Thursday, 11 August 2016

10. Cryptic Crosswords -Sounds like

For Blaugust this year I decided to publish a series of cryptic crossword posts.
I'm aiming for one a day. Unfortunately for some of the time I will be camping, so I hope to manage this, but it might get a bit tricky if I have no internet access.

Many of our friends over the years have said that cryptic crosswords don't make sense. They certainly do play with your mind, and that is why I take delight in them.  I love the surprising discovery inside a puzzle and the challenge of twisting the usual thought patterns and making them do something different.

So here is today's offering...

Sometimes you get a clue that asks you to think about the sound of a word as much as its meaning or look.

You need to be thinking laterally to pick up on them.

Plan a sex talk (6) - The Advertiser Feb 4th 2016 is a good example
Plan is the straight clue
A sex talk is the cryptic clue
"Talk" indicates that this is a "sounds like" clue
A sex = a Gender (let your mind go and listen to it)
Agenda= plan
And there you have it... another word filled in on your grid.

Prepared to travel, we're told, to convention (4) -also from Feb 4th Advertiser
Prepared to travel =packed
Convention=pact
They sound the same.
"We're told" is the indicator

Pelts on catching sound from the bush (5) Advertiser 8/2/16
pelts are furs
Sound is the indicator
"Furs" sounds like "furze"
Furze is a kind of bush
"Bush" is the straight clue

Formal letter read out between the dull and dreary (6) Advertiser Feb 2016
Straight clue is Formal
Letter read out = "ess" (sounds like S)
Dull and dreary = dry
Between is another indicator showing that the "ess" needs to be put between the "dry"
To give......dressy (=formal)


Indicators will include

  • Sounds like
  • Hear
  • Talk
  • Listen
  • We are told
  • Sound
  • Read out
  • Aloud
  • Say
  • Heard


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