The Riddles Of The Sphinx - A Cryptic Crossword

Steve Pemberton writes and stars in #InsideNo9 and he's just released a cryptic crossword... So it's beholden on us to give it a go! You can have a look at the puzzle here: / 1
@SP1nightonly
The episode of Inside No.9 about cryptic crosswords can be found here (but I'm not sure if this link will work in all countries):
www.bbc.co.uk/...
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Hi! We're Simon Anthony and Mark Goodliffe, two of the UK's most enthusiastic puzzle solvers. We have both represented the UK at the World Sudoku Championships and the World Puzzle Championships. We're also "cryptic crossword" aficionados. Mark is the twelve-time winner of The Times championship and Simon is the former record holder for most consecutive correct solutions to The Listener crossword. We hope we can help your puzzle solving while also introducing you to some of the world's best puzzles.
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#InsideNo9
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[@JordanPeace]

I have concluded that I am not British enough for this

[@ivebeenironed3times737]

There are way too many references that I guess Im not cultured enough to understand

[@PH34RB]

Last time the only clues I got were the french borrowed words. Cryptics sound fun but it's too much of a local, niche thing.

[@carolynroosevelt9099]

@@PH34RB The ones in Games or the NYT are considerable more fair for Americans

[@PH34RB]

@@carolynroosevelt9099 Thanks! Though I suspect there's no french equivalent, much less a french canadian one ;)

[@jayroy430]

@@carolynroosevelt9099 It would be fun to see the channel tackle an American one. The learning curve on these seems much steeper than Sudoku

[@bevstarrunner9472]

Next up - Phistomofel makes a cryptic crossword with a Knight's-move restraint..??

[@demonic6042]

Boy oh boy

[@igronus]

Don't forget coloured cages which cannot contain repeated letters.

[@zmaj12321]

No two cells containing the same letter can be a knight move apart?

[@eclectichoosier5474]

Knight's move restraint... A knight could charge, and the restraint he uses is a hobble...

[@hermitoldguy6312]

That reminds me. Sandwich.

[@Trizzak]

Thought I was having a stroke until I looked up what a cryptic crossword is.

[@dudaseifert]

I have no clue about what's going on, and still find this fascinating

[@Brian67859]

Same here...I think I'd have a better chance of understanding Mandarin Chinese.

[@Stephen-Fox]

@@dudaseifert Most clues are divided into two parts - A definition, and wordplay. Both point to the same thing. The definition is almost always at the start or end of the clue and simply defines the word, much like it might in a quick crossword. At their simplest, you might get Thames defined by River or resign defined by quit. At their more complicated, well, the clue for Fandango in this puzzle. The wordplay mostly comes in defined flavours - anagrams, removing letters, reversals, words hidden within other words or phrases, and so forth, or are sometimes short synonyms for things that you put all together to make the answer. For longer words the wordplay is often built up from multiple parts, so multiple forms of wordplay can exist in the clue. The main exceptions to all of the above being 'and lit' clues - Where the entire clue is both definition and wordplay at once, and double definition clues, where instead of wordplay there's a second definition (So - and bear in mind I'm not good at cryptic crosswords, 'fake fish' might be a double definition clue for cod, since cod is a fish, and cod is slang for inauthentic or fake (e.g. a cod Shakespearean accent)

[@dudaseifert]

@@Stephen-Fox thank you! I actually got that from the video, and i know i'd be shit at this

[@zmaj12321]

@@Brian67859 Did you take that from the TV episode Simon referenced at the beginning?

[@Draedaja]

My thought progression through the first three clues: 1 Across, no idea: "same". 8 Across, no idea: "saaame"... 9 Across, somehow gets resolved to AGEING: "Wait. What? ...Wait... ...what.??" Edit: the mental loop of "wait... what?" just keeps getting louder as the video progresses. Still, fun to watch!

