Comments on: DT 25974 http://bigdave44.com/2009/07/07/dt-25974/ Putting the words to lights – crossword clues explained in plain English Fri, 18 May 2012 09:23:47 +0100 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Big Dave http://bigdave44.com/2009/07/07/dt-25974/#comment-18100 Big Dave Tue, 07 Jul 2009 23:13:17 +0000 http://bigdave44.com/?p=4767#comment-18100 Welcome to the blog <b>Ravinder</b> We all had to start somewhere, and after a while you start to see the clues as word puzzles rather than sentences. Welcome to the blog Ravinder

We all had to start somewhere, and after a while you start to see the clues as word puzzles rather than sentences.

]]> By: Ravinder http://bigdave44.com/2009/07/07/dt-25974/#comment-18099 Ravinder Tue, 07 Jul 2009 22:27:42 +0000 http://bigdave44.com/?p=4767#comment-18099 Thanks for the post and to all for the website. I'm just starting in the world of cryptic crosswords and though when I read the solutions the penny always drops, I never seem to be able to solve the clues on my own. I'll keep trying... Thanks for the post and to all for the website. I’m just starting in the world of cryptic crosswords and though when I read the solutions the penny always drops, I never seem to be able to solve the clues on my own. I’ll keep trying…

]]> By: Graybag http://bigdave44.com/2009/07/07/dt-25974/#comment-18098 Graybag Tue, 07 Jul 2009 18:52:56 +0000 http://bigdave44.com/?p=4767#comment-18098 I found todays very hard - even with all the connecting letters in I wouldn't have got 12a in a month of sundays. But, thanks to this site, I now understand where the answer came from where as before I would have spent the best part of tomrorow morning trying to figure out why it was what it was. I found todays very hard – even with all the connecting letters in I wouldn’t have got 12a in a month of sundays. But, thanks to this site, I now understand where the answer came from where as before I would have spent the best part of tomrorow morning trying to figure out why it was what it was.

]]> By: Little Dave http://bigdave44.com/2009/07/07/dt-25974/#comment-18097 Little Dave Tue, 07 Jul 2009 18:44:14 +0000 http://bigdave44.com/?p=4767#comment-18097 Got through this one after a sloooowww start - not tuned in initially but then zipped through without too much pain. Looking forward to a couple of weeks off work without distraction save leather on willow. Liked 7d best today. Got through this one after a sloooowww start – not tuned in initially but then zipped through without too much pain. Looking forward to a couple of weeks off work without distraction save leather on willow.

Liked 7d best today.

]]> By: cyclingbob http://bigdave44.com/2009/07/07/dt-25974/#comment-18096 cyclingbob Tue, 07 Jul 2009 15:12:48 +0000 http://bigdave44.com/?p=4767#comment-18096 Thanks for the welcome. re 16d, I got conned into spending ages thinking of a word that sounded like cabin as the first part of the clue. Oh well. Thanks for the welcome. re 16d, I got conned into spending ages thinking of a word that sounded like cabin as the first part of the clue. Oh well.

]]> By: Kram http://bigdave44.com/2009/07/07/dt-25974/#comment-18095 Kram Tue, 07 Jul 2009 14:06:51 +0000 http://bigdave44.com/?p=4767#comment-18095 Very nice crossword, but tend to agree with Joel regarding 3d, did however like 13a. I found it on a par with last Tuesdays, but as you say it all depends upon connecting with the setters line of thought. Very nice crossword, but tend to agree with Joel regarding 3d, did however like 13a. I found it on a par with last Tuesdays, but as you say it all depends upon connecting with the setters line of thought.

]]> By: gazza http://bigdave44.com/2009/07/07/dt-25974/#comment-18094 gazza Tue, 07 Jul 2009 13:45:18 +0000 http://bigdave44.com/?p=4767#comment-18094 Hi <b>cyclingbob</b> and welcome to the site. I agree that 3d and 12a were a bit tricky, but I thought that 16d was fairly straightforward. If many more people say that the puzzle was hard I may have to concede that I got the rating wrong!!! Hi cyclingbob and welcome to the site.
I agree that 3d and 12a were a bit tricky, but I thought that 16d was fairly straightforward. If many more people say that the puzzle was hard I may have to concede that I got the rating wrong!!!

