1500 miles in 2019
1 lurker |
43 watchers
Jul 2019
10:16am, 5 Jul 2019
60 posts
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theOtherRichard
Hello all. Sorry for the ludicrously long delay in preparing the round up. Life and stuff. Well done everyone on another good month of running (although I have been largely absent from the thread this month, the numbers look good!). It seems that half our number are keeping their heads above the water. And the other half, well, we have another six months to catch up.  * Please note that there was a Garmin issue at the end of the month that may mean the numbers are slightly wonky - I know that my Sunday run didn't auto-sync and I ended up importing it on Monday. It turns out that I didn't know what I was letting myself in for when I rashly agreed to do the round-up at the start of the year - and all the ones I've managed to see this year have been interesting and informative. But I don't know anything about anything, which is a bit of a shortcoming. So, I while I was trying to complete this morning's crossword, I thought I'd research them and share my findings. I love a good, challenging crossword and the nerdy satisfaction I get from completing the grid. ==History== Cryptic crosswords are thought to have started to appear in newspapers from the mid-to-late-1920s in the Telegraph, Guardian and Times. Some of these puzzles were pretty obscure, esoteric and just downright difficult, depending on the foibles of the particular setter. It wasn't until the 1940s that some sort of 'rules of engagement' were defined by Alistair Ritchie in his book Armchair Crossword: "We must expect the composer to play tricks, but we shall insist that he play fair.". That means that although each setter still maintains their own style, a solver should be able to work out a solution from the clue in a logical and fair way. Rog T --> +70.67 [1269.51] DocMoye --> +58.49 [1178.93] Oranj --> +56.94 [1167.36] NDWDave --> +51.89 [1129.84] Pikelet --> +46.21 [1087.56] bonners --> +44.52 [1074.98] jabberknit --> +31.04 [974.75] Jenni-far-far --> +28.79 [957.96] phidip --> +25.53 [933.71] Wriggling Snake --> +15.28 [857.53] ==Clue types== Anagram - the 'classic' clue type consisting of a rearrangment of letters in the clue. Clues ar generally made up an 'anagrind' (an indication that an anagram is present) and 'fodder' the actual letters to be rearranged (although the fodder can be cryptically, rather than literally defined). Charade - a series of shorter words formed from parts of the clue are joined together to form the longer solution. Containers - words that are placed inside other words or abbreviations to form a longer word. Cryptic definition - a disguised clue, aiming to misdirect the solver by using a less obvious turn of phrase that appears to mean something else on first reading. Double definitions - two (or sometimes more) parts of the clue that lead to the same solution. Hidden words - words that are found within another word, or sometimes across multiple words in a sentence. Homophones - words that sound like another word, often indicated by phrases such as "we hear" or "for audience" etc. Initial letters - words formed from the first letters of words in the clue. Reversals - words that are clued but then reversed before they go into the grid. clare1976 --> +14.40 [850.97] larkim --> +12.61 [837.6] Gobi --> +10.95 [825.32] HappyG(rrr) --> +9.81 [816.84] Cerrertonia --> +9.48 [814.36] IanS --> +8.90 [810.04] sergio --> +5.19 [782.46] riggsy99 --> +4.01 [773.65] JP. --> +0.74 [749.32] ==Grid types== Standard UK cryptic crosswords are usually 15x15 grids with blanked-out squares. They are generally rotationally symmetrical. Clues are numbered from the top left and form across and down clues. Solving the clues generally leads to the solution of others by the use of 'crossers' i.e. letters from one clue indicating solutions for others that cross them. Other parts of the world have different grid types - for example US crosswords often have no blanked out squares, but have bars where solutions end. US crosswords also have a stricter definition of the 'rules' mentioned above. mole-thing --> -0.56 [739.67] westmoors --> -3.50 [717.77] Hills of Death (HOD) --> -6.22 [697.59] jennyh --> -8.11 [683.52] theOtherRichard --> -9.72 [671.54] RichHL --> -11.22 [660.39] Quinn The Eskimo --> -12.13 [653.6] Richard-M --> -20.42 [591.94] _andy --> -22.48 [576.65] Roberto --> -26.32 [548.09] ==Jargon== Some of the terms that solvers use when discussing puzzle solutions... DNF - did not finish LOI - last one in &lit - a clue that is both wordplay and a definition to the solution Nina - a hidden message within the cells of the completed grid Theme - sometimes a setter will either theme most or all of the clues, or many of the solutions will follow a particular theme. Spotting this early helps solve the grid. Mr. K. --> -29.19 [526.7] rjb --> -29.80 [522.16] Neilio --> -42.46 [428.01] Jigs --> -45.42 [406] stewartC --> -46.01 [401.58] pielips --> -47.30 [391.99] The Terminator --> -52.95 [350] Garfield --> -57.34 [317.35] MovingAlong --> -61.30 [287.83] Sources: en.wikipedia.org fifteensquared.net |
Jul 2019
10:32am, 5 Jul 2019
67,295 posts
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Gobi
Damn, crosswords are complex :¬) I enjoyed that Nice one |
Jul 2019
10:47am, 5 Jul 2019
3,351 posts
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westmoors
Thanks tOR. I do miss my daily crossword. I used to do it on the train home, but I stopped commuting 25 years ago and don't seem to have time for them now.
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Jul 2019
10:56am, 5 Jul 2019
326 posts
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Jenni-far-far
thanks tOR
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Jul 2019
10:58am, 5 Jul 2019
2,841 posts
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Pikelet
I love a crossword. Excellent round up theOtherRichard
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Jul 2019
11:25am, 5 Jul 2019
29,017 posts
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DocMoye
Thanks tOR Another cracking subject explained to us. 😁 |
Jul 2019
12:02pm, 5 Jul 2019
2,912 posts
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jabberknit
An excellent roundup, tOR, thanks! I love cryptics, and was delighted to find out that they are good to keep your brain going in old age - important for those of us who are a bit closer to that life-stage than some of you youngsters. Rest day today ahead of an exciting weekend - 2 marathons and an evening in the company of the fabulous Rammstein at Milton Keynes Stadium tomorrow. Can't wait! Enjoy your weekends, everyone! |
Jul 2019
1:33pm, 5 Jul 2019
570 posts
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Richard-M
I feel better informed now - thanks tOR I went for a short easy run to explore this lunch - quite hot - like westmoors said - but good heat training... |
Jul 2019
1:38pm, 5 Jul 2019
10,672 posts
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Garfield
Very interesting roundup! They are useful brain teasers as we age!
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Jul 2019
4:08pm, 5 Jul 2019
3,955 posts
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jennyh
Great round up, thanks very much Richard! I enjoy cross words, but whilst I always enjoy the idea of a cryptic cross word in reality I struggle to complete them - maybe a little knowledge about the different types of clues may help?
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