BEGINNER video: How to solve a cryptic crossword

Simon starts at the very beginning, explaining how to solve the Quick Cryptic that appeared in The Times on 29 Dec 17.

[@jonnyhallsworth]

"I'm sure you've all got it" I've not got a fucking clue mate.

[@ggbasiQ]

I feel like I should have a six pack after laughing this hard at your comment

[@jimc6382]

Classic! 😀

[@darkcognitive]

I had no idea this was how these crosswords were supposed to be solved, i thought i was just really, really stupid. Now i know how to solve them, I’ve realised I’m just really stupid, which is an improvement, thank you!

[@iestynjones5796]

Brilliant. You made it look so easy I was inspired to go off and try my first cryptic crossword. I managed two words and they’re probably wrong. Thanks anyway.

[@antonyduhamel1166]

That's 2 words farther than I'll ever get with these mean-spirited puzzles. I'll stick to Anti-Knight Sudoku.

[@stuartlivermore6493]

Every time I read a cryptic crossword clue, the enormity on everything the answer could be stuns and angers me. I can literally be told the answer and not know how it fits with the question at all.

[@mrscpc1918]

I am SO thrilled to have found your channel. I have wanted to learn or even BEGIN to understand crossword puzzles since reading the Inspector Morse books decades ago. With no improvement ever from my efforts! Today with your help and explanation I GOT IT ( well, a bit )! Thankyou very much. I will be back.

[@theangrymob8231]

As someone who has never been bold enough to try the cryptic before, this was so helpful. I even managed to get a few right!

[@chrisefc3579]

I cannot thankyou enough for this beginners guide. I recently started to have a go but often found myself going round the bend trying to make some kind of connection with the clues, this has switched a light bulb on for me and I don't know how this vid appeared in my recommendations but I am genuinely glad it did. Thank you once again, this has helped me more than I can say. Take care.

[@stevel6943]

Excellent explanation.I have always been frustrated, (and felt a bit dim), that I could not complete cryptic crosswords. This has helped immensely.

[@70PaulK]

Wish I'd found this channel years ago! Had always been put off by cryptics, but started to try some in the lockdown. Was really stuck beyond anagrams and hidden words, but your explanations are just great.

[@tessahankinson1504]

Thank you! I am really struggling to learn how to do cryptic crosswords but this really helps

[@amandasteele9486]

I am so so happy that he explained what "oddly" generally means in wordplay. I am just so happy for all the tidbits he shared! Will definitely revisit some old unsolved crosswords that I filed away. I can't wait to get to this level of intelligence like Simon!

[@gordonglenn2089]

This is a great primer for beginning cryptic crossword solvers. Thank you!

[@amandasteele9486]

It is indeed. I was able to get the answers for those he didn't type in the grid, once he explained what the clue was and what needed a synonym and what word meant to just take the initials and put in and removed a letter, etc. I can't wait to practice on my own. I got bored with regulard crosswords since in my early 20s but never knew how do to cryptics.

[@scottstover1644]

6

[@scottstover1644]

Crying

[@chrisjames1924]

This is a brilliant breakdown of the basic mechanics of cc's. Thank you sir

[@mattiascrowe2549]

Cheers! This is perhaps the first cryptic I got all on my own!

[@garethdowson]

Exactly what I've been looking for! Many thanks

[@CHESSTERUK]

Very useful lesson going back to basics. Thank you.

[@LimitedRegicide]

This was *fantastic* and incredibly useful, thank you! I was even able to actually finish this one thanks to your explanations and I managed to get some of the ones you solved as you were explaining them.....My high school French teachers would be ashamed of me forgetting "vert" exists though..

[@amandasteele9486]

Exactly! Me too!

[@amo4782]

Excellent video - thank you!

[@Vattember]

Well... Even though my English is not bad, as I'm having no problems with understanding in all other videos. I guess it's not enough for this, as I have almost no idea what logic stands behind those words and how could I know that this very one is valid. I think I'll stay with sudokus :P Don't worry, I still highly appreciate the effort you put in those videos and love to watch some of the arts of sudoku setters :) Stay healthy

[@frederickfritzsche97]

100% agree. Feels like this has almost no relation to actual language and is more of a game with hidden rules and regularities that you simply learn

[@kathhollandful]

Absolutely brilliant tutorial. Thank you v much. Now, looking for others!

