This Wonderful Game
There are few things at which Britain can still claim to be a world leader.
The cryptic crossword is certainly one of them, and is enjoying something of a revival. To use a footballing analogy, Britain is the Manchester United of this type of puzzle, while the rest of the world would be knocked off the park by the likes of Rochdale or Hereford United.
As a cryptic crossword setter myself, I feel very lucky to be part of this wonderful game. People like to find the hidden meaning in things, and they also love to solve a problem.
Solving puzzles has always provided a great distraction from our own problems. We may be having financial difficulties, or going through family strife; we may be always arguing with the boss, or struggling with ill health; the British weather may fail us, and sometimes we may feel life may be speeding along, leaving us trailing in its wake. But in solving a crossword, or any type of puzzle, here is a problem we can deal with. In entering the last solution we gain great satisfaction; we were set a challenge, and we won.
The reason for the phenomenal success of Sudoku is, I feel, partly in the puzzle's simplicity. A novice can pick up this puzzle and within ten seconds can set about it. Sudoku has a certain elegance. The cryptic crossword, however, has rules which at first may seem difficult to grasp, and some may find this off-putting. However, the pay-off is great indeed. A cryptic crossword solver may sometimes laugh, and at other times groan. A solver may be tutting in disapproval one moment, and beaming with joy the next. New words may be learnt, and knowledge gained. In the setters of the puzzles themselves friends will be made – and foes too!
Lovers of the puzzle may discover that 'angered' is an anagram of 'enraged', or that 'stressed' is 'desserts' backwards. They'll discover why the answer to 'Gsge ? (9,4)' is 'Scrambled eggs', why 'HIJKLMNO ? (5)' is 'Water', and why 'Of of of of of of of of of of? (10)' is 'Oftentimes'. In the cryptic crossword we will find a friend and companion for life, a rare and precious thing indeed. If you want to learn to solve cryptic crosswords there are plenty of books available. Among my favourites are:
