A live online ITA event that took place on July 9.
Peter Biddlecombe, the editor of the Sunday Times Crossword talked about cryptic crossword clues. As part of the talk he demonstrated solving a crossword, with analysis of the clues and the solutions.
Peter also recommended books and websites:
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Books:
By Don Manley: Chambers Crossword Manual, 5th Edition
ISBN-13: 978-1444794632
I proof-read this edition, but I don’t earn anything from sales. I read the first edition back in 1987 and suddenly, cryptic crosswords made much more sense. It includes a bit of information about the history of crosswords, and covers the full range of cryptic crosswords, including ones much more difficult than the one we’ve looked at.
By Tim Moorey: The Times How to Crack Cryptic Crosswords
ISBN-13: 978-0008285579
Tim, who is retired from a career in the oil industry, presents courses on solving cryptic crosswords, and has used his experience from these to write a very good book, with a narrower focus than Don’s, and therefore more detail on that area, about how to solve cryptic crosswords similar to the one we’ve just done.
Two kinds of website
Crossword blogs –
Clue writing contests – one example is thesundaytimes/cluewriting which is the one I run for the Sunday Times. I choose an answer each week, and entrants devise a clue for it. I choose the best clue and the winner gets the grand sum of £25. Reports online explain the winning clue and other good ones, and comment on some of the less good ones.
Times for the Times - The Times, The Sunday Times
[ Ссылка ]
Fifteensquared - Guardian, Independent, Financial Times
[ Ссылка ]
Big Dave’s Crossword Blog – Daily Telegraph, Sunday Telegraph
All three provide answers to crosswords on the day of publication or after the closing date for competition ones, and explain how the clues work. Many people comment on how they got on or ask questions.
[ Ссылка ]
Clue writing contests – one example is thesundaytimes/cluewriting which is the one I run for the Sunday Times. I choose an answer each week, and entrants devise a clue for it. I choose the best clue and the winner gets the grand sum of £25. Reports online explain the winning clue and other good ones, and comment on some of the less good ones.
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