How to Solve Cryptic Crossword Puzzles

How to Solve Cryptic Crossword Puzzles | The New Yorker

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4 жыл бұрын

The puzzlemakers Anna Shechtman and Erik Agard break down how cryptic crosswords work and decode this style’s double clues.
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How to Solve Cryptic Crossword Puzzles | The New Yorker

Пікірлер: 100

@scout_finch 4 жыл бұрын

I want a more of Erik Agard! He's a great character with a lateral-thinking mind!

@Nature_r-n6v 3 жыл бұрын

This was great, I been tryin to find out about "spiritual warfare help" for a while now, and I think this has helped. Ever heard of - Banulian Lonameron Breakthrough - (should be on google have a look ) ? Ive heard some extraordinary things about it and my friend got great success with it.

@themroc8231 4 жыл бұрын

1 - that's amazing 2 - I hate it.

@tsukikage 2 жыл бұрын

In fairness, I've been doing the NYT crossword for a while now, and while I'm pretty darn good at Mondays, like most people I have to cheat a lot on the later days because I simply don't know the "best-selling novel that begins in Pondicherry, India".

@maxdavis8767 9 ай бұрын

life of pi?

@emilyjay4152 14 күн бұрын

Life of Pi?

@BioYuGi 2 жыл бұрын

The last one kills me because how would you know that the capital it refers to is Juneau, Alaska?

@zmaj12321 9 ай бұрын

That one would definitely require some crossing letters to help solve.

@snakelemon 29 күн бұрын

I think if you HAPPEN to know about the bank note clue, you might be able to cross reference what capital might contain the same letters as the people on the bank notes.

@shnitzel9052 3 күн бұрын

@@snakelemon Yeah, a lot of cryptic is knowing an answer to what you've figured out is the straight part and seeing if the cryptic part actually can coincide.

@JungianHeights 3 жыл бұрын

I love Crosswords and Cryptic Crosswords. I started understanding the cryptic ones because of that one episode of Inside No.9 where he explains the clues to solve them.

@jasminesofela5724 Жыл бұрын

yesss same!

@BornvsMe Жыл бұрын

Can you share link?

@jasminesofela5724 Жыл бұрын

@@BornvsMe inside no. 9 season 3, episode 3

@joecab1 4 жыл бұрын

I loved that last one -- nice! And yes the difficulty is hilarious but a lot of people crave their cryptics that way.

@paulmerced5587 4 жыл бұрын

His hair is so big because it's full of brain power

@maljamin 2 жыл бұрын

Capable of the fuzziest logic

@kuztomix Жыл бұрын

His hair is actually short...

@Blueoceandog Ай бұрын

That's why his hair is so big. It's full of secrets.

@maypasifiki9360 2 жыл бұрын

I've tried to solve a cryptic crossword in the Sunday newspaper but it always stumped me. This clip is a great start on how to begin solving it

@SC-bg8wf Жыл бұрын

When I see the solutions to cryptic crosswords I still struggle.

@Vitoria-tx4xh 3 жыл бұрын

Cryptic crosswords are absurd. I love it.

@goodlookingcorpse 25 күн бұрын

In Australia crosswords are often printed in pairs, a cryptic and a 'normal' one.

@qwmx 24 күн бұрын

I never knew that. I use to do crosswords but lost interest because there were facts that weren't things that I normally would know (they were pop culture facts).

@andyq210 7 күн бұрын

Wow this is exciting! Can't wait to try the next New Yorker cryptic!

@ELCNUmorFnaMehT 4 жыл бұрын

That last one was just ridiculous.

@ReGGiEbayer95 3 жыл бұрын

That’d be so satisfying to get though

@yeerk 2 жыл бұрын

@@ReGGiEbayer95 no one would

@Eval999 2 жыл бұрын

How are you supposed to get Juneau?

@StoneColdMagic 8 ай бұрын

Excellent video. Thanks for sharing! The main issue I've had with cryptic crosswords (watching them on KZfaq, not actually solving them) is often they relate something obscure that only a Brit would know about. For example, I've seen some that refer to street names (non-well-known) in London that unless you live there, you're not likely to know the word or be able to follow the clue. Other cases are words that are inherently British like "loo." Loo, however, is a relatively commonly known word outside of the UK, but there are plenty of others that are just not known to us Yanks. :0] Is there a cryptic crossword for Americans using American icons, and jargon? I've not been able to find one.

