How to Solve Cryptic Crossword Puzzles | The New Yorker

The puzzlemakers Anna Shechtman and Erik Agard break down how cryptic crosswords work and decode this style’s double clues.
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How to Solve Cryptic Crossword Puzzles | The New Yorker

[@scout_finch]

I want a more of Erik Agard! He's a great character with a lateral-thinking mind!

[@AntonioDiaz-ly9ig]

This was great, I been tryin to find out about "spiritual warfare help" for a while now, and I think this has helped. Ever heard of - Banulian Lonameron Breakthrough - (should be on google have a look ) ? Ive heard some extraordinary things about it and my friend got great success with it.

[@JungianHeights]

I love Crosswords and Cryptic Crosswords. I started understanding the cryptic ones because of that one episode of Inside No.9 where he explains the clues to solve them.

[@jasminesofela5724]

yesss same!

[@BornvsMe]

Can you share link?

[@jasminesofela5724]

@@BornvsMe inside no. 9 season 3, episode 3

[@BioYuGi]

The last one kills me because how would you know that the capital it refers to is Juneau, Alaska?

[@zmaj12321]

That one would definitely require some crossing letters to help solve.

[@paulmerced5587]

His hair is so big because it's full of brain power

[@maljamin]

Capable of the fuzziest logic

[@kuztomix]

His hair is actually short...

[@Blueoceandog]

That's why his hair is so big. It's full of secrets.

[@joecab1]

I loved that last one -- nice! And yes the difficulty is hilarious but a lot of people crave their cryptics that way.

[@themroc8231]

1 - that's amazing 2 - I hate it.

[@maypasifiki9360]

I've tried to solve a cryptic crossword in the Sunday newspaper but it always stumped me. This clip is a great start on how to begin solving it

[@SC-bg8wf]

When I see the solutions to cryptic crosswords I still struggle.

[@tsukikage]

In fairness, I've been doing the NYT crossword for a while now, and while I'm pretty darn good at Mondays, like most people I have to cheat a lot on the later days because I simply don't know the "best-selling novel that begins in Pondicherry, India".

[@maxdavis8767]

life of pi?

[@Vitoria-tx4xh]

Cryptic crosswords are absurd. I love it.

[@ELCNUmorFnaMehT]

That last one was just ridiculous.

[@ReGGiEbayer95]

That’d be so satisfying to get though

[@yeerk]

@@ReGGiEbayer95 no one would

[@StoneColdMagic]

Excellent video. Thanks for sharing! The main issue I've had with cryptic crosswords (watching them on KZbin, not actually solving them) is often they relate something obscure that only a Brit would know about. For example, I've seen some that refer to street names (non-well-known) in London that unless you live there, you're not likely to know the word or be able to follow the clue. Other cases are words that are inherently British like "loo." Loo, however, is a relatively commonly known word outside of the UK, but there are plenty of others that are just not known to us Yanks. :0] Is there a cryptic crossword for Americans using American icons, and jargon? I've not been able to find one.

[@levtokol8649]

Well, the New Yorker itself actually has a series of them you can find for free online. They started offering them weekly around when this video came out, iirc.

[@arthimmig]

This is awesome.

[@whedonobsessed]

How many secrets is he keeping in his hair though

[@rhijulbec1]

Nope! Still can't do them. Cryptic xwords are my kryptonite, lol. I can do american style with ease~but those? Arrrggghhhh!

[@RajMahall]

"Go Tell It On The Mountain" as bumper music is 👨‍🍳😘👌

[@dirtywashedupsparkle]

So glad for that disclaimer for the last one, that would have been a quitting point otherwise! *D'you know?* hint hint

[@shreyashabhinav1979]

I did not even try solving that but that seems gopd

[@shreyashabhinav1979]

Thnx man

[@cameronporter1552]

great video!

[@gastrickbunsen1957]

The Jane Austen clue is typical of a setter in a daily UK newspaper. Whenever I see the name "Paul", my head falls. If get five or six of the clues I'm over the moon. To be really honest, "Paul", either stop setting crosswords, or at least, give us humans a chance.

[@ClifDickens]

Erik Agard is the James Joyce of puzzlemaking.

[@johnrobbins917]

The WSJ occasionally publishes a cryptic puzzle on the weekend.

[@v1d300]

O M G! I been solving regular/easy crosswords for quite sometime now and never knew what Cryptic crosswords meant. I feel so stupid. Thank you though. TIL.

[@mgmartin51]

Delightfully devious, regard Kia.

[@Eval999]

How are you supposed to get Juneau?

[@babumadarasova5193]

bruh in my country london would just be "british city" jane austen would be shortened to austen and be british author

[@BioYuGi]

1:00 I must be doing very easy crosswords because if the answer is 'loo', the clue is just straight up 'british word for bathroom'.

