - Moan about internet trouble (6)

"Moan" is our definition and "about internet" where "about" is a reversal signpost here and "internet" = WEB/BEW and "trouble" = AIL to become BEWAIL.

13D - Thorpedo first to cash in computer maker's gadgetry (10)

"Gadgetry" is our definition and the "Thorpedo" is for IAN Thorpe the Olympic swimmer, "first to Cash" = C "in computer maker's" = APPLE'S that'll take "in" IAN+C to be APPL(IANC)ES.

16D - Fired up one Fairfax setter with constant wine (8)

"Fired up" is our definition and "one" = I, "Fairfax setter" = NS with "constant" = PI the mathematical constant 3.14... with "wine" = RED to become INSPIRED.

19D - Frantically urged on bear (7)

"Bear" is our definition and it's not the fluffy, snarly kind. "frantically URGED ON" is anagrind and fodder to become UNDERGO. I guess in the manner of bearing hardship or tolerating something?

21D - Pleasure drive also gained travel tips by adventure's end... (6)

"Pleasure drive" is our definition and "also" = TOO with "TraveL tips" = TL and "adveturE's end" = E to make TOO(TL)(E)

22D - ...in judicious (or thematic) fashion? (6)

"in judicious fashion" that could also be on theme by having a comedian's name? WISELY is our answer and think of Ernie Wise of Morecambe and Wise. Is there another famous comic named Wise? I don't know if this is right solution but it's how I got there.

24D - Mafia ultimately bury dick at sea? (4)

I got the answer quick from wordplay but not understanding how. I had thought "Mafia ultimately" = M but then there was nothing for us to do with "bury" and he definition is "dick at sea" so rethinking it  we try "mafia" = MOB and "ultimately burY" = Y to make MOBY.  Just had to swing that "ultimately" to the other side.

That made up the sum of my Friday. We're having a birthday party today for my daughter who turned 11 this week at a laser tag place with a bunch of sugar addled kids. I'm looking to take in a movie this weekend, or soon as well. I really want to see the new Mad Max Fury Road. Hope you enjoy your weekend!

Guardian Cryptic by Brummie #26,570 and LR's Twitter Freebie

I did crack on and got two puzzles solved yesterday. I get mixed results with a Guardian puzzle but this one wasn't a huge challenge and was kind to newbies. I think knowing the California geography helped me but it's hard to take off the Aussie slang hat and put on the British slang hat and put my mindset into another country's thinking. I had to remember that Brits call petrol stations "forecourts" I have no idea if Aussies use that word, too. Here's the pic:

12,24D - Tramp's boxing arena rebuilt with tin - you can't get lower than that (7,6)

With cross letters I was able to guess MARIANA TRENCH and then try and figure out the anagram in reverse. With two anagrinds I found it difficult to suss out what to mix. I think ARENA and TIN get us most of the way and then "Tramp" = MARCH to give us the rest of the letters but I wasn't sure. It seems the best bet.

I do wonder about the use of an apostrophe plus S because sometimes it's part of the fodder and other times it's not. Is there a rule regarding when the S is to be used or not or is that all part of the solving work for us poor sods?

21A - Nosey creature's salt-covered "eye" (5)

I needed all the cross letters in place and then checked this was right because I cannot see the wordplay at all. I don't know how "salt" is being used. I'm guessing "covered" is a container signpost and "eye" = I and TAPIRs have a mini trunk to make them "nosey" but I'm missing the "salt" part here.

2D - "I live with soul in torment" misconception (8)

I had all of this but just want to be certain that "live" = L in the same way "dead" = D otherwise I wasn't sure where one of the Ls came from for ILLUSION. I had this as I = I and "live" = L with  "SOUL IN torment" and remaining fodder.

