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.

Filter by
Sorted by
Tagged with
4 votes
0 answers
32 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 ...
  • 69.4k
11 votes
1 answer
670 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 ...
  • 69.4k
9 votes
1 answer
689 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 ...
  • 69.4k
6 votes
1 answer
848 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, ...
  • 69.4k
11 votes
1 answer
395 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 ...
  • 69.4k
7 votes
1 answer
297 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 ...
  • 5,139
11 votes
1 answer
353 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 ...
  • 69.4k
10 votes
1 answer
365 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, ...
  • 69.4k
18 votes
2 answers
429 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 ...
  • 25.5k
8 votes
1 answer
567 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 ...
  • 69.4k
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 (...
  • 11.3k
8 votes
1 answer
371 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 ...
7 votes
1 answer
301 views

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 ...
6 votes
1 answer
231 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 votes
1 answer
299 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 ...
7 votes
1 answer
653 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 ...
  • 69.4k
10 votes
1 answer
486 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 ...
  • 69.4k
10 votes
2 answers
346 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 ...
  • 69.4k
5 votes
1 answer
195 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 ...
  • 11.3k
10 votes
1 answer
256 views

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 ...
  • 69.4k
10 votes
1 answer
669 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 ...
  • 69.4k
7 votes
1 answer
519 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). ...
  • 69.4k
11 votes
1 answer
494 views

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). ...
  • 69.4k
8 votes
1 answer
361 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). ...
  • 69.4k
7 votes
1 answer
487 views

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). ...
  • 69.4k
4 votes
0 answers
236 views

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 ...
7 votes
1 answer
154 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)....
  • 69.4k
8 votes
1 answer
262 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 ...
  • 69.4k
9 votes
1 answer
397 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). ...
  • 69.4k
7 votes
2 answers
295 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). ...
  • 69.4k
11 votes
1 answer
352 views

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). ...
  • 69.4k
6 votes
1 answer
359 views

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). ...
  • 69.4k
13 votes
1 answer
479 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 ...
  • 5,573
12 votes
1 answer
434 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 ...
  • 69.4k
18 votes
1 answer
741 views

PSE Advent Calendar 2021 (Day 10): The distracted gridsmith

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 > My grid ...
  • 69.4k
9 votes
1 answer
338 views

Cryptic crossword: Hydrophilia

Three answers must be thematically shortened before entry in the grid; wordplay gives the shortened version. The contents of one cell in the completed grid should be suitably replaced to highlight the ...
  • 598
2 votes
1 answer
236 views

Crossword Day puzzle

This article is a stub. You can help StackExchange by expanding it. Crossword Day is coming! (Maybe a better name for this regional holiday is "cryptic crossword day".) Here is a themed ...
7 votes
1 answer
406 views

How about a crossword featuring Mickey Mouse?

Across 1. Packed and set up a tent around river's bank (7) 5. A crush of Rome? (5) 9. Suppress repeated 7 down taking? We object (4) 11. Soldier in news story, retreating: "Go back!" (7) 12. ...
  • 69.4k
11 votes
1 answer
618 views

Guess the extra rule in this crossword!

Six "across" clues need to be modified in some way before solving. However, I'm not telling you which ones, or what the required modification is. You'll have to figure it out on your own. ...
  • 69.4k
10 votes
2 answers
775 views

How do I get Quinapalus to give me words that are 'anagram of word_a' in 'word_b'?

I would like to use the Quinapalus Matcher to look for words that are made (with some prior jiggerypokery) from two letter sets, let's call them $word_a$ and $word_b$. The letters in $word_a$ can be ...
8 votes
1 answer
298 views

Fanatically following f...?

Eighteen answers are printer's devilry, others are regular cryptic clues. Can you fill in the last word of the title? Across 1. Kay's satisfied getting fortune (6) 4. Accelerate around place of ...
  • 69.4k
12 votes
1 answer
649 views

Eurasian nomads

Across 1. Theatrical musical interrupted by a tram construction (12) 10. One-time Vatican resident's right to boycott Toyota vehicle (4) 12. Exhausted courier crammed small boxes (6) 13. Hong Kong ...
  • 69.4k
14 votes
1 answer
404 views

Don't know what to call this crossword

I seem to have forgotten the name of this puzzle. The only thing I do remember is that every answer is different. Can you find out what it's called? Why do you think that name is appropriate? Across 7....
  • 69.4k
8 votes
1 answer
346 views

Criminals and lawsuits

Across 1. Merely suitable or exactly right (4) 4. Throw dance party after Lent? (8) 10. Happening near Alberto Fujimori's home: Eating shaved ice with the last bit of fruit punch (8) 12. Share load of ...
  • 69.4k
8 votes
1 answer
512 views

Trig's amuddle!

As in most cryptic crosswords, each clue here has a wordplay portion and a direct definition. The definition clues the answer that goes into the grid; the wordplay, on the other hand, yields one ...
  • 11.3k
7 votes
1 answer
273 views

Breaking the law

Across 2. Mary Jane is head over heels, pursuing pair of jazz musicians who play in a southern style (2,3) 5. A vote cast by the end of third round (6) 9. In Cabo, Peter missed out on short drive ...
  • 69.4k
11 votes
1 answer
401 views

And the wheel keeps on turning

Across 1. Ask me about glacial landforms (5) 4. Invalidate start of automobile race's first round (7) 9. Luciferous phenomenon shown by conservative TV network, with strong displeasure (7) 10. Someone ...
  • 69.4k
12 votes
1 answer
731 views

Left wanting more

This is part 14 of the puzzle series that started at Living the traveller's dream. This is the final puzzle in the series and solving it requires knowing the answers to the previous puzzles. Previous ...
  • 69.4k
10 votes
1 answer
400 views

Cryptic Crossword: Askew

Another cryptic crossword, with a twist! Each 2x2 group of yellow tiles forms a room, which are each assigned a number via the Roman numerals found in a room's lower-right corner. More details about ...
  • 303
8 votes
1 answer
369 views

Cryptic Crossword: Parallel Universes

This is my first post! Feel free to let me know of any points of constructive criticism you have. Cryptic Crossword: Parallel Universes What you see before is not one puzzle, but four: each from an ...
  • 303

1
2 3 4 5
7