Who invented cryptic crosswords?

Who invented cryptic crosswords?

journalist Arthur Wynne
It was invented by British journalist Arthur Wynne, who emigrated to the United States in the 1890’s. His first crossword, or ‘Word-Cross’ as he called it, did not look like the present ones – it was diamond shaped with no black squares.

What is a cryptic puzzle?

A cryptic crossword is a crossword puzzle in which each clue is a word puzzle in and of itself. In the United States, cryptics are sometimes known as “British-style” crosswords. Compilers of cryptic crosswords are commonly called “setters” in the UK.

How do you solve cryptic clues?

Beginner’s guide to solving cryptic crosswords

  1. Read the clue. Then read it backwards.
  2. Think about the rest of the clue.
  3. Harden your heart against the setter’s siren charms.
  4. Repeat step three.
  5. Look at the number of letters.
  6. Solve the damn thing . . .

What do numbers mean in cryptic crosswords?

Cryptic clues are followed by a number or numbers in parentheses indicating the length of the answer: (5) means it’s a five-letter word, while (2,3,4) indicates a three-word phrase like “in the know.” …

Who invented crosswords?

Arthur Wynne
Crossword/Inventors

Arthur Wynne, a violinist-turned-journalist, created a word puzzle, called “Word-Cross”, for the paper’s “Fun” supplement. It is the ancestor of all modern crosswords, but differs from them in several ways. For one thing, it is laid out on a diamond-shaped (rather than square) grid.

What are word puzzles called?

Word games (also called word game puzzles or word search games) are spoken, board, or video games often designed to test ability with language or to explore its properties. Word games are generally used as a source of entertainment, but can additionally serve an educational purpose.

What do circles mean in crosswords?

Circle-in-the-square is a type of crossword puzzle in which circles appear in some of the Answer squares. the letters in squares that contain circles spell out words related to the theme either when read consecutively or when rearranged to form theme-related words.

What does Spooner mean in cryptic crosswords?

If you have ever tackled a cryptic crossword you will have come across the name Spooner or the term spoonerism for a clue where initial letters are swapped e.g. ‘fight the liar’ for ‘light the fire’. Spooner was an albino and as such, suffered from defective eyesight.

What is an African antelope called 3 letters?

All Crossword-Answers for: African antelope

Clue Answer Letters
African antelope with 3 Letters
African antelope GNU 3
African antelope KOB 3
African antelope with 4 Letters

What do circled letters in crosswords mean?

the letters in squares that contain circles spell out words related to the theme either when read consecutively or when rearranged to form theme-related words. Each square in the grid that contains a letter from the quotation contains an inscribed circle; hence the name circles-in-the-square.