@LRxword sometimes gives us an old puzzle of his that's never been seen before. I don't know I have everything right as I've not seen the solution. This one is a wee bit risqué but still fun to solve. Also it has a few errors which LR says is because the puzzle's never been test solved. They were easy enough to figure out; like 4D and 5D have their clues swapped and 13A should be 14A and I think the L is not parsed in 10A unless we're supposed to use CAL instead of just CA for California's abbreviation. I had the wrong first word in for 1A (Best instead of BANG) which screwed up the top left corner for me. I did like 8D and 21A. I didn't do as complete a breakdown as I usually do so I hope there's no trouble. Ask anything in the comments and we'll discuss.

Today I'm giving the new Vlad in Guardian a try and I've printed the Age's NS. I'm getting things organised for my daughter's 11th birthday party this weekend. I love making up treat bags. This year they'll get playing dice. All kids love dice games right? I'll add a couple rules for some non-gambling games they can play. Happy almost Friday.

The Age Cryptics by RM and DH #20,614 & 20,615

I had such a struggle with Monday's RM that I gave up with several unsolved. With the solution today I was able to figure out the clues but I have a few gaps. Yep, she kicked my butt big time. I got through today's DH with some struggle as well but I did get there in the end. I had to take a gardening break between rain showers to hack back a few shrubs in my frustration but all is good!

First the RM:

23A - Takes turns in order to inflate prices (7)

I had nothing here. I can see that "takes turns" gets us ROTATES but the wordplay has me completely stuffed.

4D - Resplendent almost intoxicated fellow (7)

I (think) knew how to solve this one but I couldn't think what word for "intoxicated" was being docked if it is the solution.

16D - One who renders something enduring is stifled by opposition member (9)

I had this as "enduring is stifled" = LAST(-s) and an "opposition member" = PEER but I'm a letter short and I can't figure how the wordplay works.

24D - School dress upsets loony in charge (5)

I get that a "school dress" = TUNIC but the wordplay again is not making itself clear for me. I don't know if "loony" is an anagrind for IN but then what do the CUT mean for "in charge" I just cannot get.


Tuesday's DH I did manage to solve. There were a lot of anagrams and three hidden word clues - isn't that excessive? I thought there could be only one. Here's that pic:

17D - Golf clubs right? Various ones about? (7)

I guessed it was going to be PUTTERS or DRIVERS but what does "Various ones about" mean? Unless I'm completely wrong and it's just a coincidence that DRIVERS fits.

21D - Ernie embracing the Italian back in New York Island (5)

Once cross letters were in I knew it was ELLIS but I didn't know who "Ernie" was (I googled and found a golfer named Ernie ELS) and I thought "Italian back" would be IT reversed to TI not IL -> LI.

That's me. Have a good day!

The Age Cryptic by DA #20,612

I had a hard time here! Many of the clues were very tight with only three or four words to play with. There were three letter answers that are always tough in a DA. I got through about half and then gave up. Went back every so often and would get one more. After dinner I got a DM from Celia Fate on Twitter who prodded me to keep going and get it finished - not allowed to slack off! We chatted for a bit and with her help I got it done - Thanks Celia!

I fell into a few pitfalls that held me up like I had UNDER PAR in 12A instead of BELOW PAR and I put in BEAM for "True light bearer" instead of TRAY. 23D took me far too long because I forget Aussies call all candy/sweets a LOLLY so I was thinking of "sweet" as a term of endearment. For 25A I'd never heard of "cipher" = O but the dictionary confirmed (hinted by Celia) so no wonder I couldn't make what seemed an obvious anagram work for me.

I  don't have time for the full breakdown of everything but I think my notes are pretty good. If there are any questions I'm happy to get a discussion going in the comments. I'll list the one's I'm not fully sure of below. Here's my pic:

15A - Nintendo icon gained contract with strings attached? (10)

I just wanted to be sure I have this one right. "Nintendo icon" = MARIO and "gained" = NETTED but "contract" means to shrink NETTE(-D) leaving MARIONETTE. I stared at this clue for ages and that's what I have but I felt the definition would have more but it does work.

21A - Sugary doughnut linked to worst heart in tourist mecca (8)

Again, just want to be certain I have this right. "Doughnut" = O and "woRst heart" = R going into "tourist mecca" = VENICE for O(VE(R)NICE) it's just the word MECCA threw me as I was thinking of the Middle East and why Venice? It could've been any tourist spot. I'm not even sure I like "sugary" as a synonym for "overnice" but that's me being a bit grumpy.