[@HarryC03]

Love the crossword episodes, wish there was more of them

[@zacharycampbell1002]

Yay, crosswords! It's been a while since we've had one. Hard to imagine the channel was supposed to focus more on these than sudoku. I'd love to see more of them on the channel

[@ChrisSPCs]

I sub to the patreon just to see marks solves monthly

[@taakotuesday]

Same. I can see how they have less appeal than sudoku (can you imagine a cryptic crossword solve going viral and getting over a million views?) But I love them

[@Ruddigore]

Awesome.... Cracking cryptic crosswords was the very reason I joined this channel when it first started up. I know it has now evolved into very much a Sudoku solving channel and I'm fine with that decision but I still love to see the odd cryptic crossword being solved from time to time. I would like to see at least one day a month dedicated to cryptic crosswords.

[@ChrisSPCs]

They have that behind the patreon paywall, from mark.

[@inediblenut]

I picked that up too and was so proud of myself! (As this was about all I got on my own.)

[@kea2878]

This puzzle wasn't just featured in the episode of _Inside Number 9_ , it was published in _The Guardian_ on the day the programme was first broadcast. So the characters in the show were reacting to that day's actual crossword.

[@phs125]

Whenever I see a crossword in this channel, I just watch it cause I'm bored. There is no way in hell for me to even understand one of the clues, even if I get a million years.

[@Jonathan-uk7nm]

Yeah I'd really like to try one of those but it's really too difficult for non-native English speakers.

[@phs125]

@@Jonathan-uk7nm yea same. The kind of clues I can get behind with are like.. "The clown smiles as he sits outside" for McDonald's

[@Stephen-Fox]

I've improved on cryptics almost entirely from watching this channel in a way that prior attempts at getting into them had failed for me. I can't solve them yet, but I've gone from maybe getting 1 or 2 clues to actually able to get a chunk of the grid done (Not a large chunk, I think my average is about 20-30%, but a chunk). Just saying - if you're wanting to get into them, watching more of this channel's crossword videos is a good place to start, at least it was for me.

[@tylerlarsen1842]

Simon is one of the best cryptic crossword solvers in the world. He once held the record for the most consecutive solves of the weekly crosswords that appear in the Saturday editions of The Times, widely regarded as the hardest weekly cryptic crosswords in the world.

[@zmaj12321]

"Gove illegally concealed mask" is the easiest one here. Most clues are split up into two parts. In this clue, here is the division: "Gove illegally concealed / mask." The first part is the wordplay section and the second part is the definition section (it can be the other way around). If you like at the words "Gove illegally" you can see that the word "veil" is concealed between the two words (go VE IL legaly). The word veil also has the same definition as "mask" so it matches both parts of the clue and it is the answer.

[@bitzibaerlie]

At least I could figure out the "succeeding five in twenty-four hours" part Simon failed to mention. Five as the Roman numeral V, 24 hours are a day, "V" in "day" is "davy".

[@karinisvetcool]

Thanks!

[@richardfarrer5616]

A Davy Lamp had a wire mesh round the flame. This stopped it from igniting any gases that might be in the air (such as methane) but allowed oxygen in. If other gases were present then they would also get into the flame, which would them burn a different colour, or start guttering. So, no explosion, and fewer dead canaries.

[@snowfloofcathug]

Aww yeah, love the Cryptic Crosswords! And to a difference of sudokus, I don’t stand a chance with these, so I have to live vicariously through this channel

[@joelrogers8465]

Would love to see many more cryptic crosswords on the channel. Cheers!!!

[@karinisvetcool]

This was so much fun to watch! I would definitely like to see more of these on the channel!

[@headoftss]

That was great. Let’s have a few more cryptic crosswords please, guys.

[@MortlachNL]

I am a non-native speaker with a BA in English, but crosswords are that one thing that are completely impenetrable to me. And I keep trying, because I love them in my native language!

[@HenryRSeymour]

Yes! I love the crossword episodes. I wish they were more popular so that you could do more of them.

[@rinaldosspecialitycoffeete2825]

What a lovely way to relax after a run on the Lake District fells, watching you unscramble these eggs. The "Inside #9" episode is true genius. Thanks guys - no cross words from me.

[@chaotix37]

Love the guitar opening as always Simon.

