One of our very own members , Mark, may be known to us for his crosswords printed
in the Vale magazine, but also in the Independent and “u3a matters” magazine.
However quite rightly he was delighted to announce the fact that he has had a puzzle
accepted for publication in The Times in the near future. We will of course let
everyone know when this will be.

Mark began by stating that this wouldn’t be a guide to how to solve crosswords but would give us an insight into what he is thinking as he puts crosswords together.

For those who want an insight into solving he suggested two YouTube channels to watch live solving.
https://www.youtube.com/@CrackingTheCryptic
https://www.youtube.com/@dweebovision

Mark told us his main aim when setting crosswords is that the solver should succeed- the puzzles can be fiendishly difficult but solvable. The golden rule of cryptic is “I need not mean what I say, but I must say what I mean” to quote an early setter, AFRIT.

The grids are now generated by computer software but of course originally when crosswords began to be published in 1923 they were written out by hand with a dictionary in hand, both time consuming and laborious.

Mark then took us through the steps of devising a clue and showed us a variety of strategies to set a clue, illustrating how using wordplay, abbreviations, synonyms and links we can arrive at the word, with both surface and underlying grammar.

Throughout he used the word BREAD

• definition= food, wheat product/ money, cash
• definition by example = roll, baguette, loaf
• using BREAD as a verb = to crumb a cutlet or the sitcom
  
  Mark illustrated various cryptic methods with examples:
  
• Charade( broken down and put together)
  Eg B-READ : a bachelor (B) to study (READ) for livelihood (BREAD)
  Staple (BREAD) two (B)books(READ) together
  B-RE-AD : Second class (B) soldiers (RE) given promotion (AD)and cash (BREAD)
  
• homophones ( words in clue as hint: reportedly/ auditor/ heard etc)
  
• anagrams (words in clue as hint -busy/ ordered / batty etc)
  DEBRA’s gone off focaccia possibly(BREAD)
  
• container or insertion definitions
• hidden clues
• multiple definitions
• cryptic definitions
• lit/clue as definitions
  
  After giving us such a fascinating glimpse into the various strategies used by a compiler, hopefully those of us who try to solve them had a better insight how to, and for those that don’t, it was an entertaining look into the mind of a crossword compiler.
  
  And for all of us the final Two Ronnies ‘crossword on the train’ sketch was a brilliant way to end
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVWdbO6FFfw
  
  Sally Whyte Speaker Coordinator
  u3apershoresally@gmail.com