2D - Last empty sounding wind instrument? (11)

I got this with cross letters and the definition of "wind instrument" but I'm not sure how the clue works to get us to WEATHERVANE.  I'm not sure if "empty-sounding" is a homophone indicator and if it is what the homophone is we need.

6D - Perhaps 3-down way to reverse decay (3,3)

Even though I had 3D CAMEROON I don't understand what I'm supposed to do to get the "decay" = DRY ROT.

13D - Step in for mauling, protecting lame foot after lions arrive (5,2,4)

With a hint at D.A. Trippers that this was a dance step I set to google to help me out because the wordplay isn't working for me. When I saw PRIDE OF ERIN I thought "lions" could work for PRIDE. I think it's "IN FOR mauling" as part fodder and anagrind with "lamE foot" = E but it was too much for me to guess "lions arrive" = PRIDE to get the solution.

26D - Nail part of a pontoon (3)

I get that "Nail" = ACE as is to nail/ace a test or exam, but what do pontoons have to do with anything? I figure we need to reduce a larger word meaning "pontoon" containing ACE to get the answer but I don't know what that is. I know pontoons to be floatation devices. I did look in the dictionary as opposed to a thesaurus and saw Pontoon is a card game like Blackjack - so is ACE the card?


That's me done. I was out in Geelong with family getting some schtuff together for my daughter's birthday and popped into my favourite haunt Mindgames (I spend a fortune in there) for a card game of my own called Fluxx. I've been playing it on my mobile phone but I got the proper game to play with the family. Mother's day tomorrow and I shall insist on may board games! Then some Tokaido and finally a round of Lords of Waterdeep (another game I play on my phone, too) before letting everyone free to bleed their brains on Youtube.

Happy Mother's Day to the Moms out there, both here and gone. (I'll be phoning mine on Monday morning, she's in Florida) Have a great weekend!

The Age Cryptics...a few of them and my solution!

I was mighty distracted with getting the puzzle done for yesterday and fell behind on other puzzle stuff, but I have done the Age puzzle everyday. I printed off the Guardians, too but haven't looked at them - I should just do them online and not waste the paper as they're often the ones I never get around to finishing.

Monday's RM was all right... I thought 5A was a bit odd. I only had to cheat for 27A and not being very religious I wan't too bothered about not knowing that one. Here's the pic:

24A - While I have a meeting on another continent... (4)

I got the answer from definition and cross letters but I don't know how from wordplay. I assumed we take the A from the clue but the rest I don't know.

27A - A monk needs one theoretically (1,6)

Okay I'm not all right not knowing what's going on here. You know, I may be better off letting this one slide after all.

21D - Tried and got go-ahead without European resolution (3,1,2)

Again I got this from definition and cross letters. Is it "go-ahead" minus the E from "European" then mixed to give us HAD A GO? But that leaves only "got" or "resolution" as anagrinds and "resolution" isn't near the fodder and "got" is not a common anagrind is it? No I'm being silly, "got" = HAD doesn't it...no I think I was closer the first time.


Yesterday's DH had a few hard nuts to crack... and I had to cheat on two. Here's that pic:

10A - Hart gets recognition in prediction of course (9)

I got this with definition "prediction of course" and cross letters. I only know "hart" as a male deer so I don't know if it's the surname of a certain person or how "getting recognition" fits in there or if "getting" is a container signpost or not.

4D - Very big quarry for fish hawk (6)

I had this from the first letter to get OSPREY from "fish hawk"  but I wonder if "very big quarry" refers to the bird itself or in the hunting of the bird, which I believe would be illegal everywhere. I think they're protected in some countries. I'm confused on this clue.

8D - Innate characters in German city churches (8)

I had to cheat on this one. I'm guessing "innate characters" is the definition but how do we get that from "in german city churches" I would like to know because I'm not finding a German city and "church" in German is kirche so I'm stumped.

