Lowensda Posted June 15, 2016 Report Share Posted June 15, 2016 Spot the player/team/manager from the cryptic (ish) clues. Easy to begin with: 1. Passageway in Asian city? 2. Risk in paradise? 3. Greenland or Iceland perhaps? 4. Oz without Pacino maybe? 5. Result of deciphering the algebra. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c1982 Posted June 15, 2016 Report Share Posted June 15, 2016 1. Deli Alli 2. Eden Hazard 3. N.Ireland 4. Austria 5. ??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted June 15, 2016 Report Share Posted June 15, 2016 (edited) Is 5. Czech or Cech (cheque)? Edited June 15, 2016 by Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnh Posted June 15, 2016 Report Share Posted June 15, 2016 5. Gareth Bale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeO Posted June 15, 2016 Report Share Posted June 15, 2016 5. Gareth Bale Of course; I'm out of practice, was looking for an anagram of algebra and forgetting the "the". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c1982 Posted June 15, 2016 Report Share Posted June 15, 2016 5. Gareth Bale Very clever... I was going down completely the wrong avenue on that one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeO Posted June 15, 2016 Report Share Posted June 15, 2016 Very clever... I was going down completely the wrong avenue on that one! Used to be a big cryptic crossword fan, won (twice) the Independent Saturday magazine crossword prize, which was a bottle of very expensive olive oil (or Champagne if you preferred). Read books on it, "deciphering" is about as plain an anagram indicator as you can get, annoyed with myself for not getting it. Although it was number five it was the most obvious one for me, my brain just doesn't work so well these days; use it or lose it. Nice one anyway J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c1982 Posted June 15, 2016 Report Share Posted June 15, 2016 Used to be a big cryptic crossword fan, won (twice) the Independent Saturday magazine crossword prize, which was a bottle of very expensive olive oil (or Champagne if you preferred). Read books on it, "deciphering" is about as plain an anagram indicator as you can get, annoyed with myself for not getting it. Although it was number five it was the most obvious one for me, my brain just doesn't work so well these days; use it or lose it. Nice one anyway J. I was going down the route of Arnold Answer or Steve Solution! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c1982 Posted June 15, 2016 Report Share Posted June 15, 2016 ...and congratulations on your past crosswording successes Mike! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeO Posted June 15, 2016 Report Share Posted June 15, 2016 I was going down the route of Arnold Answer or Steve Solution! Both good players! ...and congratulations on your past crosswording successes Mike! It was many years ago now, cryptic stuff isn't actually that difficult once you learn how to read the clues. Guardian was always the most difficult, much harder than The Times; Telegraph was/is easy-peasy. Independent mag was at times virtually impossible, sometimes they'd get no correct solutions but I got lucky a couple of times . Don Manley's books are the ones to read if you want to understand the theory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cornish Steve Posted June 16, 2016 Report Share Posted June 16, 2016 6. Taxi? Yes please! 7. Springbok currency for Al? 8. Mink rattlers are poo. 9. Genesis? Non! 10. Sick keeper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cornish Steve Posted June 16, 2016 Report Share Posted June 16, 2016 Both good players! It was many years ago now, cryptic stuff isn't actually that difficult once you learn how to read the clues. Guardian was always the most difficult, much harder than The Times; Telegraph was/is easy-peasy. Independent mag was at times virtually impossible, sometimes they'd get no correct solutions but I got lucky a couple of times . Don Manley's books are the ones to read if you want to understand the theory. The best clue I ever saw was "014". 6 and 5. Did you know that the author Colin Dexter was a crossword expert? His two main competitors for top national puzzler were actually Morse and Lewis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cornish Steve Posted June 16, 2016 Report Share Posted June 16, 2016 11. Here's the first miracle. 12. Eight Chinese drink in Hawai'i. 13. Cross Maoris cry out. 14. Sky laborers? 15. Cloudy with a chance of whores. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lowensda Posted June 16, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2016 1. Deli Alli 2. Eden Hazard 3. N.Ireland 4. Austria 5. ??? 5. Gareth Bale Smashed it. Well done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnh Posted June 16, 2016 Report Share Posted June 16, 2016 (edited) We do the Telegraph cryptic crossword. Her indoors is far better than me at the cryptic clues but I usually get all the anagrams. For some reason I can see most of them fairly quickly without writing anything down. If I don't see it quickly, I write the letters in a circle with vowels and consonants mixed up. Usually I can then see it fairly quickly. Saw the 'the algebra' almost immediately. Edited June 16, 2016 by johnh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lowensda Posted June 17, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 6. Taxi? Yes please! 