[@ChrisWCorp]

I literally just watched the Inside No. 9 Riddle of the Sphinx episode a few days ago and have been trying to learn cryptic crosswords because of this. It's fun to see a recent Sphinx cryptic!

[@GenWivern2]

Solved it, and will now enjoy your video. Ten double unches must surely be a record of some sort ... anyway, the puzzle was not devoid of features of interest. Incidentally, you gentlemen might enjoy Maize's latest in today's Indy (4th August), which is out of the ordinary as we have come to expect.

[@powt0wn]

thanks for the maize tip!

[@d4r4butler74]

YAY!!! Love the explanations of the clues.

[@EarlOfWarwick1561]

Love the Inside No. 9 representation, great show!

[@iFlarexXx]

I can get my head around Sudoku's (just about...) but these things blow my mind. You guys are on a whole different level to be able to solve both so fluidly.

[@cycklist]

Your crossword videos were always superb, here's to many many more.

[@louisesuth8141]

Love a well spoken Englishman saying potent and portent and expecting us to notice the difference. . . .yours, scottish person

[@powt0wn]

always enjoy the crossword videos! impressed by mr pemberton - some remarkable clues here, not least the malta novel

[@zmaj12321]

I saw that episode before I knew what a cryptic crossword, but now I'm rewatching it.

[@Alex-cw3rz]

It was such a brilliant episode of Inside No 9

[@nickloader3184]

Wow. Christmas came early. Thanks Simon! Yeah, all I got was veil and the suspicion that medium would be the clairvoyant kind. Should've tried more on my own.. Please do more of these. I second the once/month (at least) idea =) Would you consider doing these live? Here or Twitch, say? Be a dream come true =D

[@craftypam9992]

Me too, but living in Derbyshire, I also got the Davy lamp reference - anything to do with local history includes a lesson about them!

[@markmcknight9601]

I'd been hoping one of you blokes would do another Cryptic Crossword. Few and far between lately. Thanks.

[@esragunac8948]

I directly come here after watching the episode and it was really great!! Excellent explanation of a puzzle I wouldn't even dream of understand. I would also be very happy if you could make a video explain the puzzle featured in the episode. Since English is not my native language, I think it would add to my viewing experience greatly if I could understand the solutions they do so quickly on the board. Thanks very much for this incredible content :)

[@KettleandString]

Simon's anagram skills are mad!! I wish I could do that!!

[@ivylaw5713]

I was actually wondering if you had seen this! I had thought it would be great for to do it if you hadn't. I hope you enjoyed it

[@Jake-pr7js]

Loved that inside no. 9 episode!

[@StephenStaver]

I could watch Simon solve puzzles all day.

[@LornaM2304]

A surprise daytime video? With a guitar intro?? Thanks for making my lunchbreak amazing 😂💙

[@sunilpatel2883]

On the day the Riddle of the Sphinx first aired, the same crossword was published in the Guardian. Such a brilliant idea. My mind would have been blown if I'd sat down to watch the show after having solved the crossword earlier in the day...

[@SeriousPigi]

Words are placeble from that absolute gibberish we had in the definitions section!

[@bluerizlagirl]

I enjoyed watching that! Even started getting a few of the clues myself, once I had heard how Simon got inside the setter's head and figured out how they had been put together!

[@ellyam991]

Sometimes I get scared at how smart Simon is

[@hashtagornah]

Intro guitar was brilliant as ever!

[@JamieAtSLC]

more crosswords please!

[@Majoris239]

It is amazing that these are even solveable.

[@The_Spectre_Gamer]

My fellow Americans.... IT’S 2 IN THE MORNING!!!! Go to bed!!! You can play this in the morning- oh, screw it, I’m too dumb to sleep either.

[@beatrizribeiro2417]

I mean... the man is a GENIUS to even understand one clue of those 🤯

[@nitish_g]

I'd love to hear the entire Rhapsody by you Simon. The notes are cryptic to me so could you crack them for me please?