[@jgreen2015]

Bottle only party? Impossible! (2,3,2)

[@anotherbutt4chair56]

Step one grow giant afro.

[@dailycrosswordsolve3448]

For tips & tricks to crack a different type of crossword, check out my daily TUTORIALS for the New York Times Crossword Puzzle! kzbin.info/www/bejne/pZW1ZJ-uYq2Dm9U (Today's puzzle by Erik had a CRYPTIC CLUE!)

[@ah_dan6572]

As a Brit I never knew there was another type of crossword.

[@karthikaas1728]

I like the cryptic ones !

[@berserk322]

Everything I try to learn cryptic crossword I loose my mind a little

[@JacksonPriceSonder]

That Jane Austen clue is absurd

[@rhijulbec1]

👏👏👏MORE👏👏👏MORE👏👏👏MORE And did I say MORE?

[@josephsauris4949]

I've seen clues in The Nation harder than that Jane Austen one.

[@paolavalentina9349]

I only knew that Jane Austen is on the £10 note 🤣

[@tonyastark1215]

This is horrible, I love it

[@o2brhubarb]

“The Life Aquatic” beginning with bobbin (3 letters)

[@ryaneckersley2037]

bob

[@PossumMedic]

6 down - rap god who never sleeps 🙌

[@BlackPixel1]

So, are they together now?

[@karthikaas1728]

Oh I have found my self a new way to live

[@user-qs6vn2yp6n]

Her laugh is straight Julia Roberts

[@reemlaza1]

Traylyn

[@skyrose6529]

Can someone help me with a crossword please 🥺?

[@Aryankumar-dz9ze]

Yes

[@reemlaza1]

Shorty

[@TheArtkaw]

Jane Austen.... REALLY?!?

[@kicknknowledge2178]

Them explaining cryptic crossword puzzles: The next narcissistic serial killer: 😈😈😈😈😈

[@amazinggrace5692]

One problem with the British style is that it can use spellings that are British and European landmarks or geography for example.

[@chetanisthebest]

When I saw Figure close to 10, I was thinking of her looks lol

[@henrytebbs1620]

I do agree the last one is satisfying - however not a good cryptic clue. The whole idea of a cryptic crossword is that it is complex within reason and still doable. The clue would be perfect for a Briton if it weren't for Juneau and it would be perfect for an American without the British Ten Pound Note. Particularly Juneau which is so integral in the clue is far too obscure for a cryptic clue. Setters that publish in (English) papers generally are aware of this and rely more on synonyms of woulds than obscure general Knowledge.

[@henrytebbs1620]

Also it is a bad example for a video like this when the setter himself says "It's an absolute mess". Not a good tricky clue for a beginner video

[@brettvalerybrett730]

#freejulianassange #no_usa_extradition #freepress... 🎅

[@alexwells2231]

And there is literal type as well One may have used rifle criminally? Ans Lifer - anagram of rifle and also the whole clue is a straight clue.

[@JungianHeights]

It's a little odd that he doesn't mention the fact that the key part of a cryptic crossword is that the definition of the answer will always be at the beginning or at the end.

[@JungianHeights]

Oh, he does eventually. It's just bizarre that he doesn't mention the basic concept until halfway through the video.

[@n8style]

he does at 5:22

[@kihunipunk]

#1: This video just made me a subscriber. #2: I can't figure out cryptic passwords to save my life. #3: I TOTALLY ship these two!

[@BioPhys92]

Bit of a strange distinction between American and British.. we just have both.. the 'American' one as you call it is just called concise or simple.. actually most people in UK play this one also - probably more than cryptic now

[@BioPhys92]

But yeah, useful for improving my cryptic skills as I'm just a beginner. Thanks

[@_hollowsky]

What does the first one even mean? How is "Head of England" loo?

[@_Pike]

Head means toilet

[@sebasbk7x22]

primer ;v xd

[@overtonwindowshopper]

Cryptic chad meets normal virgin Honestly tho, normal crosswords are just worse lol

[@Rollers123a]

I need more weed.

[@degausser99]

the only puzzling thing about this is whether this is a video about crosswords or a just really good chick flick bc i can't follow wtf's going on but whatever i'm invested

[@kicknknowledge2178]

Them explaining cryptic crossword puzzles: The next narcissistic serial killer: 😈😈😈😈😈

[@alexwells2231]

kick'n' knowledge Snake in alien surroundings - through water it sped (1-4) Answer is E-boat not U-boat ET is "alien"and "snake"is boa and "surrounding" indicating put boa inside ET so E(BOA)T

[@kicknknowledge2178]

Them explaining cryptic crossword puzzles: The next narcissistic serial killer: 😈😈😈😈😈