@levtokol8649 Ай бұрын

Well, the New Yorker itself actually has a series of them you can find for free online. They started offering them weekly around when this video came out, iirc.

@wordsinahandle 22 күн бұрын

Start doing "Minute Cryptic" daily. There is an explanation each day for the single clue. I got most except the last one of course

@wordsinahandle 22 күн бұрын

The guardian also has a free daily cryptic crossword now

@Tossphate 4 күн бұрын

As a Brit, I felt that the cryptics in this video were quite American-centred. For example I solved the cryptic part "loo" but discounted it because it's not a place to go. Except of course in American speech, when you need to go to the toilet, you "need to go". Also the aluminium one, I was just thinking of the chemical symbol for Al, because it didn't click that it was the unusual spelling of aluminium. The last one was too hard because it requires knowledge of the British pound notes, plus thinking of American capitals.

@whedonobsessed 4 жыл бұрын

How many secrets is he keeping in his hair though

@RajMahall 4 жыл бұрын

"Go Tell It On The Mountain" as bumper music is 👨‍🍳😘👌

@dirtywashedupsparkle 4 жыл бұрын

So glad for that disclaimer for the last one, that would have been a quitting point otherwise! *D'you know?* hint hint

@shreyashabhinav1979 3 жыл бұрын

I did not even try solving that but that seems gopd

@v1d300 4 жыл бұрын

O M G! I been solving regular/easy crosswords for quite sometime now and never knew what Cryptic crosswords meant. I feel so stupid. Thank you though. TIL.

@BioYuGi 2 жыл бұрын

1:00 I must be doing very easy crosswords because if the answer is 'loo', the clue is just straight up 'british word for bathroom'.

@dailycrosswordsolve3448 4 жыл бұрын

For tips & tricks to crack a different type of crossword, check out my daily TUTORIALS for the New York Times Crossword Puzzle! kzfaq.info/get/bejne/pcqCZs-pkq60lac.html (Today's puzzle by Erik had a CRYPTIC CLUE!)

@gastrickbunsen1957 2 жыл бұрын

The Jane Austen clue is typical of a setter in a daily UK newspaper. Whenever I see the name "Paul", my head falls. If get five or six of the clues I'm over the moon. To be really honest, "Paul", either stop setting crosswords, or at least, give us humans a chance.

@ClifDickens 3 жыл бұрын

Erik Agard is the James Joyce of puzzlemaking.

@tonyastark1215 Жыл бұрын

This is horrible, I love it

@johnrobbins917 2 жыл бұрын

The WSJ occasionally publishes a cryptic puzzle on the weekend.

@ah_dan6572 2 жыл бұрын

As a Brit I never knew there was another type of crossword.

@babumadarasova5193 4 жыл бұрын

bruh in my country london would just be "british city" jane austen would be shortened to austen and be british author

@rhijulbec1 4 жыл бұрын

Nope! Still can't do them. Cryptic xwords are my kryptonite, lol. I can do american style with ease~but those? Arrrggghhhh!

@anotherbutt4chair56 4 жыл бұрын

Step one grow giant afro.

@arthimmig 4 жыл бұрын

This is awesome.

@mgmartin51 3 жыл бұрын

Delightfully devious, regard Kia.

@paolavalentina9349 Ай бұрын

I only knew that Jane Austen is on the £10 note 🤣

@karthikaas1728 3 жыл бұрын

I like the cryptic ones !

@kihunipunk 4 жыл бұрын

#1: This video just made me a subscriber. #2: I can't figure out cryptic passwords to save my life. #3: I TOTALLY ship these two!

@JacksonPriceSonder Жыл бұрын

That Jane Austen clue is absurd

@josephsauris4949 2 жыл бұрын

I've seen clues in The Nation harder than that Jane Austen one.

@cameronporter1 4 жыл бұрын

great video!