[@TorstenSeemann]

Good video for me, who has a small amount of cryptic experience. Filled in lots of gaps in my knowledge.

[@elizah3828]

Thank you so much, this was very helpful x

[@kurtchallinor6990]

Thank you so much this was so helpful!

[@homer141]

"i'm sure you've all got it already"... ermmmmm

[@malcolmabram2957]

I am a bit stuck on this one, and could with some help: 1 across: An indefinite article. 1 down: The first letter of the alphabet. Cracked the previous week's one, and thanks for your help. It was 'I'

[@Isha-ot6tc]

What's the answer to 12 across?

[@malcolmabram2957]

@@Isha-ot6tc Phrase

[@Isha-ot6tc]

@@malcolmabram2957 thank you

[@bryanparry5661]

Are there any American Cryptics? I feel like I understand the basic principles and rules...but I had no idea that "Cheers" means "thank you" and that "ta" is a way of saying "thank you"

[@Stephen-Fox]

There are a handful of places that put them out in the US, but I'm unsure where or when they're published regularly (the info I know where to find for that is from 2012, and a lot has changed in newspapers in the past 8 years), sorry that's less helpful than you'd likely want.

[@gordonglenn2089]

You can search Amazon for books of "North American" cryptic crosswords. And GAMES magazine has 2 regular and 2 variety cryptic crosswords every month! BestForPuzzles is a website that has some nice approachable cryptic crosswords.

[@elba9066]

A good explanation of the answers you completed. It would have been nice to have given us the remaining solutions at the end so we can check how we go (since I am not in UK)

[@coryd531]

What a difference from this video to yesterday’s! Cryptic Crossword app in the works?

[@louisemcelhill5748]

Very helpful. I'm definitely beginning to get get the hang of it, but there are times when I can't identify if the definition is at the start or the end of the clue. Frustrating!! Anyway, I've managed to finish this one, except for the Latin one. Had to guess.

[@davidfranklin5426]

Ha, I thought 1 down was “FLAP”: F = loud (as in forte), LAP = noise from river (I like that a lot, actually) and, well, a paddle is sort of a FLAP if you squint hard enough.

[@jimc6382]

That's great reasoning but I hope you don't turn your mind to setting crosswords... 😀

[@WorldsPhamous]

What would be a cryptic clue for Chocolate Cake?

[@jamesoneill5070]

Chap finds his mobile wrapped in newspaper, perhaps? (4,3,5).

[@whedonobsessed]

Does anyone know of a chat room where people discuss cryptic crosswords or something? I just need someone to explain some of the ones I don't understand! For example, this one came up today: Get to a section of the waterway The answer is REACH but I don't understand why

[@amandasteele9486]

I wish there were chat rooms too. Sadly, I can't parse the entire clue. Get to means REACH but I can't figure out the "section of the waterway" bit. But I will think about it. There's a website called www.fifteensquared.com that gives the answers and why to published crytics on the Times, Guardian and Financial Times. If your clue is from one that's published you might (note I said might) be able to see why "REACH" is the answer.

[@gordonglenn2089]

It is a double definition. Reach is an uncommon description of a "section of a waterway," that is seldom used. But you would probably know it if you were into whitewater rafting.

[@amandasteele9486]

@@gordonglenn2089 thank you soo much Mr. Glenn. I guess certain experiences in addition to more reading help as well. There's no white water rafting where I'm at.

[@amandasteele9486]

@@gordonglenn2089 yes. Just found it in the dictionary. Lots of words that I know commonly as verbs are nouns too so something I will have to keep in mind as well.

[@Isha-ot6tc]

@@amandasteele9486 the site you mentioned does not work, it says the domain is up for sale.

[@zander4658]

What are the best Crossword apps for beginners (especially like Homescapes) with more important "answer key" and without buying answers? Possibly $5 or less if its cost money. Crosswords for beginners!

[@sunriselg]

Tried to apply this new-found knowledge to German cryptic crosswords. Only to find out their hints are MUCH less precise and they use much more filler words.