]]> By: cyclingbob http://bigdave44.com/2009/07/07/dt-25974/#comment-18093 cyclingbob Tue, 07 Jul 2009 13:29:53 +0000 http://bigdave44.com/?p=4767#comment-18093 I thought this one was hard. 3d ,12a and 16d in particular were really tricky. I thought this one was hard. 3d ,12a and 16d in particular were really tricky.

]]> By: gazza http://bigdave44.com/2009/07/07/dt-25974/#comment-18092 gazza Tue, 07 Jul 2009 13:27:49 +0000 http://bigdave44.com/?p=4767#comment-18092 <b>Michael</b> Thanks for the info on 18a. I liked 7d too. Michael
Thanks for the info on 18a. I liked 7d too.

]]> By: Michael http://bigdave44.com/2009/07/07/dt-25974/#comment-18091 Michael Tue, 07 Jul 2009 13:20:54 +0000 http://bigdave44.com/?p=4767#comment-18091 I liked 7d best. 13a is clever. 18a Technically a solution is not a compound but it is close enough for a cryptic crossword. I liked 7d best. 13a is clever.

18a Technically a solution is not a compound but it is close enough for a cryptic crossword.

]]> By: Joel http://bigdave44.com/2009/07/07/dt-25974/#comment-18090 Joel Tue, 07 Jul 2009 13:10:49 +0000 http://bigdave44.com/?p=4767#comment-18090 Blimey - this one was hard. Especially 3d - I mean, I've? without the last e? I even got it without working out why, yet still, I find this clue to have too much going on Blimey – this one was hard. Especially 3d – I mean, I’ve? without the last e? I even got it without working out why, yet still, I find this clue to have too much going on

]]> By: Rob Howard http://bigdave44.com/2009/07/07/dt-25974/#comment-18089 Rob Howard Tue, 07 Jul 2009 12:48:46 +0000 http://bigdave44.com/?p=4767#comment-18089 Many thanks for that. I will continue to learn! Many thanks for that. I will continue to learn!

]]> By: gazza http://bigdave44.com/2009/07/07/dt-25974/#comment-18088 gazza Tue, 07 Jul 2009 12:27:35 +0000 http://bigdave44.com/?p=4767#comment-18088 <b>Rob</b> Although the theory is that you decipher the wordplay to reach the solution, in practice it often works the other way round. On 10a "saw" is an old crossword favourite for adage, axiom, motto - so, in my case, it was a question of testing the wordplay against each of these. Of course, if the answer had been, say, tenon, it would have been back to square one. On 3d I already had the initial G and my initial thought was that the definition was "brave", but I couldn't think of either a synonym or an Indian tribe that fitted and also the "accepting" was a strong hint that a synonym for brave was required around something else, so I considered that "run around" might be the definition, came up with the answer and then checked that the wordplay fitted it. A lot of it is down to practice - the more crosswords you do, the better you'll get, and this site should help you along the way. Rob
Although the theory is that you decipher the wordplay to reach the solution, in practice it often works the other way round. On 10a “saw” is an old crossword favourite for adage, axiom, motto – so, in my case, it was a question of testing the wordplay against each of these. Of course, if the answer had been, say, tenon, it would have been back to square one.
On 3d I already had the initial G and my initial thought was that the definition was “brave”, but I couldn’t think of either a synonym or an Indian tribe that fitted and also the “accepting” was a strong hint that a synonym for brave was required around something else, so I considered that “run around” might be the definition, came up with the answer and then checked that the wordplay fitted it.
A lot of it is down to practice – the more crosswords you do, the better you’ll get, and this site should help you along the way.

