The home was full of elderly poorly people - everyone was about 50 years older than me - but one lady was friendly and tried to show me how do Cryptic Crossword Puzzles which until then might as well have been written in Chinese - I hadn't a clue.
I later borrowed a book about doing Cryptic crosswords - it didn't help and I forgot all about them.
Then we had lockdown, more time and SiL sent me a heap of puzzle pages from the East Anglian Daily Times (and I've been going to pick them up once we were allowed out) I've been trying to do Cryptic Crosswords again, usually managing to sort out about 3 or 4 answers - that's my limit and even when I can see the answers in the next days pages I still can't work out the hows or whys.
So you can imagine the shock to fill up nearly the whole crossword. Wow I thought - I've got it!
Sadly Not. The next one I tried it was back to normal - just the odd two or three filled in- Oh well back to the Sudoku - at least I can complete those OK.
Back Tomorrow
Sue
Convalescent Home? Now there’s a thing of the past, do they even still have such things, I wonder? Obviously the compiler of the one cryptic crossword you did get nearly finished was on a similar wavelength to you. Maybe they will return? I can’t do either Sudoku or the cryptic crosswords, mind you I don’t often have a go, that could be the reason!?!
ReplyDeleteLX
The convalescent home was horrible, the only good thing was not having to cook!
DeleteI too struggle with cryptics and can rarely complete them but may I recommend the cryptics in WI life? I can usually do most of the clues in those.
ReplyDeleteI fail on those too. and the answers aren't in the next magazine but the month after that by which time I've chucked the old magazine - hopeless
DeleteI can't work out the cryptic clues much at all. It's a whole different language and different sources have different languages too. I prefer Sudoku and other logic based puzzles.
ReplyDeletexx
Sometimes I get the anagrams and the words hidden in the middle of two other words - but most are beyond me
DeleteI met my husband doing the Telegraph cryptic crossword down the pub! Needless to say, in our little group, I would have just the occasional moment of inspiration and get an answer right but my mind just doesn't work along those lines. Nor does it understand Sudoko - I have tried and tried, but figures and I don't get along! I am a Codeword girl.
ReplyDeleteI like code words too but the newspaper ones are quite hard so I don't get far
DeleteMy dad taught me how to do cryptic crossword puzzles. Its true you have to be on the same wavelength as the compiler.
ReplyDeleteMostly I haven't got a clue!
DeleteI probably have more chance of answering five questions on University Challenge than getting a clue on a cryptic crossword.
ReplyDeleteI got two or three right on University challenge on Monday. Lets have a competition!
DeleteLike you I can do the odd few words on a cryptic puzzle. The ones I love are in the Puzzler - Outsider, Skeleton, Pieceword, Codeword and Alphabetical Jigsaw. They're a bit more of a challenge than normal crosswords, anything to make the brain work.
ReplyDeleteWe used to take The Puzzler on holiday with us years ago. Might get myself a copy this weekend
DeleteI seem to like a lot of things the same as you Sue, I love Sudoku and always gas one in the go, I am nit keen on crosswords, but I use to love the picture crosswords when I was very young. I do have a word search book and do it no and again.
ReplyDeleteHope you did not get the strong winds we have had this few days, fortunately no damage only a few pots fallen down.
Hazel c uk
When the newspaper first put Sudoku on the puzzle page I couldn't do the Hard ones - only easy and medium. But now I can do them all so either they've made the Hard ones easier or I've got cleverer!
DeleteFeels and looks like Autumn here, I love Autumn but I want some more hot weather before it arrives. I always do the cross words in the T.V. papers and other weekly magazines but have never got my head around Sudoku. Love quizzes in general though.
ReplyDeleteI love most quizzes on TV - they could put more on and I'd be happy! I heard Eggheads isn't to be made anymore - shame.
DeleteI showed Brother in Law how to do Sudoku now he's really good at them
I try to do all the Times puzzles daily Sue to keep my mind active. Ilove cryptic crosswords but they do vary tremendously depending upon who has set them - some daus I can do The Times, some days I can't get a start
ReplyDeleteIt's good to keep the brain working - but cryptics are a step too far for me!
DeleteCan't do either, probably because I did not make an early start in life is my excuse.
ReplyDeleteGood excuse!
DeleteIt is funny how some days the cryptic clues and answers all fall into place at once. I have given up with them now having cracked the rules for how they work and seen the battle between the setter and the solver.
ReplyDeleteYou could share the rules!
DeleteI think it is easier to just refer people to a Google how to do cryptic crosswords where the rules are set out. The way I start is to identify the definition which renders the clue to something normal. The definition is the word either at the end or beginning of the clue.
DeleteIt's funny how sometimes I can whizz through a crossword with absolutely no trouble then I'm back to half a dozen answers if I'm lucky. I think it could be when there is a different crossword setter that has compiled the crossword and they are just on your wavelength. We've all got very individual ways of working out puzzles and problems and sometimes you just 'match up' with another mind.
ReplyDeleteSeems I only match up once in a lifetime!
DeleteI have done cryptic crosswords in the past but they do take a lot of thinking and head scratching. Words with Friends is my latest brain exercise.
ReplyDeleteHad to look up Words with Friends - looks too complicated for me to even set up on my phone!
DeleteYou are not alone. I have difficulty with cryptic crosswords too. I can usually get the Sudoku and many of the others but to me the cryptic ones are a challenge!
ReplyDeleteI think there are lots of secrets and tricks to doing Cryptic - and I don't know what they are!
DeleteThere's usually a couple of cryptic and suduko puzzles in there too. I'm not keen on sudoko, but my daughter loves them.
DeleteSorry, (my day for apologies, lol) but this should have been with my first comment.
DeleteYou have to learn the style of each individual setter
ReplyDeleteI don't do crossword puzzles, Harvey does and loves the more complicated ones. Give me a search a word or fill it in.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
I'm like you Sue - I not only can't do them, I can't understand the answers when I'm shown them. I do the Sudoku - but I also only allow myself a short time to get it done, and then I go away and get on with the day... and I have a rule not to go back to it. I am determined I'm not getting obsessed with them! Which I easily could.
ReplyDeleteGoodness you were lucky to get into a convalescent homes. When I did my nurse training in London back in the 1980s all the ladies who had hysterectomies went off ton a convalescent home at Hastings. When I had mine in the 2000s I was home after a couple of days with my 13 year old daughter doing the cooking and cleaning!
ReplyDeleteI have never got the hang of cryptic crosswords.
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