[@undergroundmonorail]

Whenever they solve these cryptic crosswords, it always seems like such motivated reasoning, but it always works out :P

[@adamheywood113]

Highly, highly recommend checking out _The League of Gentlemen_ if you haven't already. It's a horror show, told as a comedy. Absolutely genius.

[@Krzyszczynski]

Solved it in a single session, tho' taking nearly twice as long as Simon. Lots better at these than at sudoku!!

[@thomasl.9090]

As a non-native speaker I just shake my head in disbelief.

[@Landis963]

Scaramouche is the Italian clown referenced.

[@andrewgrant6516]

Ring, ring! Ring, ring! Hello? Yes, just a moment. Simon? It's Scaramouche, he wants a word with you!

[@patrickmchugh3330]

Inside no 9 was my introduction to cryptic crosswords!

[@LorisLaboratory]

Always get a like, but guitar opening = like in first 2 seconds :D

[@xvlain-alvinsoe3013]

Love the CrossWord anda Sudoku !! How about playing guitar as the backsound when working on Sudoku?

[@teamcyeborg]

I've barely started watching and I already have one thing to say: _MAMAAAAAAA, OOOOOOOO_

[@HunterJE]

This yank still has a slight suspicion that cryptic crosswords are actually a prank at our expense and every time someone pretends to solve one they actually know the answers and reasoning in advance XD

[@HunterJE]

The clues always make sense working backwards but would never in a million years figure it out.

[@inediblenut]

I really enjoy these, though I will need to see 2-300 more to even begin to try one on my own.

[@megangriffiths2235]

"black snot line" made me laugh, that's exactly what I called the bakerloo line when I had to commute on that!

[@sheldoncelliers450]

Please post more of these! Really enjoyed it Simon!! And ignore the comments of those too dense to learn how to solve the clues. Typical new culture, I don’t understand so I don’t like it. Well, have you tried learning mate? Before commenting on the video? 🧐

[@Xeridanus]

I understand Simon when he does Sudoku, I can follow the logic even if I rarely see it before him. This is arcane heresy to my eyes.

[@stephenmarseille5425]

I'm a big League of Gentlemen fan (I enjoyed Psychoville, but not nearly as much) but being in the US, my opportunities to see Inside No. 9 have been more limited. I've seen a couple of episodes and hope I get to see more! Now, let's see what Simon does with this...

[@daconor91]

"If someone is conservative, they are a square" you tell 'em Simon!

[@zsandmann]

::Screams in American::

[@antalbojtos4413]

"Ephesus comes up in crosswords more than in any other context, I think" rip Bible studies and other Christian activities involving the Bible

[@sheridanswanson2786]

Antal Bojtos lol I thought the same thing

[@bitzibaerlie]

I visited Ephesus once and could not figure out where I had heard that name before. It actually came to me again in a dream. We translated a text in Latin class called "The Widow of Ephesus". In the dream, I was doing a theatrical performance of that text.

[@jinbe-san]

It would be funny if Simon played Alex Turner’s “Stuck on the Puzzle” as an intro :P

[@tenzinlee6393]

4:00 more than any other context? There's a whole book of the Bible written to the church in Ephesus (Ephesians).

[@CoenBijpost]

British cryptos are very different from Dutch ones, it seems. Regular cryptos over here often don’t give a definition, only the clues. They are also way less wordy in Dutch, to the point where one clue I got was “ .” for “leegte” which means “emptiness”. And that’s no exception, lots of one word clues. The better ones don’t use anagrams. It’s almost all wordplay. I kind of like both. I would like to see a British version of a Dutch style crypto on the channel, but I doubt if anyone would be capable of creating it.

[@antliken7757]

Interesting. This was much wordier than an average British Cryptic. Some clues in the Times say, can be quite succinct but as you say they will have the definition in the clue as well, so a minimum would normally be 2 words ... recent examples - I, Adam? (5,6) = FIRST PERSON, - Nice policeman? (8) = GENDARME. Watch some of their earlier videos 1 to 2 years back ...

[@h0nieBi]

I feel like my brain just exploded

[@msolec2000]

Those red and blue arrows in the grid don't mean anything, then?