]]> By: Rob Howard http://bigdave44.com/2009/07/07/dt-25974/#comment-18087 Rob Howard Tue, 07 Jul 2009 11:46:45 +0000 http://bigdave44.com/?p=4767#comment-18087 I suppose my biggest problems were with clues where one had to guess a second definition of a word before using it in a clue. e.g. 10a age for maturity plus ad for promotion and then the meaning is "saw" which I have not come across as meaning adage! Also 3d Gallant for brave (which I had got used to meaning Indian!) I suppose my biggest problems were with clues where one had to guess a second definition of a word before using it in a clue. e.g. 10a age for maturity plus ad for promotion and then the meaning is “saw” which I have not come across as meaning adage!
Also 3d Gallant for brave (which I had got used to meaning Indian!)

]]> By: gazza http://bigdave44.com/2009/07/07/dt-25974/#comment-18086 gazza Tue, 07 Jul 2009 11:27:00 +0000 http://bigdave44.com/?p=4767#comment-18086 <b>Rob</b> As we've said before, the relative ease or difficulty of a puzzle often depends on whether you can get on the setter's wavelength or not. I certainly thought that today's was easier than Saturday's. Can you give me some idea of where you found problems with today's? Rob
As we’ve said before, the relative ease or difficulty of a puzzle often depends on whether you can get on the setter’s wavelength or not. I certainly thought that today’s was easier than Saturday’s. Can you give me some idea of where you found problems with today’s?

]]> By: Big Dave http://bigdave44.com/2009/07/07/dt-25974/#comment-18085 Big Dave Tue, 07 Jul 2009 11:25:36 +0000 http://bigdave44.com/?p=4767#comment-18085 <b>Rob</b> I rated Saturday's and Gazza did today's. I found this to be rather harder than Gazza did, but on some days it is the other way around. It's all to do with what we here call being on the same wavelength as the setter, or not as the case may be.. This one is almost certainly Ray T, and usually I do better than I did today. Rob

I rated Saturday’s and Gazza did today’s. I found this to be rather harder than Gazza did, but on some days it is the other way around.

It’s all to do with what we here call being on the same wavelength as the setter, or not as the case may be.. This one is almost certainly Ray T, and usually I do better than I did today.

]]> By: Rob Howard http://bigdave44.com/2009/07/07/dt-25974/#comment-18084 Rob Howard Tue, 07 Jul 2009 11:17:37 +0000 http://bigdave44.com/?p=4767#comment-18084 As a beginner I found Saturday's relatively easy and Tuesday's impossible! Yet the star rating says the opposite. Any reason for this? As a beginner I found Saturday’s relatively easy and Tuesday’s impossible! Yet the star rating says the opposite. Any reason for this?

]]> By: gazza http://bigdave44.com/2009/07/07/dt-25974/#comment-18083 gazza Tue, 07 Jul 2009 10:53:53 +0000 http://bigdave44.com/?p=4767#comment-18083 <b>Kram</b> It's the font - it is supposed to be a lower-case L which appears as "l". I agree that it's confusing so I'll edit it. Thanks for telling me. Kram
It’s the font – it is supposed to be a lower-case L which appears as “l”. I agree that it’s confusing so I’ll edit it. Thanks for telling me.

]]> By: Kram http://bigdave44.com/2009/07/07/dt-25974/#comment-18082 Kram Tue, 07 Jul 2009 10:46:31 +0000 http://bigdave44.com/?p=4767#comment-18082 Gazza did you intend to type roll in 8d instead of roli?. Gazza did you intend to type roll in 8d instead of roli?.

]]> By: bigboab http://bigdave44.com/2009/07/07/dt-25974/#comment-18081 bigboab Tue, 07 Jul 2009 10:46:11 +0000 http://bigdave44.com/?p=4767#comment-18081 Nice crossword, liked 4d but loved 1a( I usually don't like anagrams but this was good.) Nice crossword, liked 4d but loved 1a( I usually don’t like anagrams but this was good.)

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