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.
191
questions
14
votes
1answer
273 views
Just a little adventure in cylindrical crosswordland
Grid in plaintext
This is a cylindrical cryptic crossword. Some "across" clues go beyond the right-hand edge of the grid and continue from the left-hand side. The black part between the two ...
14
votes
1answer
309 views
It's in the past, in the past
Note: The clues are a mix of printer's devilry and normal cryptic clues.
Across
1. Pillars bend within seconds (6)
6. Essentially elevate temperature in volcanic matter, forming a river (6)
11. ...
12
votes
1answer
249 views
Holding top trophy
Across
1. Gershwin recalled a song (4)
5. Musical intervals the net has essentially ignored (6)
12. Scavenger of old is trapped in darkness – poor lad (7)
13. Rearranged 1 across missing a distinctive ...
6
votes
1answer
355 views
Seconds of constant funk
This is a themed cryptic crossword, with five answers sticking to the theme.
ACROSS
2/29d. Guitarist for 20-down (or Radiohead), content in retiring, achieved $1000 (4, 4)
4. Reactions of ...
12
votes
1answer
346 views
Guess my dream holiday destination!
Because there is too much space in the grid for some words, eight cells are initially left empty. Once the grid is complete, solvers must find a way to fill the empty cells, keeping all entries as ...
5
votes
1answer
138 views
Cryptic crossword - letters latent
"Whose idea was it to say that we'd answer every complaint we received?" Svetlana was sat at Coldport City Council's Complaints desk staring at a sheet of paper. Bob, her colleague, looked ...
16
votes
1answer
506 views
Friday's the most cryptic day of the week
Across
1. War paint for alien entering from space station's entrance (9)
6. An island country's capital, Praia, devastated after the loss of republic's leader (4)
10. Search "engine oil" at first… Got ...
10
votes
2answers
368 views
Cryptic Exile by Sir Featherwait
Just the other day I met Sir Featherwait in the professional aviators' lounge, where he instructed me to guess his favorite anime. Unfortunately, it seems that every guess I made went further and ...
10
votes
1answer
154 views
Equipped for sailing
Grid in plaintext
Across
1/13/20. State of Colorado engaged in attempt to pursue mostly American parties, often involving heroin (10,8,2,3,5)
10. "Terminal engineer, too, must… (7)
11. …ultimately ...
7
votes
1answer
173 views
A cryptic crossword
No theme, nothing special, just a cryptic crossword to tide you over until @jafe's Friday release. I hope you enjoy!
Plaintext version
ACROSS
1. Ten Roman dances for festive ball (8)
8. Every ...
8
votes
1answer
195 views
Dwellings of a cryptic nature
Grid in plaintext
Across
1. Oakley, California finally resettled nine (5)
4. Stupor produced by rotten nectar (6)
9. After revolutionary conflict, conceal leather material (7)
10. Ugly leaders and a ...
4
votes
1answer
140 views
Explain the solution to a cryptic clue for ORIGAMI
Cryptic crossword clue 21 down from Telegraph puzzle #29,363.
Sort of art foundation almost inspiring amateur (7)
We have the letters O_I_A_I. We believe the ...
5
votes
1answer
106 views
Canning white meat
Across
1. Singing is temporarily entertaining tenor (4)
3. Old Levantine-American from Arizona (10)
10. Striking hard, a pharaoh mutilated a tribe's member (7)
11. Small sound – crying? (7)
12. ...
7
votes
2answers
167 views
Base compromised
Grid in plaintext
The nine highlighted cells contain multiple letters: two or more letters from the down clue, and two or more letters from the across clue (where applicable). The letters in each of ...
4
votes
1answer
141 views
Arrangements put you in money
Grid in plaintext
Note: Eleven clues are printer's devilry with thematic answers.
Across
1. By the 1980s, his style of music hanged (4)
3. They had the hammer my bricks as the mason was absent (6)
9....
14
votes
2answers
465 views
Zany misunderstanding
Grid in plaintext
Across
1. Top metal band has a trademark for honorific title (7)
5. Smear fellow according to Spooner's scheme (6,4)
10. Money paid for releasing Welsh footballer, reportedly (4)
14....
14
votes
3answers
313 views
Cryptic Crossword?
You pick up a discarded newspaper, hoping to satiate your need for puzzles with a cryptic crossword. But as you turn to the page, you feel something is awry – perhaps some elision?
