Questions tagged [cryptic-crosswords]
Cryptic crosswords are a special type of crossword puzzle where clues combine a definition with wordplay. Use [crosswords] where the clues don't obey the conventions of cryptic crosswords; [cryptic-clues] or [crossword-clues] for clues not assembled into whole crosswords.
338
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Cryptic crossword: trading places
This is a cryptic crossword. Each clue contains an extra letter which must be removed before the clue is solved, leaving real words in place. Solvers may find a use for these letters. Each ...
- 805
7
votes
1
answer
809
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Before the Common Era
This is part 39 of the puzzle series Around the World in Many Days. Each part is solvable on its own.
Dear Puzzling,
The grid on the left-hand side is a KenKen puzzle. Fill the grid so that every row ...
- 75.6k
20
votes
1
answer
842
views
Transform a (very small) crossword
This puzzle is part of the Monthly Topic Challenge #14: Think inside the (very small) box!.
Solve on Penpa+ (no answer check)
The only way to fill this grid is to make it ____.
Across
1. Republican ...
- 75.6k
9
votes
1
answer
443
views
Cryptic crossword: blended dawn hue
This is a cryptic crossword. Solvers, to obtain the green tick, must solve the crossword, explain the clues, locate the first seven words of a quotation in the grid, and write the full quotation out ...
- 805
12
votes
1
answer
551
views
Musk Oxen and Arctic Foxen
This is part 37 of the puzzle series Around the World in Many Days. Each part is solvable on its own.
Dear Puzzling,
This is an Aquarium puzzle. The grid is divided into “rooms”. Shade some cells in ...
- 75.6k
8
votes
1
answer
1k
views
When in Rome... or perhaps Ankh-Morpork?
This is a cryptic crossword despite appearances. On the left is a five-by-five grid with no bars; on the right are five colour-coded slats one cell wide and a varying number of cells deep. The clues ...
- 805
16
votes
1
answer
647
views
Cryptic jigsaw crossword puzzle
This is a cryptic jigsaw crossword: no clue numbers are provided in the grid; solvers must instead fit the answers in wherever they can. The solution is unique, and the green tick mark goes to ...
- 805
9
votes
1
answer
575
views
Same college class: topology
This puzzle is toroidal. That is, every answer that hits the bottom (or right) of the puzzle continues in the same line from the top (respectively left).
Across
1. Improvise a dance with extremely ...
- 11.6k
8
votes
1
answer
359
views
oAlt worked overtime
This is a cryptic crossword. The check mark will go to the first person who submits an answer with 1) an image of the completed crossword and 2) explanations for all clue answers. For users who cannot ...
- 5,686
12
votes
1
answer
466
views
Tropical Rhythms
This is part 29 of the puzzle series Around the World in Many Days. Each part is solvable on its own.
Dear Puzzling,
This is a diagramless crossword. The clues are not numbered according to their ...
- 75.6k
12
votes
1
answer
383
views
Protected Schooling
This is part 26 of the puzzle series Around the World in Many Days. Each part is solvable on its own.
Dear Puzzling,
This is a Shakashaka puzzle. Mark some cells half-shaded along a diagonal (one ...
- 75.6k
10
votes
1
answer
946
views
Ticking Off Boxes
This is part 25 of the puzzle series Around the World in Many Days. Each part is solvable on its own.
Dear Puzzling,
This is a Y’s Are Wild crossword. That means any instances of the letter Y in the ...
- 75.6k
15
votes
1
answer
466
views
Changing Landscape
This is part 24 of the puzzle series Around the World in Many Days. Each part is solvable on its own.
Dear Puzzling,
Today I am at a place high up in the mountains that I would have loved to visit 20 ...
- 75.6k
10
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Spell at days to circumference globe (6)
I'm not very happy with this cryptic clue that appeared on Lovatt's Cryptic Crossword for 22 May 2023:
Spell at days to circumference globe (6)
The answer was:
But I don't like it because the clue ...
- 253
13
votes
1
answer
973
views
Sardines and Octopi
This is part 21 of the puzzle series Around the World in Many Days. Each part is solvable on its own.
Dear Puzzling,
The thick black lines in this grid form a LITS puzzle. Shade an orthogonally ...
- 75.6k
10
votes
1
answer
674
views
Singles, Doubles, Triples
This is part 20 of the puzzle series Around the World in Many Days. Each part is solvable on its own.
Dear Puzzling,
The circled numbers in this grid form a Kurodoko puzzle. Shade some cells in the ...