7. Springbok currency for Al? 8. Mink rattlers are poo. 9. Genesis? Non! 10. Sick keeper. 6. Cabaye The rest i'm struggling with here.... Cornish Steve 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnh Posted June 17, 2016 Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 6. Taxi? Yes please! 7. Springbok currency for Al? 8. Mink rattlers are poo. 9. Genesis? Non! 10. Sick keeper. Sick keeper = Joe Hart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cornish Steve Posted June 17, 2016 Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 Sick keeper = Joe Hart. Funny!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lowensda Posted June 17, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 6. Taxi? Yes please! 7. Springbok currency for Al? 8. Mink rattlers are poo. 9. Genesis? Non! 10. Sick keeper. The only one I can get close to, although I think it's wrong....is 7. Ireland? Iceland. Rand and Al....could sound like either depending on what strong accent you put on? I could be well out like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cornish Steve Posted June 17, 2016 Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 The only one I can get close to, although I think it's wrong....is 7. Ireland? Iceland. Rand and Al....could sound like either depending on what strong accent you put on? I could be well out like. You're getting there, but think of Al from the perspective of Queen Victoria. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnh Posted June 17, 2016 Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 7. Bertrand 9. Sessegnon - French player? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeO Posted June 17, 2016 Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 7. Bertrand 9. Sessegnon - French player? That doesn't work; too many n's and no anagram indicator. Bertrand must be right though; I was trying to think of a player whose name started with "Zar" so off target with that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeO Posted June 17, 2016 Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 The best clue I ever saw was "014". 6 and 5. Took me a while but I got that eventually, very clever. Two of my all time faves were HIJKLMNO (5) and Capital in Czechoslovakia? (4) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cornish Steve Posted June 17, 2016 Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 7. Bertrand 9. Sessegnon - French player? 7. Yes. 9. No. Not a French player, either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cornish Steve Posted June 17, 2016 Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 Took me a while but I got that eventually, very clever. Two of my all time faves were HIJKLMNO (5) and Capital in Czechoslovakia? (4) Got the first one but not yet the second. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cornish Steve Posted June 17, 2016 Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 (edited) Took me a while but I got that eventually, very clever. Two of my all time faves were HIJKLMNO (5) and Capital in Czechoslovakia? (4) OK. In the second, I'm now thinking eggs and Korean cars. Edited June 17, 2016 by Cornish Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnh Posted June 17, 2016 Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 'C' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeO Posted June 17, 2016 Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 OK. In the second, I'm now thinking eggs and Korean cars. Think again; an easier version of it is "Capital in central Czecholsovakia". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnh Posted June 17, 2016 Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 'C' Oslo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeO Posted June 17, 2016 Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 Oslo Bingo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cornish Steve Posted June 17, 2016 Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 Think again; an easier version of it is "Capital in central Czecholsovakia". Eggs are in there, and so are Korean cars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cornish Steve Posted June 17, 2016 Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 6. Taxi? Yes please! 7. Springbok currency for Al? 8. Mink rattlers are poo. 9. Genesis? Non! 10. Sick keeper. For #8, I rather thought that 'poo' would give it away! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeO Posted June 17, 2016 Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 Eggs are in there, and so are Korean cars. As indeed are reverberations, but they weren't the right answer . