In Clue Movie A.3 we look at the eight basic constructions used in cryptic clues, illustrating them using a variety of clues for the same word.
The video can be played by clicking here or on the image above.
Clue Movie A.2
Clue Movie A.2 is now available.
In this session, we put the cryptic clue under the microscope to see what it looks like (those of a nervous disposition should fortify themselves suitably beforehand). We examine its body parts and how they fit together, and we also consider what components cannot legitimately occur in a clue.
The video can be played by clicking here or on the image above.
Clue Movie A.1
Clue Movie A.1 is now available.
In this session, we look at the basic crossword types encountered in the UK, and go on to consider the differences between the two major types of cryptic crossword, the blocked puzzle and the barred puzzle, in terms of both the construction of the grid and the clues.
The video can be played by clicking here or on the image above.
New Site – Update
Latest Updates
25/0217 – New post in the Foul Play? category, prompted by a posting on the Crossword Centre message board.
22/02/17 – New post on clue annotation added in the Practice Notes category.
20/02/17 – The number of members so far recruited for the Superclue judging panel has increased by one (I realise that a decrease was impossible since the membership previously stood at zero, but a crossword of a thousand clues starts with a single letter…or something like that).
Overview
Our subject at the Clinic is crossword clues and our aim will be to have ‘something for everyone’, whether novice solver, experienced solver, aspiring setter or established setter.
For the relative newcomer to cryptic crosswords, we have three videos (each lasting around 15 minutes) in the Clue Movies ‘A’ series.
I’m pleased to be able to report that the Clinical Data section, with its searchable lists of abbreviations, anagram indicators, reversal indicators etc, is now complete.
The Foul Play? and Checkup features are now up and running, and the first article for a new area called Waiting Room, where as you might expect you will be able to find a selection of light reading, is now almost ready.
We will be introducing a monthly clue writing competition (with a prize!). We’d like to put together a judging panel in readiness (no prior judging experience required), so if you’re interested please see the Superclue page – I’m pleased to report that as of 20th Feb we now have one guinea pig volunteer, but more are needed!
The more content that we have (particularly if it hasn’t been written by me!) the better – the Contact page has information on making submissions. If there’s anything you’d like to see on the site, feel free to post a comment below under the heading ‘Leave a Reply’.
Doctor Clue, FRCC
As you state, requiring synonymy of strict definitions precludes too many commonly-accepted replacements. Figurative language is often in broad use, and it does not seem to be a stretch to equate figurative definitions. [With that said: I would not use “gutless” to define “spineless”, as the words have the same endings. “Lacking guts” for “spineless”, however, not only works with their definitions but also suggests wordplay that is absent: a nice bit of trickery.]
All of my grids are themed, and I expend much effort in ensuring that theme words do not intersect, even when the theme is irrelevant to solving or is trivial. Even better, and even when I am likely to be the only person who notices, are grids where the themed entries are symmetrically arranged. My bride, who has no truck with cryptics (“you do you, dude”), is nevertheless the recipient of my commentary, and pretends to be happy for me when I achieve the desired effects. The look of the thing is important for our art, and art it is.
Yes, an obviously asymmetrical grid niggles setter and solver. Conditioned responses, perhaps, but conditioned all the same.