- 75.6k
14
votes
1
answer
816
views
Sneaks and Addlers
This is part 18 of the puzzle series Around the World in Many Days. Each part is solvable on its own.
Deаr Puzzling,
This is an I Have No Idea What I’m Doing crossword. The clues are a mix of 10 ...
- 75.6k
11
votes
1
answer
730
views
Problem Solving in Freefall
This is part 16 of the puzzle series Around the World in Many Days. Each part is solvable on its own.
Deаr Puzzling,
Ten clues in this crossword contain one extra letter, which must be removed before ...
- 75.6k
9
votes
1
answer
803
views
Paranormal Activity
This is part 15 of the puzzle series Around the World in Many Days. Each part is solvable on its own.
Deаr Puzzling,
The numbers in blue here form a Nurikabe puzzle. Shade some cells in the grid so ...
- 75.6k
7
votes
1
answer
872
views
True Lies and Slumdog Millionaire
Across
1/4. He casts spells to assault marine mammal, having gained power (5,6)
8. Rose, who sings about Christ, is extremely antisocial (3)
10. The third of Tolkien's three works appears truly great, ...
- 75.6k
11
votes
1
answer
447
views
Multidimensional Travel
This is part 11 of the puzzle series Around the World in Many Days. Each part is solvable on its own.
Deаr Puzzling,
This is a three-dimensional crossword. The five squares in the picture represent ...
- 75.6k
7
votes
1
answer
334
views
Napoleon I and some chemicals
This is a cryptic crossword. The check mark will go to the first person who submits an answer with 1) an image of the completed crossword and 2) explanations for all clues. For users who cannot use ...
- 5,686
11
votes
1
answer
409
views
Kings of Centuries Past
This is part 7 of the puzzle series Around the World in Many Days. Each part is solvable on its own.
Deаr Puzzling,
This time I have a shingoki puzzle for you. Draw a single loop that passes through ...
- 75.6k
10
votes
1
answer
462
views
Colourful Candy Cane Carousel
This is part 2 of the puzzle series Around the World in Many Days. Each part is solvable on its own.
Deаr Puzzling,
Today I walked in an unbelievable tropical palm forest. I have seen black parrots, ...
- 75.6k
18
votes
2
answers
458
views
PSE Advent Calendar 2022 (Day 10): A Cryptmas Carol
This puzzle is part of the Puzzling Stack Exchange Advent Calendar 2022. The accepted answer to this question will be awarded a bounty worth 50 reputation.< Previous Door Next Door >
The final ...
- 25.8k
8
votes
1
answer
591
views
Politicians and revolutionaries
Solve on Penpa+
Across
1. Jokes for children (4)
3. Key figures starting a religious service; they're often found in churches (6)
7. Where one might see Homer making Odyssey's ending shorter, for ...
- 75.6k
25
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Across and… um, no
Across
Where one eats chiefly men and women (3)
Bulldog's run backward, endless miles (3)
Ferrari with rear end replaced by young mechanic? I'm concerned, principally, of perhaps causing a breakdown (...
- 11.6k
8
votes
1
answer
381
views
Generally Occult-Themed Horrifyingly Infernal Cryptic Crossword
This is a themed cryptic crossword, with the theme in either the clue or the answer. The theme is loosely 'gothic horror', with some exceptions for other spooky stuff that fit well.
Beware! There is ...
- 3,041
7
votes
1
answer
316
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Gathering for fraternities and sororities
This puzzle is part of the Monthly Topic Challenge #4: Cross-*non*-words
I've already got two crosswords for the challenge.
Recently, the fraternities, the sororities and I worked together to make a ...
- 2,699
6
votes
1
answer
249
views
Hexagonal Topline Crossword
This puzzle is part of the Monthly Topic Challenge #4: Cross-*non*-words
This crossword is a hexagonal one, and it uses a cipher mainly used in geocaching instead of English letters.
The grid ...
- 2,699
2
votes
1
answer
310
views
What does the neo-futurist poetry mean?
This puzzle is part of the Monthly Topic Challenge #4: Cross-*non*-words
May 4 be in 6.
May the ...
- 2,699
7
votes
1
answer
664
views
Miller's manager was not amused
Solve on Penpa+
Across
1. Communist revolutionary's injector – in short, it might move water from the tap into a sprayer (8)
6. Bone in the arm of cool American shown around India (6)
7. European ...
- 75.6k
9
votes
1
answer
499
views
Once in a lifetime – A letter from Richard
This geography-themed standalone crossword has five thematic answers, which are places, sights or landmarks in or around a certain location (a city). Each thematic answer is notable enough to have its ...