Across
3. $F_6,F_7,...
12
votes
2answers
485 views
Yet another mass-produced Friday cryptic
Grid in plaintext
Across
1. Intimidate bovid with hairy tail (7)
5. Intimidate bovid with hairy tail (3)
7/21. String instruments striking first note in southeastern city (3,4)
9. Big football ...
9
votes
1answer
149 views
Ximenes rolling in grave
Across
1. Ginger received a bit of support (6)
4. Accomplished designer of new road east of Mexican city (8)
10. Readmit resort's host (6,1)
11. Friends going around star pilot's luxurious residences (...
4
votes
2answers
161 views
What is translated?
Note: Six of the clues are printer's devilry with thematic answers.
Across
1. Grandson to Isaac Newton, son to filmmaker Barry (8)
5. Selling a product of ale? Sue for a higher price (6)
9. Sport ...
4
votes
1answer
132 views
Venetians attracted to Mary Jane
Across
1/5. Trouble with battle making a neighbourhood essentially warmer (3,5,6)
10. (See 14 down)
11. Place with obstructed view to Venetians, perhaps attracted to Mary Jane (5,4)
12. Activity to ...
10
votes
1answer
244 views
Vowel-less CRYPTC CRSSWRD
For this cryptic crossword, there is a separate grid for the consonants of each word, and another for the vowels. The grids are identical.
The yellow cells will spell out the final message from this ...
18
votes
2answers
604 views
Up, down, left, right
Right
1. Stop behind fashionable content (6)
4. Wingspan is chosen to cover language for left clues (8)
10. Former students crossed feet and consumed metal compounds (9)
11. Six losses to start with? ...
12
votes
1answer
955 views
Tutankhamun's body
Across
1. A group of former leftists briefly detained by firm far-rightist (7)
5. Arguments of Delaware motel owner (7)
9. Autoimmune qualities partially being one-sided (7)
10. Archangels not put up ...
8
votes
1answer
218 views
Space station of beheaded king
Across
1. Funny actor Lemmon (leaving out Matthau, at first) showing part of 1 down (5,5)
6. Space station of beheaded king (3)
9. Sumerian city inside Brazilian city? That's perfectly normal (7)...
16
votes
1answer
917 views
Rand al'Thor's head found rolling?
Across
1. American school's public relations incorporated by UK school (9)
6. Part of the face with new colour (5)
9. English university city where 23 down is located (9)
10. Top Caribbean ...
21
votes
1answer
596 views
A Cryptic Crossword in Indonesian Language (TTS Kriptik Bahasa Indonesia)
The cryptic crosswords are actually new for me and I even struggled to solve one as English is not my first language. So I decided to look for a cryptic crossword in my language, Indonesian... And I ...
11
votes
1answer
290 views
Quite important concepts
Across
1. Maybe Washington is major leader making economic system of America (10)
7. Uninitiated proposition to make Austen work (4)
9. A giant finally struck the last time (5)
10. Stone ...
8
votes
1answer
187 views
A themeless but slightly devilish cryptic
ACROSS
1 Grant F in T, perhaps (6)
4 Bug (messed up): "Pride cometh after the summer" (6)
9 Fez state: motorcoach tipped over, hat fell out (7)
10 Essin' curves! (5)
11 Primal-screamers have ...
8
votes
1answer
179 views
Perhaps a TV airing
Across
1. 1970s blockbuster's 1 down villain (4)
3. Original 1 down's candy store emptied between the 1st of November and the 3rd of January (7)
6. Superior to 1 down, among others, is lost on ...
5
votes
1answer
87 views
Three mini-crosswords with maths/physics theme
Three mini-crosswords are presented below. There is a maths/physics theme to these puzzles.
I am sure that they will be solved quite quickly and hints will not be required, but if anyone gets really ...
12
votes
1answer
938 views
Old British Empire
Across
1. #1 in Waterloo: a famous Duke (10)
7. Material essential to hotel management (3)
8. In Cuba, three facing death for unauthorized entry (11)
9. Exotic free-diving spot (4)
10. About-...
6
votes
1answer
102 views
Napier's devilry
Note: The clues are a mix of printer's devilry and regular cryptic clues.