[@hiddennerd812]

Suitable for children movies in Australia are g for general.

[@darkmagician1184]

same in america

[@helenetrstrup4817]

In Denmark it's A for all

[@xyzzyx7812]

To a certain degree Sudokus have obvious rules. Crossword cryptics are rarely remotely obvious to non-experts. You guys should go through easier crossword cryptics and help people understand them

[@nicktecky55]

Watch out for that sun, Simon.

[@Oblivion776]

The wording in 8A felt a little contrived but I'll let it slide because that's a fantastic definition.

[@Pwecko]

I got four right before giving up and watching the video. I might have got a couple more if I'd devoted a few hours to it.

[@RoderickEtheria]

Ailing(Ill, sickly) Judge(ref) so, yes, refill.

[@nickloader3184]

I think Simon is criticizing the word order 'ref ill' when it is clued '[ill] [ref]'. Also refill is only a related word not a direct synonym of restore in any reputable thesaurus I could find..

[@RoderickEtheria]

@@nickloader3184 they can be used as synonyms. For instance, restoring one's health pool for any video game would be the same as refilling ones health pool.

[@nickloader3184]

Never thought I would see a computer/console game reference to defend cryptic wordplay haha. Good call. Well played.

[@jason.cheong]

Simon, would you kindly start a guitar channel? The little guitar snippets at the start of the videos are such pleasures! :)

[@kurapika1827]

✨E Y E T E E T H ✨ shhhhhhh I'm literally a teenage boy. I have horrid humor. But I genuinely love this content :)

[@carolynroosevelt9099]

The one he wants the give the ? to is the most normal one, I thought.

[@maxparker9695]

ive not gone googling yet but ive heard of dixy lanterns before could be the same thing would still fit.... what do ya know dixy and davy lamps are both a thing and yes miners used davy lamps interesting

[@yip924]

I came here because of cryptic crossword and stay because of sudoku.

[@carlantaya175]

I think I'd have a better chance of solving this puzzle by just putting in random words instead of trying to understand the clues.

[@hm20250]

Is this the real life?

[@roland9189]

Scaramouche! Do the Fandango!

[@steveoneill8822]

WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON! I can't follow any of this. I think I'll stick to the sudokus.

[@gddanielk8491]

Like how do you even finish a normal crossword let alone this monstrosity. The clues are obscure af lol cryptic 100% 😂

[@zalibecquerel3463]

Could someone please explain 18A - DAVYLAMP? I don't get the wordplay. I know it's a safety device. Unit of power could be A for amps? Succeeding five is "V"... and the rest is?

[@powt0wn]

five in twenty-four hours = V in DAY = DAVY; left = L; electrical unit = AMP

[@zalibecquerel3463]

@@powt0wn Oh that's good. Thank you very much, sir!

[@irule102]

This is crazy! Just the amount of knowledge you would need to know where the obscure clues are sending you! None of these make ANY sense to me...

[@voorth]

"Scaramouche"

[@hermitoldguy6312]

"Scaramouche"

[@voorth]

"Will you do the fandango"

[@XdivineExp]

Is this a third chapter for the day or just the first super early for tomorrow?

[@markbarker9484]

23 down totem Dancing temptress in the clue is it possible that the clue refers to Oti mabutsie from strictly ie t ote m

[@nimbletim]

early vid. surprising

[@baumundallesandere]

As a non native speaker this was impossible.

[@comface]

Well... I got veil and davy lamp and then gave up.

[@HeroDarkStorn]

11:00 did you really get hoipolloid from just h---o---i-? O.O

[@phs125]

I think this is what all those 1million people felt like when they watched miracle SUDOKU video ...

[@gaddisin]

While I can follow the logic when you do even the most complex sodukus.... I have no idea how can decifer any of the clues for crosswords.

[@helenetrstrup4817]

Yeah. I can't even do most of the crosswords meant for kids. 😂

[@shakthigrand1095]

Who would you save ? || நீங்கள் யாரை காப்பாற்றுவீர்கள் ? kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZoTFZaywqJKdpqs