thatcrypticguy

Join me in being happily distracted tomorrow night (4/8) at 9:00 EST on twitch.tv/thatcrypticguy for cryptic crosswords by: - Mossberg (ACPT) - Dilly (Crosshare) - Goodchild (Crossweird) - @flyingelevator (AVCX) - Indy debut by Keynes - Hunsberger (WSJ)

Came by to plug my Assassin Creed Shadows review on my main account and figured I'd also remind people that I'm solving cryptics live on Twitch in about an hour! Come join me :) (one of us, one of us)

This'll be the last time I post about this on X, but my Tuesday night cryptic streams are back at twitch.tv/thatcrypticguy, ~9:00 PM EST. Tonight I'll be looking at puzzles from: Kevin Stuart Dob & @Bleebloop6 @rackenfracker Nathan Curtis @joeadultman Steve Mossberg

If you're not a bot and you like cryptic crosswords, I hope you'll join me on Twitch tonight at 9:00 EST as I break out the pen and paper on stream to solve as many as I can before sleep claims me. twitch.tv/thatcrypticguy

Going to start streaming at least one cryptic puzzle (the WSJ "Loopholes") as soon as I put my kid down, so in about 10-15 minutes. Hope to see you there! wsj.com/articles/looph… twitch.tv/thatcrypticguy

Special mention, too, to the really good pun elsewhere in the same puzzle: Generous saint called more than "penniless"? (8) If you can figure out what's more than a penny, you might make some cents out of this one!

The lynchpin holding it together, of course, is [Can], one of those great multipurpose short words that offers so many possible interpretations. In this case, it's the "shittiest" one: COMMOD[-or]E. Just really nice how that all comes together.

If you're not solving Bob Weisz's weekly cryptics, might I ask . . . why? Edgy, riotous, contemporary surfaces, creative definitions, clever stuff; one of the best US setters, IMO. Can naval officer take out Oregon? (7) …fromthecrypticcrosswords.blogspot.com/2024/08/more-t…

And of course, bringing it all together is (3) [they say], a straightforward indicator to help put you on the right track in changing "e-races" to ERASES. This is what I talk about when I talk about good cryptic clues. Surfaces that aren't what they seem, but which make sense.

(1) [Takes the lead], which perhaps might get a ? in a regular crossword, is a sneaky definition, and in the context of running, even more deceptive (which is good). (2) [virtual marathons] is a nice way to signal an artificial E prefix, it's an inferable sign for E-RACES.

If you like cryptics and don't check out Harper's, you're missing out on a monthly US mainstay. Yes, Maltby is sometimes a bit too stretchy for my taste and not every surface is a winner, but when he hits? It's a HIT: Takes the lead in virtual marathons, they say (6)

Three weeks later than I planned, but here's my latest mini cryptic crossword! Painlessly blow through game of chance (6) crosswordscholar.wordpress.com/2024/09/08/sne…

At any rate, this is KARA(OK)[-t]E. Everything about this surface sings, and I love to see it (and solve it)

Look at how well [acceptable] and [unacceptable] fit together here, one part in the cryptic, one part in the crossword section. That's all thanks to the playful ? of the straight clue: [often unacceptable vocalizations?]. (A nod, too, to the always welcome [-t] of [Timeless].)

The cryptic part is, I think, easier than it seems. The crossword clue that fits and ties it together—that's tough. All credit to Dob of @CrossweirdTV for: Timeless martial art incorporating acceptable and often unacceptable vocalizations? (7) crossweirdpuzzles.com/2024/08/28/bab…

Put all of that together (in a [Winter Olympics event]) and you have a very plausible, very misleading clue for LUG(G+AG)E. To me, that level of surface playfulness is what makes for the most enjoyable types of clues.

(1) [Bags] is a great definition here. In the surface, it operates as a verb, as in "wins," but as a definition, it's a noun. (2) [gold at first, then silver] is a terrific find for the chain G+AG, a part of the answer. (3) [in] is a plain sight container indicator. Lovely!

I really want to be more proactive in sharing cryptic clues I love from other setters (and why), so check out @KyleDolan7's Beneath the Surface #26 (beneaththesurfacepuzzles.blogspot.com/2024/08/crypti…) for: Bags gold at first, then silver in Winter Olympics event (7)

Since I plunged into constructing cryptics, I've solved very few full-length straight crosswords, so I was nervous going into Lollapuzoola 17 #lpz17 (my 14th). I did better than ever: no errors, placing 52/236 (and 13/169 in Local). Maybe I *should* practice for next year.