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Seeker
15-03-21, 09:28 AM
I do crosswords, the ones I choose are not particularly hard, so I decided to up my game and do cryptic ones. They are driving me nuts!

Examples:
this one isn't too hard; "selected some nachos? Enjoy" (6)

it's the last 4 letters of nachos and the first two of enjoy, and you get a word meaning "selected". (chosen)

Another simple one: "huge amount of money for melody" (7)

I'll answer that one later. ;) See if you can solve it.

This next one I still don't understand: " scientist on holiday in rubbish location" (6)

I know the answer (through cheating) but I don't see how they reached it. The third letter of the answer is an "F" which didn't help me at all. Can you solve it?
admin
15-03-21, 10:18 AM
I struggle with these as well. My father said that you had to get into the head of the crossword setter, once you knew how they thought you would find it easier.

It's the answer Fortune?

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Seeker
15-03-21, 10:52 AM
Is the answer Fortune?

yes. :)

now, what about the scientist...
Adam Ef
15-03-21, 11:32 AM
Refuse
Seeker
15-03-21, 11:49 AM
Refuse

nope. I, too, got bogged down trying to include a reference to "rubbish" and I don't see one in the answer which is what it so exasperating.
yokohama
15-03-21, 12:10 PM
It's boffin
off (on holiday) inside bin - rubbish location. B-off-IN
Seeker
15-03-21, 12:59 PM
It's boffin
off (on holiday) inside bin - rubbish location. B-off-IN

correct :) and thanks for the explanation. It's obvious when someone points it out...
yokohama
15-03-21, 01:16 PM
As Admin says earlier, it's important to get into the mind of the crossword creator. I used to do a lot of Guardian cryptics many years ago although it was rare to fully complete one. The paper tended to have different crossword writers every day and each one had their own mindset and clue traits with some more difficult than others.. The Christmas Eve one, usually a biggie with a theme and sometimes no clue numbers would keep me going for days. Here's an example.
https://media.guim.co.uk/b8a2e1183bac2abcbc6b141c2963be87958c21dc/43_93_1129_1556/1129.jpg
Craig380
15-03-21, 04:36 PM
I've always liked this cryptic clue: Gegs (9, 4)
SV650rules
15-03-21, 05:15 PM
I've always liked this cryptic clue: Gegs (9, 4)

scrambled eggs
SV650rules
15-03-21, 05:20 PM
It is important that you get into the mind of cryptic crossword compiler. If they change the compiler it takes a while to get back into the mind of the new one, mind you some cryptics would fool Bletchley Park or GCHQ, even when you have the answer you can't see how the clue relates to it. Cryptic is from Latin crypticus, meaning 'hidden'.... and some really are.
Sir Trev
15-03-21, 05:34 PM
Please stop. As someone who just cannot get in to crosswords at all (The Sun's coffee time defeats me!) You are making my head hurt. Now number puzzles I enjoy. But not words. Good job I'm an accountant really...
chris8886
15-03-21, 08:58 PM
Please stop. As someone who just cannot get in to crosswords at all (The Sun's coffee time defeats me!) You are making my head hurt. Now number puzzles I enjoy. But not words. Good job I'm an accountant really...



with you there on the sudoku front Trev!
punyXpress
16-03-21, 09:44 AM
Sudoku?
Nothing at all to do with numbers - they are just shapes or pictures!