Clever Clues and Answers

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CandyB
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Clever Clues and Answers

#1

Post by CandyB »

Got a good laugh from the of Head of Parliament answer in today’s WSJ crossword. Might be one of my favorites.

Anyone else have a memorable clue & answer combo that has stuck with them?
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Al Sisti
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#2

Post by Al Sisti »

My favorite has always been this one from a cryptic crossword (i'm omitting the answer in case someone wants to give it a shot):

Set start for Holmes with A Study in Scarlet
Inca
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#3

Post by Inca »

I need the number of letters to attempt this...please
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Hector
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#4

Post by Hector »

Eight. :-)
Inca
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#5

Post by Inca »

Hector wrote: Thu May 16, 2019 5:49 pmEight. :-)
Well, I really thought that would help me a lot but somehow I am finding this really hard to chip away at without the context of the whole puzzle. I guess that makes sense for me because I'm just a dabbler at the cryptics. I love doing them and getting all those Aha! moments, but I really have to work hard at them and don't get to do them all that often. But I haven't given up yet (although I'm a bit skeptical since it is one of Al's favorite clues); just taking a break and will get back to it probably on Sunday.
Tina
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#6

Post by Tina »

Al Sisti wrote: Thu May 16, 2019 11:45 am My favorite has always been this one from a cryptic crossword (i'm omitting the answer in case someone wants to give it a shot):

Set start for Holmes with A Study in Scarlet
Got it! Love it!
CandyB
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#7

Post by CandyB »

Wow! What a clue! I’ve never tried cryptics before either.

This one has me stumped.
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jenirvin
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#8

Post by jenirvin »

Got it. :) Love the cryptics!!! I'm a huge HEX fan, and can't get enough of their puzzles.
~ Jennifer/jenirvin
LesY
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#9

Post by LesY »

I got it, too! Maybe there’s hope for me and cryptics. Will try the WSJ Saturday puzzle (a cryptic this week).
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KayW
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#10

Post by KayW »

Al Sisti wrote: Thu May 16, 2019 11:45 am My favorite has always been this one from a cryptic crossword (i'm omitting the answer in case someone wants to give it a shot):

Set start for Holmes with A Study in Scarlet
Got it!! Love it!! I am a big HEX fan but don't remember this one. Thank you for posting! I'm still hanging with Isaac on this week's contest. Maybe this solve will be the confidence boost I need to get me to that solution.
Contest Crosswords Combating Cancer (CCCC) is a bundle of 16 metapuzzles created to help raise money for cancer-related charities. It is available at CrosswordsForCancer.com.
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Al Sisti
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#11

Post by Al Sisti »

KayW wrote: Fri May 17, 2019 4:43 pm
Al Sisti wrote: Thu May 16, 2019 11:45 am My favorite has always been this one from a cryptic crossword (i'm omitting the answer in case someone wants to give it a shot):

Set start for Holmes with A Study in Scarlet
Got it!! Love it!! I am a big HEX fan but don't remember this one. Thank you for posting! I'm still hanging with Isaac on this week's contest. Maybe this solve will be the confidence boost I need to get me to that solution.
Actually, I just remembered it as follows, "Solid debut of Holmes: 'A Study in Scarlet' (8)." As an avid Sherlock fan and collector, I was even more impressed, since that was the first Sherlock Holmes story.
SewYoung
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#12

Post by SewYoung »

Al Sisti wrote: Fri May 17, 2019 4:49 pm
KayW wrote: Fri May 17, 2019 4:43 pm
Al Sisti wrote: Thu May 16, 2019 11:45 am My favorite has always been this one from a cryptic crossword (i'm omitting the answer in case someone wants to give it a shot):

Set start for Holmes with A Study in Scarlet
Got it!! Love it!! I am a big HEX fan but don't remember this one. Thank you for posting! I'm still hanging with Isaac on this week's contest. Maybe this solve will be the confidence boost I need to get me to that solution.
Actually, I just remembered it as follows, "Solid debut of Holmes: 'A Study in Scarlet' (8)." As an avid Sherlock fan and collector, I was even more impressed, since that was the first Sherlock Holmes story.
Finally got it. Thanks AL. That was fun. No on to this week's cryptic puzzle.
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Tom Shea
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#13

Post by Tom Shea »

Al Sisti wrote: Thu May 16, 2019 11:45 am My favorite has always been this one from a cryptic crossword (i'm omitting the answer in case someone wants to give it a shot):

Set start for Holmes with A Study in Scarlet
OK, I give up. The answer is?
Rufus T. Firefly
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Hector
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#14

Post by Hector »

