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Cryptic crosswords: delightful brain exercise, or the infernal taunting of the incomprehensible?
Either way, crossword setter John Feetenby explains how they're made and how to solve them. He reveals how he composes clues (even one for 'Zaltzman'), why crosswords reign supreme over sudoku, and why 'jacuzzi' is rarely the answer.
ADDITIONAL READING:
- If, like me, you suck at cryptic crosswords, to start off here's Cryptic Crosswords for Dummies.
- I'll never be able to do The Guardian's crossword, but if that's the crossword mountain you want to climb, here's the Guardian's Cryptic Crosswords for Beginners series. I can do the Telegraph crossword a bit, so here's the Telegraph's guide too.
- This is a very handy compendium of what words mean in crosswordese.
- Here's a summary of the differences between UK and US crosswords.
I'm aware that crosswords from other countries work differently to British ones, so do illuminate me about your own local crossword practices.
MAILCHIMP'S RANDOMLY SELECTED WORD FROM THE DICTIONARY:
waterbrash
This episode is sponsored by Tasting Room. Listeners from the USA: you can get the starter pack of wine samples for just $6.95 if you visit tastingroom.com/allusionist.
Be so kind as to fill in the Radiotopia listener survey at surveynerds.com/allusionist. As well as helping us find out what you want from podcasts , you could win some very swanky Tivoli headphones.
Say hi at facebook.com/allusionistshow and twitter.com/allusionistshow, and come back in a fortnight for the next episode.
- HZ
CREDITS
John Feetenby's crosswords appear every Sunday in one of Britain's major newspapers. He is @feexby on Twitter and his website is feexby.com, via which you can find his own podcasts.
This episode was presented and produced by me, Helen Zaltzman.
MUSIC:
'Allusionist Theme' - Martin Austwick
'I don't Get It' - Cowboy Junkies
'Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood' - The Animals