[@gordonglenn2089]

That is often my problem with The Times and some other British crosswords. They are much more relaxed with the rules than North American setters.

[@craigdunn3231]

It is a cool hobby

[@BigfatKev7]

For clue 8a; how did you know that even though the clue gives (3,4) as the answer, you knew that the words for "Publicises" at the beginning would have four, and "Furious" would be three, to give AIRS+HOT? I would never have known to reverse the character length in that way.

[@squidsbizarreadventure]

The answer is 3+4 "air shot" but "publicises" in present tense singular with an "s" usually means the synonym would also be in the same form. So "airs" would be correct. Since it's a 4 letter word then the only space left is 3 letters for furious = "hot". At least that was my rationale when doing this crossword.

[@user-vl9hh2lu8k]

Nice video! Is the times quick cryptic free?

[@rishitraj8811]

Hey Can you tell the answer of "Again poetry is Back"(7)

[@gary.h.turner]

"Reverse" means "Back", and consists of "re" (meaning "again") and "verse" (meaning "poetry").

[@kaylawebb6780]

Thanks for this video.

[@bunnyideainternet7044]

Can you show book of cryptic

[@red5_skywalker]

I got 13, 19 and 18 by myself

[@Mephistahpheles]

8 across clue is (3, 4) but the answer is (4, 3). That doesn't seem right to me.

[@JustinMcJustin]

The cryptic clues are 4 & 3, but the overall meaning is a 'golfer's poor stroke'. Without giving it away for those that haven't watched, a golfer's poor stroke is an ( _ _ _ | _ _ _ _ ), not an ( _ _ _ _ | _ _ _ ).

[@Mephistahpheles]

@@JustinMcJustin Thanks for the reply. I dunno what I was thinking last week.

[@bobchlarson788]

Being an American really adds an extra hurdle to these lol

[@davidfranklin5426]

Indeed. Like, who knew that a swede was a vegetable?

[@sunriselg]

I think my English isn't good enough for this, but should I ever decide to try the der Standard crosswords again, this will be massively helpful. I accidentally solved 11 down with all the wrong logic. In German that word means "last will", so I though "last word" was the definition. I also got the rest, but I don't understand all of them.

[@BurnsidesAP]

I thought I had it then I got "license" when you got printer so maybe I'm over thinking it... Here's how I got there: Car is a machine and a permit to drive it is a license. Not = Lie Not dear = Cents Lie spelled oddly = Li Cents spelled oddly = Cense

[@mason4636]

how would "dear" or "not dear" ever mean "cents"? also i think "not = lie" is a stretch. using even/odd letters is a pretty standard cryptic technique

[@BurnsidesAP]

@@mason4636 I was thinking of the alternative definition of dear (expensive), and cents being a small amount of money, so things that cost cents are not expensive... I gave up on trying to understand cryptic crosswords...

[@eimazd]

"And there you have a word for 'vegetable'!" Do they, uh, make versions of these for non-Europeans? I've never heard anyone call any kind of vegetable a Swede.

[@gary.h.turner]

A swede is like a large turnip.

[@Buckets41369]

12 down: Machine permit = licence Not dear oddly, cents not dear (expensive) and oddly because it’s a homophone with a different spelling. Edit: God Damnit!

[@manojkumar-ts8pg]

Please solve my crossword

[@arden9656]

someone help me please. (across) clue: we need this to keep us warm _ _ t _

[@jcthefluteman]

hete

[@hnSforthewin]

This has made me so goddamn pissed off

[@Scuuurbs]

It seems to me that mastering cryptic crosswords is largely about familiarizing yourself with inane conventions surrounding a nonexistent lexicon loosely based on the English language. Thats a hard pass from me.

[@daved3494]

I think it's more about thinking outside the box.

[@frederickfritzsche97]

No it's about thinking inside another box.... A puzzle box

[@CDLatin]

The most difficult part of this is just being American.

[@svennyhenny]

None of this makes any sense at all. It's like watching a game show where the host invents the question on the spot and the contestants give any answer they like as well as a ridiculous method for arriving at such

[@mitchkatz4918]

better than a puzzle he did earlier- but the breaking down of the clue -ugh not brittish!!! I a

[@MB-st7be]

Try not to say "erm" after every word