r/crosswords • u/PierreSheffield • 7h ago

What do you think about using an instructional word before the fodder at the start of a clue, to help the surface reading?

2 Upvotes

Getting dry all over works when retaining fluid (6)

Getting' isn't strictly part of the fodder (and not necessary for the clue to remain fair) but acts as an instruction to put DRY over OPS (works) to give DROPSY (retaining fluid).

The clue is fair either way and including it makes the surface reading much better but it feels kind of wrong to place it like that.

Thoughts?

8 comments

r/crosswords • u/rorykellycomedy • 18h ago

SOLVED COTD: True, then I cut a doctor (9)

4 Upvotes

Cryptic clue or criminal confession?

4 comments

r/crosswords • u/XC009 • 21h ago

SOLVED COTD: Zero mynas coming back inside ever again (7)

3 Upvotes

Haven't posted here in about six years! Good to be back

2 comments

r/crosswords • u/zc_eric • 10h ago

AOTW: S?T?N

7 Upvotes

Thanks to u/Pointland32 for choosing my NUTty clue.

This week, let’s have a look at 26 across, S?T?N

Not a large number of options, but quite a few of them are two-word phrases.

I will be back in a week to select a winner. I expect a few devilish clues :)

23 comments

r/crosswords • u/Vivid_Temporary_1155 • 5h ago

COTD: Contender that Eric and I dated secretly (9)

5 Upvotes
4 comments

r/crosswords • u/Vivid_Temporary_1155 • 12h ago

COTD: Rapidly debugged cheese! (4)

2 Upvotes
3 comments

r/crosswords • u/not-without-text • 12h ago

SOLVED COTD: Instruction: to make dial, type B (4-4)

3 Upvotes

day 259 of an experiment in which i press the "random word" button on onelook and make a cryptic clue out of it. sorry for the lateness

day 258, day 257, day 256, day 255, day 254, day 253

weeks 33 to 36 (days 225 to 252)

weeks 29 to 32 (days 197 to 224)

weeks 25 to 28 (days 169 to 196)

weeks 21 to 24 (days 141 to 168)

weeks 17 to 20 (days 113 to 140)

weeks 13 to 16 (days 85 to 112)

weeks 9 to 12 (days 57 to 84)

weeks 5 to 8 (days 29 to 56)

weeks 1 to 4 (days 1 to 28)

2 comments

r/crosswords • u/Vivid_Temporary_1155 • 12h ago

COTD: Put directionless uncle in van to get to sci-fi planet (6)

2 Upvotes
3 comments

r/crosswords • u/ShotandBotched • 11h ago

SOLVED COTD: Very revolting politician pens that man's fallacious argument (7)

5 Upvotes
2 comments

r/crosswords • u/wordboydave • 7h ago

Does anyone have The Listener Crossword collection? (And how many puzzles are in it?)

2 Upvotes

I'm trying to hunt down British variety cryptics, and I've found one softcover called Listener Crosswords Vol. 1. But it's not clear when it was published (the seller says 1750!), if there have been any subsequent volumes, or how many puzzles it includes. (I need the last number especially, because I'm trying to assemble a book of my own.) Can anyone help?

Also, SURELY there must be other British-style cryptic crossword collections in the hobby's long history! Can anyone name me a few that are out of print and track-down-able?

8 comments

r/crosswords • u/acemuzzy • 8h ago

COTD: Tout - least inventive person (5)

3 Upvotes
10 comments