Crosswords

I've searched to see if there is a thread for Crosswords. They are mentioned in other places, but there doesn't seem to be a dedicated thread.
I'm a Guardian/Grauniad aficionado from yonks back. The trouble with the app/website in Australia, is that many clues are pommie specific, ie you need to have contemporary knowledge of UK happenings/people/places/TV programmes. Just as with Wordle you need to be ready for 'or' rather than 'our', or even complete nonsense (in use in nonsense America) "words" like emcee. Connections is even worse. American TV programmes (which thinking people don't even watch, so why include them in a supposed thinking person's game?) and American minority (I mean only Americans are interested) sports - baseball or NFL are often among the connections.
That rant over, back to crosswords. I'm an Australian pom, so I get most of the Brit-specific clues. But it gets worse. You need to have wider British geographical knowledge, often London knowledge, which some folk won't have. Luckily, I'm a Londoner too (cue 🎶 Maybe it's because I'm a Londoner ... ") so I immediately twigged a clue from this morning's Everyman:

Spooner's to cycle past Royal Courts of Justice? Let's hear some music. (6,2,3,4)

I think that the apostrophe is misplaced or redundant, btw.

It's hardly morning in pommie land, so I won't give a spoiler. I'm not sure that a non-Londoner or a non-lawyer would get it quickly.

So, crossword lovers, discussion will have to be post mortem (if the old English only rule is still in place, that's a Latin phrase which means put the fly killer in the mail) a day or two late to avoid spoilers.

Comments

  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    I do the Grauniad crossword every day too, and I'll be very happy to join you in a post mortem*.

    * when I typed that, my fingers gravitated towards it being post mortgage - can you tell I work for a firm of lawyers? :mrgreen:

    I'm not getting your clue right away; I'll need some crosser letters, and I don't think Everyman appears here until Sunday (it's 12:20 pm on Saturday here at the moment).
  • Pom? Pommie?

    I do the New York Times crossword every day. I’m afraid I’ve never caught onto cryptic crosswords.


  • RuthRuth Shipmate
    The trouble with the app/website in Australia, is that many clues are pommie specific, ie you need to have contemporary knowledge of UK happenings/people/places/TV programmes. Just as with Wordle you need to be ready for 'or' rather than 'our', or even complete nonsense (in use in nonsense America) "words" like emcee. Connections is even worse. American TV programmes (which thinking people don't even watch, so why include them in a supposed thinking person's game?) and American minority (I mean only Americans are interested) sports - baseball or NFL are often among the connections.

    Wow, a UK site refers to UK culture and a US site refers to US culture and uses US spellings and words. How weird.

    You don't have to like our use of "emcee," but it would be nice if you exercised a little basic courtesy here. I love crossword puzzles. But why should I want to talk about them with you when you're so flat-out rude?

    @Piglet, how does "nonsense America" not register with you as a problem? How does the blanket condemnation of all American TV programs as things thinking people don't watch get past you?
  • DoublethinkDoublethink Admin, 8th Day Host
    @Nick Tamen Pommie is a derogatory Australian term for the English.

    Question is, is this Ozzie sledging or true insult ?
  • RuthRuth Shipmate
    Question is, is this Ozzie sledging or true insult ?

    Is "sledging" another way to say, "C'mon, it was only a joke"?
  • RuthRuth Shipmate
    I mean, I can't be expected to understand cricket slang; hardly anyone plays that here. As a watcher of American TV, I'm not a thinking person.
  • DoublethinkDoublethink Admin, 8th Day Host
    Ruth wrote: »
    Question is, is this Ozzie sledging or true insult ?

    Is "sledging" another way to say, "C'mon, it was only a joke"?

    Well, I’m not Australian so I’m not sure I have this right, nor do I follow cricket, but I think it is equivalent to trash talking - i.e. taunting one’s opponents in a contest.
  • Ruth wrote: »
    Question is, is this Ozzie sledging or true insult ?

    Is "sledging" another way to say, "C'mon, it was only a joke"?

    Well, I’m not Australian so I’m not sure I have this right, nor do I follow cricket, but I think it is equivalent to trash talking - i.e. taunting one’s opponents in a contest.

    That's about it. The main difference between professional or league cricket and Sunday cricket is that professionals and league players sledge the opposition, Sunday cricketers sledge their own team mates.
  • DoublethinkDoublethink Admin, 8th Day Host
    I am not sure the tradition carries well outside its own very specific context.
  • FirenzeFirenze Shipmate, Host Emeritus
    Long time ago I used to do the Guardian cryptic. I found I 'learnt' various compilers and could get their clues, others not at all.

    I've recently added the Quick crossword to the early morning suite of Wordle, Connections and occasionally Spelling Bee and Waffle.

    The NYT games are a bit culture specific, but y'know, it broadens the mind. Come to that, I have trouble with British cultural reference for later than the last millennium.
  • I've never has much success with the Guardian's Cryptic crossword, though I have been known to almost complete it...mainly, I keep to the Quick crossword, which I usually attack over breakfast.

    The same paper's recently introduced Quick Cryptic (Saturdays only) is a doddle...mostly...
  • la vie en rougela vie en rouge Purgatory Host, Circus Host
    Hostly beret on

    Ship's Commandment 5 states
    Don’t easily offend, don’t be easily offended

    @Foaming Draught please be aware that what (I think) you meant as good-natured banter may not be interpreted that way by the person on the receiving end.

    Hostly beret off

    la vie en rouge, Circus host
  • brenda786brenda786 Shipmate Posts: 1
    I’m a big fan of crosswords and often use crossword answer when I’m stuck. Regional clues can be tricky, but they’re a fun way to learn local knowledge like the Everyman clue with the Spoonerism. Let’s keep the focus on solving and sharing tips it’s all part of the challenge! 😊
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    edited January 26
    @Foaming Draught - I've just realised that I mixed up the numbers of letters you gave in your clue (much as Spooner would have done). It was in last week's Everyman, and yes - I got it!

    I am a piglet of very little brain!

    There's a very useful site called Fifteensquared that offers blogs on the crosswords from the Grauniad, Independent and other British newspapers, which is helpful if you've done the crossword, but wonder how the compiler reached their solution!

    The weekend ones (Prize and Everyman) don't appear there until the following week though.
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    If you haven't done today's Grauniad (Tuesday 11th) and you're a Brit of a certain vintage, give it a go - it's got a delightful theme!

    I'm sorry David's not here to see it - he'd have loved it. ❤
  • LKKspouse and I have a morning ritual where I get the Sydney Morning Herald and we do the crosswords over cups of tea.

    We usually get them out, unless it's a Friday when David Astel https://davidastle.com/david-astle is the cruciverbalist.

    SoF used to have a cryptic crossword game in years past.
  • I do the main cryptic crossword every morning after breakfast. It usually takes 30-40 minutes which I should probably spend on other things ...

    The Saturday prize puzzle is much harder, far fewer anagrams and more references to Greek and Roman mythology.
  • la vie en rougela vie en rouge Purgatory Host, Circus Host
    My Dad claims doing the crossword is his way of preventing dementia. So you see your 30 minutes aren't wasted after all. :mrgreen:
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    I've heard that too; even if it's an Urban Myth™, I still enjoy doing the crosswords!
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    *bump*

    Did anyone do the Grauniad yesterday? It was an interesting concept for April Fool's day - if you haven't done it I won't post spoilers. Once I realised what he was getting at, I got through it.
Sign In or Register to comment.