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cornish Steve Posted June 17, 2016 Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 As indeed are reverberations, but they weren't the right answer . My two responses contained in doughnuts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lowensda Posted June 17, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 For #8, I rather thought that 'poo' would give it away! Harry Kane? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cornish Steve Posted June 17, 2016 Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 Harry Kane? I can understand the word association, but no. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cornish Steve Posted June 18, 2016 Report Share Posted June 18, 2016 Let me help a little by quoting teams. 6. Taxi? Yes please! (France) 7. Springbok currency for Al? (England) 8. Mink rattlers are poo. (Slovakia) 9. Genesis? Non! (Belgium) 10. Sick keeper. (Northern Ireland) 11. Here's the first miracle. (Albania) 12. Eight Chinese drink in Hawai'i. (France) 13. Cross Maoris cry out. (Switzerland) 14. Sky laborers? (England) 15. Cloudy with a chance of whores. (Russia) And here are five more to be going on with... 16. Asleep in black gold (Germany) 17. Western slope (England) 18. Plus another (Romania) 19. When in doubt, pick a new one (England) 20. Consider urban nooks (Wales) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeO Posted June 18, 2016 Report Share Posted June 18, 2016 16 is Özil. That'll do for now; don't want to tax my brain too much, it's the week-end . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markjazzbassist Posted June 18, 2016 Report Share Posted June 18, 2016 6 cabaye 7 alli 8 skrtel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeO Posted June 18, 2016 Report Share Posted June 18, 2016 6 cabaye 7 alli 8 skrtel Cabaye has already been answered and pretty sure John has got Bertrand right for 7. How you come to Alli and Škrtel I don't see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markjazzbassist Posted June 18, 2016 Report Share Posted June 18, 2016 I guess I don't know how these work. Is it just a clue? Or is it the letters for the name are in the clue? If so do you have to use all of them? I've never heard of a "cryptic" before Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeO Posted June 18, 2016 Report Share Posted June 18, 2016 I guess I don't know how these work. Is it just a clue? Or is it the letters for the name are in the clue? If so do you have to use all of them? I've never heard of a "cryptic" before It's complex Mark; there are many different types of cryptic clue and you normally have to ignore completely what the clue suggests and interpret the wording, which will almost always lead you in another direction. I initially got interested because my first ever MD did them and I got fascinated and read books, I'd say they're almost impossible to "self teach". Steve is either a genius at setting them, I've lost my knack of solving them or he's really not very good at it. Middle one is most likely . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markjazzbassist Posted June 19, 2016 Report Share Posted June 19, 2016 Thanks Mike, I guess I'm not the only one who's lost Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnh Posted June 19, 2016 Report Share Posted June 19, 2016 Eggs are in there, and so are Korean cars. As is a Liverpool newspaper. Cornish Steve 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cornish Steve Posted June 19, 2016 Report Share Posted June 19, 2016 I guess I don't know how these work. Is it just a clue? Or is it the letters for the name are in the clue? If so do you have to use all of them? I've never heard of a "cryptic" before Mark, you're right that cryptic crosswords are not that popular, and not often seen, in the US. Maybe I can help out by explaining the clues solved so far. 6. Taxi? Yes please! Cabaye. Taxi = cab. Yes = aye. Therefore, the answer is Cabaye 7. Springbok currency for Al? Bertrand. Springbok = South Africa. Their currency is the rand. Al is short for Albert, sometimes shortened to Bert. Therefore, the answer is Bertrand. 8. Mink rattlers are poo. You actually guessed the answer, even though Mike poo-pooed it. 'Poo' is Liverpoo, right? Mink rattlers is an anagram of Martin Skrtl. 16. Asleep in black gold. Black gold is oil. Asleep means getting some z's. Z in oil? Ozil. As Mike suggests, take the clues literally. Look for words embedded within the clue (just as Oslo was) and also for the occasional anagram. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cornish Steve Posted June 19, 2016 Report Share Posted June 19, 2016 (edited) The best clue I ever saw was "014". 6 and 5. For those who don't see it, 007 (James Bond) was a secret agent. Therefore, 014 is ... As mentioned earlier, I thought this clue was very clever when I first saw it. Edited June 19, 2016 by Cornish Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markjazzbassist Posted June 19, 2016 Report Share Posted June 19, 2016 Thanks Steve glad I got one right! