How Cryptic Crosswords work

Click one of these articles to read it.

1. The Linguistics of Cryptic Crosswords (.doc)

2. A press release about The Hidden Code of Cryptic Crosswords (.doc)

3. What is a Cryptic Crossword Clue? (.doc)

4. A quick one-page review of The Hidden Code of Cryptic Crosswords (.doc)

The Hidden Code vs traditional crossword theory.

The Hidden Code of Cryptic Crosswords makes a radical departure from traditional Crossword theory in several ways:

1. It eschews the dictum that ‘A good cryptic clue contains three things: A good definition, A fair subsidiary definition, and nothing else’. Instead the book argues that the clue is syntactically very much more complex and has five major functions.

2. The book uses graphic marks to represent the syntax of a cryptic clue. This allows the reader to ‘see double’, by which is meant that the reader reads two things simultaneously. The function of a word, as well as its meaning. This can also be seen as two meanings for the same words, where the second meaning is amended by the exposed function, or syntax, of the words.

3. The book recognises that a radical departure from the traditional model requires a nomenclature that more accurately describes the function of a word or a device. ‘Definition’ and ‘Subsidiary Definition’ fall away. Instead of ‘definition’ the book argues that the crux of a clue lies in a synonym of the answer. Synonymcrux thus replaces the definition. Traditional ‘Link Words’ link the two definitions in a ‘misreading’ of the clue, but separates the two definitions when one solves the clue. More importantly, this function is maintained even when there is no ‘link word’. The book inserts a ‘Fulcrum mark’ at the point where the two definitions need to be separated. This happens even when there is no link word.

The subsidiary definition falls away to make room for two functions. Keywords tell us what to do, and the exposition is what ‘what to do’ is done to. The old school claim that an anagram indicator and the anagram cover that. The truth is that they do not, because they are too limited. Twice too limited. First because the ‘indicators’ are very specific and do not cover a multitude of little words that tell one what to do (e.g. ‘tiny’ may tell one to abbreviate a word, or initial it). Secondly, abbreviation and initialling were not recognised as crossword devices, which is a very serious oversight. Tim Moorey sets the Mephisto crossword in the Sunday Times Magazine and he condemns Francois for ‘making up’ or inventing words like beheadments, disheartenments and curtailments. But he uses all three these phenomena in one crossword. Mephisto 2216. Francois’ model explains what he does. (Ironically, Ross Eckler also used these words back in 1996, in his book ‘Making the Alphabet Dance’. Graham King does too, in ‘Word Games’.)

4. The Hidden Code makes crosswords accessible to all those people who have been excluded by the deliberate obfuscation of those who build pedestals for themselves. Tim Moorey (Mephisto, Sunday Times Magazine) is so clever he sets puzzles almost no one can solve. Brian Greer is so clever that he can write a book that just about nobody can understand. Francois Greeff is so “stupid” that he writes a book that everybody can understand. Richard Browne, the current crosswords editor of the Times wrote to him regarding The Hidden Code of Cryptic Crosswords, and warned: “People should learn by practice, by imitation, by native wit, and by a little bit of study; but don't make things too easy for everyone!”

Learning the rules of a game does not make it easy to play. It makes it possible to play. Like riding a bicycle: Having learned how, one still has to pedal up the hills, but until one has learned how to ride it the unskilled attempt is embarrassing and painful.