Tom Shea wrote: Mon May 20, 2019 7:08 am
Al Sisti wrote: Thu May 16, 2019 11:45 am My favorite has always been this one from a cryptic crossword (i'm omitting the answer in case someone wants to give it a shot):

Set start for Holmes with A Study in Scarlet
OK, I give up. The answer is?
Check your PMs.
Inca
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#15

Post by Inca »

Al Sisti wrote: Fri May 17, 2019 4:49 pm

Actually, I just remembered it as follows, "Solid debut of Holmes: 'A Study in Scarlet' (8)." As an avid Sherlock fan and collector, I was even more impressed, since that was the first Sherlock Holmes story.
I just got back to this today. Still haven't gotten it but haven't given up.......yet. I'm no cryptic expert, by any means; the clues make me think so hard my head hurts. I can only think about them a few minutes at a time and hope that my subconscious does the work for me so that when I look at it again, the answer is clearer to me. It didn't work this time :|
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Al Sisti
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#16

Post by Al Sisti »

Inca wrote: Tue May 21, 2019 8:01 am
Al Sisti wrote: Fri May 17, 2019 4:49 pm

Actually, I just remembered it as follows, "Solid debut of Holmes: 'A Study in Scarlet' (8)." As an avid Sherlock fan and collector, I was even more impressed, since that was the first Sherlock Holmes story.
I just got back to this today. Still haven't gotten it but haven't given up.......yet. I'm no cryptic expert, by any means; the clues make me think so hard my head hurts. I can only think about them a few minutes at a time and hope that my subconscious does the work for me so that when I look at it again, the answer is clearer to me. It didn't work this time :|
Ouch! Didn't mean to make anyone suffer... I will say this though: Cryptics, more than anything else, taught me how to think outside the box; to say "never mind the obvious... what *else* can this word mean?" So let me know when you want the answer.
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Tom Shea
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#17

Post by Tom Shea »

Hector wrote: Mon May 20, 2019 1:30 pm
Tom Shea wrote: Mon May 20, 2019 7:08 am
Al Sisti wrote: Thu May 16, 2019 11:45 am My favorite has always been this one from a cryptic crossword (i'm omitting the answer in case someone wants to give it a shot):

Set start for Holmes with A Study in Scarlet
OK, I give up. The answer is?
Check your PMs.
Thanks. This is why I don't do cryptics. Must have something to do with being and engineer...
Rufus T. Firefly
Inca
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#18

Post by Inca »

Al Sisti wrote: Tue May 21, 2019 8:44 am
Inca wrote: Tue May 21, 2019 8:01 am
Al Sisti wrote: Fri May 17, 2019 4:49 pm

Actually, I just remembered it as follows, "Solid debut of Holmes: 'A Study in Scarlet' (8)." As an avid Sherlock fan and collector, I was even more impressed, since that was the first Sherlock Holmes story.
I just got back to this today. Still haven't gotten it but haven't given up.......yet. I'm no cryptic expert, by any means; the clues make me think so hard my head hurts. I can only think about them a few minutes at a time and hope that my subconscious does the work for me so that when I look at it again, the answer is clearer to me. It didn't work this time :|
Ouch! Didn't mean to make anyone suffer... I will say this though: Cryptics, more than anything else, taught me how to think outside the box; to say "never mind the obvious... what *else* can this word mean?" So let me know when you want the answer.
<Crying, "Uncle!"> Ready for that answer. Please message me. Thanks
Laura M
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#19

Post by Laura M »

I really liked this pair in the LA Times Sunday crossword yesterday, "Abracadabra" by Kevin Salat. It doesn't really work as a "guess the answer from the clue," so I ROT13-ed both the clues and answers to try to avoid spoilers if you're planning to do that puzzle (go to rot13.com to translate):

1Q Snpgf naq svtherf - VASB
40Q Vasb va guvf chmmyr? - BARQBJA
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KayW
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#20

Post by KayW »

Laura M wrote: Mon May 27, 2019 1:29 pm I really liked this pair in the LA Times Sunday crossword yesterday, "Abracadabra" by Kevin Salat. It doesn't really work as a "guess the answer from the clue," so I ROT13-ed both the clues and answers to try to avoid spoilers if you're planning to do that puzzle (go to rot13.com to translate):

1Q Snpgf naq svtherf - VASB
40Q Vasb va guvf chmmyr? - BARQBJA
I did this puzzle in the Chicago Tribune on Sunday - I got a chuckle out of it too. And thank you for introducing me to ROT13! That's a great way to avoid spoilers.
Contest Crosswords Combating Cancer (CCCC) is a bundle of 16 metapuzzles created to help raise money for cancer-related charities. It is available at CrosswordsForCancer.com.
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