@o2brhubarb 3 жыл бұрын

“The Life Aquatic” beginning with bobbin (3 letters)

@ryaneckersley2037 3 жыл бұрын

bob

@berserk322 Жыл бұрын

Everything I try to learn cryptic crossword I loose my mind a little

@rhijulbec1 4 жыл бұрын

👏👏👏MORE👏👏👏MORE👏👏👏MORE And did I say MORE?

@jgreen2015 Ай бұрын

Bottle only party? Impossible! (2,3,2)

@PossumMedic 2 жыл бұрын

6 down - rap god who never sleeps 🙌

@shreyashabhinav1979 3 жыл бұрын

Thnx man

@katiekawaii 4 күн бұрын

I heard "place to go stare endlessly" and thought "place to go pee (because "peer" minus the last letter)"...guess I need more practice? 😅

@alexwells2231 4 жыл бұрын

And there is literal type as well One may have used rifle criminally? Ans Lifer - anagram of rifle and also the whole clue is a straight clue.

@user-qs6vn2yp6n Ай бұрын

Her laugh is straight Julia Roberts

@BlackPixel1 10 ай бұрын

So, are they together now?

@karthikaas1728 3 жыл бұрын

Oh I have found my self a new way to live

@henrytebbs1620 Жыл бұрын

I do agree the last one is satisfying - however not a good cryptic clue. The whole idea of a cryptic crossword is that it is complex within reason and still doable. The clue would be perfect for a Briton if it weren't for Juneau and it would be perfect for an American without the British Ten Pound Note. Particularly Juneau which is so integral in the clue is far too obscure for a cryptic clue. Setters that publish in (English) papers generally are aware of this and rely more on synonyms of woulds than obscure general Knowledge.

@henrytebbs1620 Жыл бұрын

Also it is a bad example for a video like this when the setter himself says "It's an absolute mess". Not a good tricky clue for a beginner video

@wobblyorbee279 28 күн бұрын

3:19

@JungianHeights 3 жыл бұрын

It's a little odd that he doesn't mention the fact that the key part of a cryptic crossword is that the definition of the answer will always be at the beginning or at the end.

@JungianHeights 3 жыл бұрын

Oh, he does eventually. It's just bizarre that he doesn't mention the basic concept until halfway through the video.

@n8style Жыл бұрын

he does at 5:22

@kicknknowledge2178 4 жыл бұрын

Them explaining cryptic crossword puzzles: The next narcissistic serial killer: 😈😈😈😈😈

@alexwells2231 4 жыл бұрын

kick'n' knowledge Snake in alien surroundings - through water it sped (1-4) Answer is E-boat not U-boat ET is "alien"and "snake"is boa and "surrounding" indicating put boa inside ET so E(BOA)T

@amazinggrace5692 6 ай бұрын

One problem with the British style is that it can use spellings that are British and European landmarks or geography for example.

@chetanisthebest 4 жыл бұрын

When I saw Figure close to 10, I was thinking of her looks lol

@reemlaza1 3 жыл бұрын

Traylyn

@skyrose6529 4 жыл бұрын

Can someone help me with a crossword please 🥺?

@Aryankumar-dz9ze 4 жыл бұрын

Yes

@BioPhys92 2 жыл бұрын

Bit of a strange distinction between American and British.. we just have both.. the 'American' one as you call it is just called concise or simple.. actually most people in UK play this one also - probably more than cryptic now

@BioPhys92 2 жыл бұрын

But yeah, useful for improving my cryptic skills as I'm just a beginner. Thanks

@TheArtkaw 4 жыл бұрын

Jane Austen.... REALLY?!?

@TheBetterGamer 15 күн бұрын

lmao i would never do cryptics. i am way too dumb for those.

@reemlaza1 3 жыл бұрын

Shorty

@brettvalerybrett730 4 жыл бұрын

#freejulianassange #no_usa_extradition #freepress... 🎅

@_hollowsky 6 ай бұрын

What does the first one even mean? How is "Head of England" loo?

@_Pike Ай бұрын

Head means toilet

@Rollers123a 4 жыл бұрын

I need more weed.

@degausser99 3 жыл бұрын

the only puzzling thing about this is whether this is a video about crosswords or a just really good chick flick bc i can't follow wtf's going on but whatever i'm invested