Are Those That Do The Crosswords Simply Clever Bods

[emmie]

because i can't get half of what goes on, occasionally one of mine will go through, but how do you get them all so quickly... please i would love to know the secret

[dannyk13]

Experience Emmie. I have been doing cryptic crosswords for over 60 years.

[goodgoalie]

It helps if you've already done the crossword, as many on here have

[emmie]

crikey, that is a long time, I used to do the Telegraph cryptic some years ago, but like the ones on here, but just not clever enough or quick enough to get some...

[dannyk13]

When you do the same crosswords on a regular basis you get some idea of the setter's mindset

[MargoTester]

I've only been doing them for about 5 years but learning how to read the clues is vital, looking out for pointers to anagrams etc.

[Togo]

Same here, Sunday Times done online this morning before the paper arrived. Getting on line before Danny and LiK and others is a different matter. They must be working from GCHQ. when they provide answers. :))

[Jackdaw33]

Danny is correct. When I started doing cryptic crosswords over 40 years ago I was pleased if I could complete 50% of the Telegraph. Now that I can do the Times in under 10 minutes I have become bored and no longer do them; there is no mental challenge for me. A good tip for beginners is to keep a crossword and compare it with the solution the following day, trying to work out how the answers are arrived at.

[emmie]

true, i used to do the telegraph often with a colleague, we
e mailed our answers to each other, we were on different floors of the office, apart from working of course, lol

[Prudie]

I think there are some very clever solvers on here but goodgoalie makes a very valid point that hope some of them will admit to. They have done the crossword already - often proved by a poster who gives no details of the crossword,no letters and a clue that could have multiple solutions and the right answer gets posted in seconds.

[emmie]

i can often see anagrams, but sometimes the interplay with words leaves me mystified until someone explains it, then i get it.

[dannyk13]

Prudie, I usually have finished my crosswords (Telegraph +Mail) before the questions start coming in, but I do answer other posts as well.

[mikey4444]

Emmie....it helps if you do the same newspaper's puzzle often enough, as you get to know the mindset of the compiler. Having said that, its also jolly useful if you ask for the occasional help on here !

[emmie]

Dannyk, Lie in King, Captain, and JJ09 are the most prolific of solvers, as i said some clever bods on here...

[Mamyalynne]

I physically do (or certainly attempt to do) 9 Crosswords on a Saturday starting from the stroke of midnight on Friday and 9/10 similarly on a Sunday.

I have each batch on a separate clipboard but am often beaten to the answer whilst I shuffle through the sheets of paper.

I do them because I love them and am still learning every day.

I resort to answer sites as Prudie has mentioned for Magazine puzzle general enquiries.

[goodgoalie]

Trouble is, Mikey, that the Times and Telegraph still has anonymous puzzles, so you don't know how difficult it is till you start. The really tricky ones usually get a response on here of 'd'you think this is a Dean Mayer' ?!

[dannyk13]

In my humble opinion the really brilliant solver on AB is L-i k.

[dannyk13]

Goodgoalie, Dean Mayer is an occasional setter of the Telegraph Toughie and it is usually easy to spot the ones he has done.

[emmie]

i used to know a guy who was a compiler for one of the broadsheets, he was very good at crosswords, but a big head for all his sense.

[Jackdaw33]

The only time I bother to give answers on here is if I am up in the wee small hours when Chalky from Oz comes on and there might be no-one else around.

[mikey4444]

Danny...I wouldn't argue with that, but the other names mentioned do pretty well !

Its all down to experience I guess.