Today's DP has given me a rash...  I've said before I like these puzzles the least and should just do the Guardian and let it go but habits are hard break. Here all I have is a whinge, so talk me down if I'm wrong, please. Also my red pen was missing but I did peek at a couple with the check button:

9A - Spare to make an added-on room (4-2)

I do not see how the wordplay "Spare to make an"  gets us the answer LEAN-TO which to me is a makeshift shelter.

12A - Argument about microphone on stick (7)

Answer is POLEMIC "microphone" = MIC and "stick" = POLE but the wording would work better for a down clue not an across as the MIC is not really on the POLE and because of this I hesitated for far too long to get the solution in the grid.

2D - Fish got confused at trial (3-4)

This was an anagram clue and "confused AT TRIAL" was the anagrind and fodder to make RAT-TAIL how does "fish got" make RAT TAIL? I don't get this one wee bit.

22D - Otherwise hurls up a greenish powder (7)

If this had come sooner I'd have quit earlier on. I pegged "greenish powder" as the definition and "otherwise HURLS UP" as anagrind and fodder but SULPHUR is not green. It's yellow. I fudged about with this until the cross letters feel in to say it was SULPHUR for the answer but yellow is not greenish and it was very misleading. I'm in a huff.


Last but not least is the solution to my own puzzle that I published yesterday:

Thank you to all who gave it a go, and you can tell me where it needs work, I won't cry. After all the crap I dished up here it would seem only fair to put my chin out there too. I appreciate it that anyone would give it a shot.

Apologies again for the puzzle-dump. Have a good night!

Happy Blogaversary!!

Today Crypticrochet turns one. It's been a great year! In 2014 my New Years' Resolution was to finally understand cryptic crosswords. To put in the effort and learn how to solve these puzzles. I've been a long time puzzle solver - My mom got me my first subscription to Games magazine in 1986.

Through my teens and early twenties I would have breakfast, sometimes with my parents but often alone, at a local diner which was run by a family friend named Paula. Between cooking orders she'd come to the counter and we'd work as a team to solve the daily crossword in the Boston Herald, an American style, straight puzzle. I loved these days. I loved the solving a puzzle with a friend and occasional diner who'd chip in an answer here and there. This is small town at its best.

I went to university and found not as many puzzle solvers and a poverty that made buying a daily paper impossible. Instead my cafeteria friends and I would play epic Gin Rummy games. Hard to believe that was what uni kids in the 90's were doing but we sometimes had people waiting their turn to sit in the next hand. You have a couple hours between classes? Gin rummy. Ask me to play now and you'll have to explain the rules. I don't know the official rules because we made up our own. (Yelling and pointing "Fuck You!" for anyone found hogging the aces was one)

At 23 I moved to Scotland and got married. It was a place where breakfast at a diner was a solitary affair. You don't talk to strangers and strangers don't talk to you. Having a puzzle in front of you is not an invitation to socialise - it's a wall shutting you out from everyone else - I'm busy doing this, leave me alone. New rules again. I didn't like these rules. Even worse, the puzzles in the paper were weird.

I tried asking others why the puzzles were different and I couldn't get an explanation I was happy with - "They're cryptic" seemed to validate my opinion but wasn't much of an explanation. I abandoned trying and just waited for my Games magazine to come (a continued present from my Mom) until they closed down again and I was without puzzles for several years.

In 2006 I made my NYR to finally understand cryptic crosswords. I bought books explaining them and a couple of collections - Big Book of The Daily Telegraph Cryptic Crossword #16 and Secrets Of The Setters - How To Solve The Guardian Crosswords by Hugh Stevenson. I read them - well I tried to read them. I tried the puzzles and got no where thinking if I just bashed through some kind of pattern would emerge, something would be recognisable. No offence meant to Hugh, I just don't think I was quite in the headspace to understand with the distractions of my then 6 & 2 year old daughters. I was trying to solve cryptic clues with a plain clue mentality. I think at that point I managed to be able to spot anagrams as the few puzzles I tried (And I don't know if reading a book on how to solve Guardian puzzles and then trying to solve Telegraph puzzles was the problem?) but what was missing was the ability to recognise things like "around" = CA or C and "About" can mean so many things it's impossible to assign it one job. There was little solid ground for me to get a footing and eventually I put the challenge aside and decided I'd train to run a half marathon instead - that would be easier.