Across
2. Like Bruce Wayne after Jack Napier's constant plots essentially destroyed city (7)
7. Group known for Africa'...
12
votes
1answer
244 views
Small idea for a Crossword Puzzle
Across
1. Williams given usual covers. (5)
4. Aromatic resin vehicle has speed zero. (7)
8. Increase in Zimbabwean dance music leads to extra rain from God of thunder. (7)
9. Concealed in ...
8
votes
1answer
235 views
Musician siblings
Across
2. Oddly whirl below a flower (10)
8. Oddly drawn 6 down actor (3)
10. Revive new line with venerable leaders (7)
11. 6 down protects Hong Kong film director (3)
12. Elite school ...
14
votes
1answer
552 views
On The Subject of Marble Tumble
(This is part of a series of puzzles written for Timwi for a Secret Santa puzzle exchange, themed around various custom modules for the game Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes. No KTaNE knowledge is ...
7
votes
1answer
198 views
Beating conservative at working in alien area: one liberal success to start with (3,1,4,5)
Struggling with this one. I know alien is normally ET and conservative is probably C or tory but can't figure out what the definition is. The letters I have so far are _ _ _ /O/_ I _ E / _ _ _ _ _ (...
13
votes
2answers
417 views
Long John and the Persian poet
Across
1. Blast forty-second drink, about half pint (3,5,4)
8. Kind of fabric of which a suit is cut (3)
9. Fast and furious drama with vacuous action (7)
10. Part of keyboard amplifier ...
7
votes
2answers
199 views
Keep it simple!
Across
5. A retired grandmother accommodating man with amazing deal and great price (2,3,3,1,3)
10. Fourteen pounds – unlimited amount of weight (3)
11. Civil engineer is somehow very sour (8)
...
16
votes
1answer
562 views
White to mate in 2
This is a cryptic crossword puzzle. Clues are normal, however some entries clash with one another. Each such clash is resolved by adding the clashing letters using the standard A1-Z26 numerology, ...
7
votes
1answer
167 views
Jazz and all that
Across
1/4/9. Isn't Satchmo sad during the final parts of Miles Davis song? (5,5,5)
7. Baron von Richthofen's rank above the king? (3)
10. Assistants have a bit of chlorine added to aqua regia and ...
8
votes
2answers
612 views
What would Abe say?
Across:
1. Way to defeat everyone (5)
4. Performer's departing could be melodramatic problem (7)
8. Primarily deploying Uranium in the destruction of bed lice can be reasoned out (9)
10. ...
8
votes
1answer
698 views
Italian coin collector
Across
3. Extraordinary claim: He is 13 across after 9 down (7)
6. Crashed ashore, sounding rough (6)
8. Got away from David and Edward going separate ways (6)
10. General supermarket chain ...
10
votes
1answer
693 views
Have you met Vera?
Across
1. Maybe St. Paul's Hospital admitted Polanski's wife, approximately half-hour missing (5,7)
7. Moving canoe to the sea (5)
8. Natural bottled water brand is all about having tea (6)
10....
7
votes
1answer
155 views
Group of invaders
Across
4. Singer Tom serves food with delays (5)
7. Told secrets upon deep rambling (6,2)
10. Group of invaders to be at the French shores, finally? (7)
11. Pass around the tales to ...
5
votes
1answer
158 views
Family left in prison
Across
1. Distinction of common man lost in siege of Paris (10)
8. Apprentice and a lead tamer injured a lion of global interest (13)
9. Caesar's greeting met with fury, setting initial ...
15
votes
1answer
1k views
Elves, Hobbits and Dwarves
Across
1. Nice ladies kiss without men? (11)
6. Ask about a music style (3)
7. Messy ski campsite, without a doubt (10)
10. Performance of Cats troubled after loss of leading star (3)
11. Be ...
3
votes
1answer
154 views
A game of cross-dominos
The grid above shows the final layout of a domino game played with a standard $28$-tile (dominos $0-0$ to $6-6$). The first domino played, the $4-4$ double is given, and solvers must complete the ...
7
votes
1answer
445 views
Dying for Caesar
Across
1. Smoothening the rest of the day? (7)
8. Tune's introduction omitted by exotic Croatian instrument (7)
10. Secretly agree to meet… (5)
13. …and not to be indoors every second (3)
14....
7
votes
1answer
224 views
A Butcher's Brawl
Beastly brawl begets batch of black and blatantly blue butchers. Crack the coming crossword to create curious clues, then tally total troublemakers that tussled:
Clues:
Across:
1. Vote to mention ...
