Puzzling

My Dummies Cheat Sheets are online at last, and this step really marks the absolute end of work on both books. These Cheat Sheets have some good basic tips on solving cryptics, so keep them bookmarked! Solving Cryptic Crosswords For Dummies Cheat Sheet Understanding Cryptic Clue Anatomy Getting to Grips with Cryptic Devices Tackling Abbreviations Cryptic Crosswords For Dummies Cheat Sheet Making a Start on a Cryptic Crossword Reference List of Common Abbreviations Spotting Indicator Words In a brilliant display of canine reasoning, Petal and Griff have discovered how to travel overseas real cheap! It just might work ...  ;)

Look what just showed up in the post! One of the really REALLY good moments of being an author ... I'm enjoying working at the Attorney-General's Department at the moment, as a copyeditor for their website . It's just a one month contract, so I will only have time to rewrite about 100 pages from their 5,000 page website (which is being completely redesigned as well). Interesting and challenging work, and a lovely team to work with. The only downside is it's a full time job, and I still have to run my business at the same time, only in evenings and on the weekends  :p  So posts may be thinner on the ground until July ...

Here's my analysis of the Gemini Crossword from The Canberra Times , Friday 1 June. Definitions are underlined (apart from double definition and cryptic definition clues). There are several Libertarian clues in this one, so look out! Griff as a little puppy ... he still loves this position! Super Griff! ACROSS 1. They may blow the lights out (5) = FUSES Cryptic definition. 4. He often resorts to a piece in colour (7) = HABITUE Container clue.  A piece  = A BIT, and you put it in  HUE ( colour) 8. Old agreement from extremely early times (3) = YEA Hidden word clue. Extremel y ea rly times. Times  isn't really needed in this clue. From is a rather broad hidden word indicator. Thanks to m1k1 for her more accurate analysis of this clue than mine! 9. Gives up an office from a basic date (9) = ABDICATES Another anagram clue that's missing a clear indicator! Basic date  is the fodder, but there's no anagram indicator. From  is not e

I've been having fun designing my own crossword fabric ! This is particularly necessary if you want to have British-style crosswords on your cloth, as most crossword fabrics feature the more solid white American-style grids. Spoonflower is an awesome print-on-demand textile company. You simply upload your designs, and check them with proofs (ie a printed swatch, which is posted to you), and you're away! There are a range of fabrics available, too, from quilting weight cotton and silk crepe de chine, to a more sturdy cotton twill. I've been very impressed with the quality of their fabric and printing. I've designed two crossword fabrics, and one chihuahua fabric (featuring Petal). Petal's fabric has the motif quite small and repeating. This is just a close-up of my artwork below. If you'd like to order any, simply visit my Shop on Spoonflower .

Hidden word clues are less common in cryptics — a typical cryptic may just have one or two — but they are so nice and easy (which is why they're often in short supply in cryptics!), I thought it would be good to cover them early in the piece. If you can find the hidden word clues in a cryptic, they are a good way to get something  entered into the grid, which in turn will help you get a handle on the other clues. So, why are these clues so easy? Well, the answer to the clue is actually staring you in the face, within the clue! OK, the setter has no doubt tried their best to hide the fact that the answer is right there in front of you, in plain view. So they can be tricky to spot sometimes, but they are basically a very easy clue device. For example, the word PLAN can be hidden inside BI PLAN E. And the word ROSE can be hidden inside the words ALLEG RO SE RENADE. The last example is more typical of these sorts of clues ... the word is often split across two or even three