2014 I renewed my NYR challenge to understand cryptic crosswords. I started with the Geelong Advertiser as it had a puzzle with cryptic and quick clues, and The Age. I'd buy the paper each day and try to reverse solve the clues. On a good day I might get five answers which one could hardly consider satisfying. I was also getting frustrated because I did not know why this part of the clue meant that part of the answer.

After a few months of this I was making very short progress. One particular day I was having a rant about something and my husband suggested "Why don't you blog about this stuff. You're a good blogger." which was more likely his plea for me to stop talking to him about puzzle frustration because he really doesn't care (Same goes for me having to listen to his rants about software releases and progress on data blah blahs) and perhaps find like minded people. Find my own online diner gang of puzzle people.

I started the blog and Twitter account on a Monday morning, May 5th, 2014. I used the current puzzle - the LR in the picture at the top of the blog. My original idea was, if the cryptic stuff didn't take off I always have crochet - there's a massive online community for yarn craft. Turns out I needn't have worried. Although the traffic here is small I'm overwhelmed by the joy of finding fellow solvers. People who are happy to contribute to solutions and give background on why a thing is thing in a clue. I've found my diner.

I put focus to the big challenge: Solving the DA puzzles. I found The D.A. Trippers and lurked a while, then once I launched "Crypticrochet" I asked questions, opening up as a total noob. I broke down every clue and wanted to understand all the thinking and mechanics behind them. Then all the other compilers. One clue at a time, uncovering new elements, new abbreviations, the scary world of cricket and so on. DA causes enough puzzler's strife that a support group was inevitable.

I was never a big fan of Twitter, preferring Facebook but I gave it another try with this puzzle angle. I found most of my puzzle friends there and have learned, through trial and error, how to use Twitter as a networking tool. I really need to thank @LRxword especially for his willingness to share and support my blog on Twitter and for introducing me to more cryptic fans.

At the end of July last year a friend in the Cryptic Crossword Society on Facebook asked if anyone thought opening a second group exclusively for learners would be be good; a place for new solvers to understand what cryptic clues were and how to solve them and also start to write clues with feedback available. I instantly replied yes! We had the Cryptic Crossword Learners group up within an hour. I designed an image and we were off. That group currently has just over 2,600 members in only 9 months and it's been great to see people go from absolute beginners to writing their own clues over in CCS with confidence. My other diners.

I really did not expect to be able to say: I achieved my New Years' Resolution. How often do hear someone say that? I can now solve a cryptic crossword puzzle in the newspaper. What I don't understand, I know I have some great people around me I can ask for support. That's a wonderful feeling, so I thank all of you for your contributions, even if it was to say I had completely screwed something up.

I have trounced my NYR so hard that I have compiled my first puzzle. I was still fiddling with it last night, and it's not perfect and most likely sucks but I did one. I used Crossfire for the Mac. There's no theme, I didn't pay any attention to where to put hard or easy clues or any other kind nuance. I just copied a grid, let the program fill in words, edited out the weird ones, wrote the clues, checked they worked and here's the result:

There you go - tear it to shreds. This is why I was quiet last week. I had a couple of false starts and then I sort of figured it out. The software isn't very predictive and I'm not very technical.

I'm envious and in awe that DA can get a puzzle done start to finish in three hours. That's what thirty years of experience can bring. I'll put the solution up tomorrow, but let me know what you think.

Thanks again to you all for helping me achieve my goal. You've helped keep it fun an interesting which is the best motivation to keep learning anyone can ask for. I had thought once I had a good understanding of cryptic crosswords I'd drop the blog and move onto something else, but I've had so much fun from it that I'm keen to keep it going. Thank my husband for getting me to start this in the first place.