(no subject)

[semperfiona]

If any of you have ever wondered what cryptic crosswords meant in my interests, or have encountered one and didn't know how to even begin solving it, may I recommend for your consideration: ximenean, a daily cryptic crossword tutorial by hitchhiker (who is a hoopy frood who always knows where his towel is).

If you choose to join, read the posts in order!

Edit: corrected posting schedule

Comments

I joined it

[dakiwiboid.livejournal.com]

I'm still mostly mystified, but I joined it. Sigh. I can barely do the ones in the New York Times.

[scottak.livejournal.com]

I have trouble speaking english most days. It is best that I avoid getting cryptic with my written words...

[curgoth]

My aunt actually writes cryptics for one of the Toronto new papers. I never did get the hang of solving them though.

[hitchhiker.livejournal.com]

thanks :) but s/weekly/daily!

[semperfiona]

I'd written "daily" at first, and then wasn't sure so I changed it. I'll fix the entry.

[inkedmamajama.livejournal.com]

hi-i was searching on lj and found you and a friend of yours-im trying to find friends in this city after moving here a year ago-i live in afton and im mama to two lil girls, going back to school and blah blah blah, heh...so i friended you-take a look around my journal...let me know if you ever want to chat?

arkay

[kittentikka.livejournal.com]

If I beg your help on one I've nearly finished, will you take pity on me?

[semperfiona]

I'd be glad to try. Can't promise I'll get it either, but sure!

[kittentikka.livejournal.com]

It's the Private Eye crossword, which can be astoundingly (and very crudely) funny. The terminology may offend, and the clues and/or the answers may be vulgar, impure, or obscene.

Answers may require specialist knoweldge unavailable to you, but if so I am unaware of it. The Sun is a right-wing tabloid paper over here and recently there was a young (not black) South American shot by police for looking foreign in the wrong place at the wrong time. That probably has no bearing on the clue.

6ac - As the police’s young black victim was South American, Sun editorial much reduced? (6) S---E-

7dn - Take off second big girl’s blouse (5) --O-F

[semperfiona]

For 7dn, perhaps SPOOF?

[kittentikka.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that's a take off. I don't quite get the second bit, though. But it looks good.

[semperfiona]

S for second and POOF as a big blouse, is how I interpret it. Kind of a stretch. Does it add any letters to 6ac (which still stumps me)?

[kittentikka.livejournal.com]

Ooooh, right! It adds an S as the third letter, probably making it SUSSED. SUSpect,Sun EDitorial?

[semperfiona]

'police's victim [etc]' could be 'suspect', sure, and 'sun editorial much reduced' comes out to 'sed', but I'm not seeing a definition part though. Are the private eye clues not always strictly "fair"?

[kittentikka.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't know to be able to tell, but S US must be South America. This will make the first time I know the meaning of all the clues, so I tend to assume that there's a definition in there somewhere and wing it.