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeO Posted June 19, 2016 Report Share Posted June 19, 2016 Mark, you're right that cryptic crosswords are not that popular, and not often seen, in the US. Maybe I can help out by explaining the clues solved so far. 6. Taxi? Yes please! Cabaye. Taxi = cab. Yes = aye. Therefore, the answer is Cabaye 7. Springbok currency for Al? Bertrand. Springbok = South Africa. Their currency is the rand. Al is short for Albert, sometimes shortened to Bert. Therefore, the answer is Bertrand. 8. Mink rattlers are poo. You actually guessed the answer, even though Mike poo-pooed it. 'Poo' is Liverpoo, right? Mink rattlers is an anagram of Martin Skrtl. 16. Asleep in black gold. Black gold is oil. Asleep means getting some z's. Z in oil? Ozil. As Mike suggests, take the clues literally. Look for words embedded within the clue (just as Oslo was) and also for the occasional anagram. No anagram indicator though Steve; also "are" suggests plural and "poo" is a local colloquialism. Unsound on many levels . "Mixed mink rattlers result in local rival" would work (as long as your target market is Evertonians). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markjazzbassist Posted June 19, 2016 Report Share Posted June 19, 2016 What is an anagram indicator Mike? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeO Posted June 19, 2016 Report Share Posted June 19, 2016 What is an anagram indicator Mike? In the example I gave it would be "mixed", suggesting you need to mix the letters; could be garbled, in disarray, tipsy, jumbled, organised, woven, out of order. Hundreds of options. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markjazzbassist Posted June 19, 2016 Report Share Posted June 19, 2016 Clever Mike, thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnh Posted June 20, 2016 Report Share Posted June 20, 2016 Mark, here's a relatively easy one from today's Telegraph crossword for you to practice on. Hair-raising action from the brave. (8 letters) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lowensda Posted June 20, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2016 Trying to keep on top of which ones have been answered. 6. Taxi? Yes please! (France) Cabaye 7. Springbok currency for Al? (England) Bertrand 8. Mink rattlers are poo. (Slovakia) Skrtel 9. Genesis? Non! (Belgium) 10. Sick keeper. (Northern Ireland) 11. Here's the first miracle. (Albania) 12. Eight Chinese drink in Hawai'i. (France) 13. Cross Maoris cry out. (Switzerland) 14. Sky laborers? (England) 15. Cloudy with a chance of whores. (Russia) 16. Asleep in black gold (Germany) Ozil 17. Western slope (England) 18. Plus another (Romania) 19. When in doubt, pick a new one (England) 20. Consider urban nooks (Wales) -------------- 9. Denayer? 10. Jamie Ward? 13. Xhaka? 17. Wilshere? / Rashford? The only ones i can get so far. Need to spend more time on this haha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cornish Steve Posted June 20, 2016 Report Share Posted June 20, 2016 Trying to keep on top of which ones have been answered. 6. Taxi? Yes please! (France) Cabaye 7. Springbok currency for Al? (England) Bertrand 8. Mink rattlers are poo. (Slovakia) Skrtel 9. Genesis? Non! (Belgium) 10. Sick keeper. (Northern Ireland) 11. Here's the first miracle. (Albania) 12. Eight Chinese drink in Hawai'i. (France) 13. Cross Maoris cry out. (Switzerland) 14. Sky laborers? (England) 15. Cloudy with a chance of whores. (Russia) 16. Asleep in black gold (Germany) Ozil 17. Western slope (England) 18. Plus another (Romania) 19. When in doubt, pick a new one (England) 20. Consider urban nooks (Wales) -------------- 9. Denayer? 10. Jamie Ward? 13. Xhaka? 17. Wilshere? / Rashford? The only ones i can get so far. Need to spend more time on this haha. You have #13 correct, but the others not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lowensda Posted June 20, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2016 You have #13 correct, but the others not. Wow. That's poor then. I thought Ward because of 'Sick Keeper'...like a hospital ward, a place for keeping the sick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cornish Steve Posted June 20, 2016 Report Share Posted June 20, 2016 Wow. That's poor then. I thought Ward because of 'Sick Keeper'...like a hospital ward, a place for keeping the sick. Think of the number usually on the keeper's back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markjazzbassist Posted June 20, 2016 Report Share Posted June 20, 2016 Mark, here's a relatively easy one from today's Telegraph crossword for you to practice on. Hair-raising action from the brave. (8 letters) there bra lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnh Posted June 20, 2016 Report Share Posted June 20, 2016 (edited) there bra lol Not an anagram. (it has an American clue) Edited June 20, 2016 by johnh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cornish Steve Posted June 20, 2016 Report Share Posted June 20, 2016 (edited) Not an anagram. (it has an American clue) Here in Atlanta, there's baseball (start the video at 0:45). Edited June 20, 2016 by Cornish Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markjazzbassist Posted June 20, 2016 Report Share Posted June 20, 2016 was just gonna say baseball. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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