Puzzling

So. Reversals. I bet you have already figured out how this cryptic wordplay works! Yes indeed, some letters or words are run backwards to help get to the answer. In English, some words are perfect reversals of each other - TIPS / SPIT, SERIF / FIRES, GUM / MUG, and KEEP / PEEK are just a few. These sorts of words are called anadromes . And you will know what palindromes are no doubt, those tricky words which read the same backwards and forwards! EVE, RADAR, TOT, and so on. In cryptic clues, either the whole answer word can be clued with a "perfect" reversal (eg WOLF reversing to give FLOW), or as is more common, (let's face it, not that many words form perfect anadromes), the reversal forms part of the wordplay, in combination with another device (especially charades ). They also have reversal indicator words, so you get some instruction on what to do. Here's an example of a "pure" reversal clue: Pam runs back to get a chart (3)  Pam  is th...

When my Cryptic Crosswords For Dummies book was being checked by the American editors at Wiley, they decided that my handful of risqué clues couldn't stay in. So I edited the offending 11 clues to tame them down. But it's a pity to see such naughtiness go to waste. So I thought you'd like to have a try of them here! I've put the puzzle reference in, too, so you can find the edited versions in the book (which should be available in bookshops in a few weeks now). As ever, my chihuahuas Petal and Griff are the Guardians of the Answers. Have a good try of the clues yourself, and scroll below the pups to see full explanations of the clues, and the answers. The (Slightly) Rude Clues 1. Rampantly sexy, without a kiss? Absolutely! (3) Crossword 5, 21 Down, pg 36 2.  Mesmerist has weird phony tits  (9) Crossword 15, 1 Across, pg 56 3.  Naughty escort's laced undergarment  (6)  Crossword 24, 24 Across, pg 74 4.  101 in advertisement for tar...

The writing of both books is DONE, thank heavens. All that remains now is to proofread and make final corrections on the second book ( Cryptic Crosswords For Dummies ), which mainly involves checking all 56 of the crosswords yet again. I will only get a week to do this in, the proofs will probably arrive tomorrow. So, in 4 months I wrote two whole Dummies books, with around 2,500 cryptic clues between them. If there's ever a Volume 2 of the crosswords, I definitely want more time! I can handle writing one cryptic a day – it's intense, but do-able ... more than that is dreadfully exhausting (I've been averaging 1.5 crosswords a day for the past several months). Griff is glad I can leave my desk sometimes, now!

Griff joined our family yesterday! He's a long-haired chihuahua, and about 10 weeks old. Miss Petal isn't sure about this new development, but hopefully they will eventually be good friends. I wonder if she's thinking "If I don't look at it, it doesn't exist..." He rather likes playing with balls, and does an expert 'commando roll' too!

Just to get things off on the right foot, so you know where we stand ... This is Griff, our new puppy! He hasn't come to live with us yet (another 4 weeks). He's a long-haired chihuahua. He will be the little brother for Petal, who is a short-haired chihuahua. As you can see, she likes crosswords.