- 75.6k
11
votes
2
answers
364
views
Another paradise – A letter from Gladys
Letters from Gladys are geography-themed standalone crosswords. Each puzzle has five thematic answers, which are places, sights or landmarks in or around a certain location (in this case, a group of ...
- 75.6k
5
votes
1
answer
205
views
Barred crossword
Across
1 47 Across writer's signature train (6)
6 A letter to Ms. White (not Ms. Landers) shows initial spirit (6)
11 You call this a party? You are sad (4)
13 Don't need anything crazy (4)
15 ...
- 11.6k
10
votes
1
answer
271
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Volcano express – A letter from Gladys
Letters from Gladys are geography-themed standalone crosswords. Each puzzle has five thematic answers, which are places, sights or landmarks in or around a certain location (in this case, a chain of ...
- 75.6k
14
votes
1
answer
754
views
You have my sword – A signed letter from Gladys
Letters from Gladys are geography-themed standalone crosswords. Each puzzle has five thematic answers, which are places, sights or landmarks in or around a certain location (in this case, an ...
- 75.6k
7
votes
1
answer
530
views
Fifty countries – A letter from Gladys
Letters from Gladys are geography-themed standalone crosswords. Each puzzle has five thematic answers, which are places, sights or landmarks in or around a certain location (in this case, a desert). ...
- 75.6k
11
votes
1
answer
499
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Sun, sea and sand – A letter from Gladys
Letters from Gladys are geography-themed standalone crosswords. Each puzzle has five thematic answers, which are places, sights or landmarks in or around a certain location (in this case, a country). ...
- 75.6k
9
votes
1
answer
370
views
Present and future – A letter from Gladys
Letters from Gladys are geography-themed standalone crosswords. Each puzzle has five thematic answers, which are places, sights or landmarks in or around a certain location (in this case, an island). ...
- 75.6k
7
votes
1
answer
495
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Husbands and wives – A letter from Gladys
Letters from Gladys are geography-themed standalone crosswords. Each puzzle has five thematic answers, which are places, sights or landmarks in or around a certain location (in this case, a state). ...
- 75.6k
4
votes
0
answers
241
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Is there a name for crosswords where the surface of the vertical clues resemble the solutions to the horizontal and vice versa?
Occasionally a crossword (often cryptic ones) would have a twist to them, such as being a 'nina':
A Nina is a special feature of the crossword grid: a word, words or phrase hidden within a pattern of ...
- 3,041
7
votes
1
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156
views
Turquoise waters – A letter from Gladys
Letters from Gladys are geography-themed standalone crosswords. Each puzzle has five thematic answers, which are places, sights or landmarks in or around a certain location (in this case, a peninsula)....
- 75.6k
8
votes
1
answer
267
views
Island hopping – A letter from Gladys
Letters from Gladys are geography-themed standalone crosswords. Each puzzle has five thematic answers, which are places, sights or landmarks in or around a certain location (in this case, an ...
- 75.6k
9
votes
1
answer
403
views
Change of pace – A letter from Gladys
Letters from Gladys are geography-themed standalone crosswords. Each puzzle has five thematic answers, which are places, sights or landmarks in or around a certain location (in this case, a city). ...
- 75.6k
7
votes
2
answers
301
views
Bikini life – A letter from Gladys
Letters from Gladys are geography-themed standalone crosswords. Each puzzle has five thematic answers, which are places, sights or landmarks in or around a certain location (in this case, a city). ...
- 75.6k
11
votes
1
answer
356
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Wintering – A letter from Gladys
Letters from Gladys are geography-themed standalone crosswords. Each puzzle has five thematic answers, which are places, sights or landmarks in or around a certain location (in this case, a province). ...
- 75.6k
6
votes
1
answer
366
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Just thought of you – A letter from Gladys
Letters from Gladys are geography-themed standalone crosswords. Each puzzle has five thematic answers, which are places, sights or landmarks in or around a certain location (in this case, a city). ...
- 75.6k
13
votes
1
answer
493
views
PSE Advent Calendar 2021 (Day 23): Gee, I Really Wonder Where We'll Land
This puzzle is part of the Puzzling StackExchange Advent Calendar 2021. The accepted answer to this question will be awarded a bounty worth 50 reputation.< Previous Door Next Door >
To fully ...
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12
votes
1
answer
440
views
It was someone else
Across
1. "In coordination and cooperation"? The New Yorker uses these strange terms all over article (6)
6. Try to capture a cow, perhaps abruptly – it stands outside (6)
12. Presents ...
- 75.6k