The grid above is not connected to the clues below. If you want to try one of my complete puzzles, you’ll find this grid, and the clues to it, and a link to the answers, here. For many years I’ve been a fan of crossword puzzles, and occasionally I’ll stumble across a clue that is devilishly clever. I keep scribbling them down, and today, for a change of pace, I’m going to inflict them on you. They aren’t the notorious British-style ‘cryptic’ crossworld clues, but they’re deliberately ambiguous, and witty. So here they are. An underscore indicates a letter, and to make it a bit fairer I’ve entered some letters, including the first one, for each clue. Answers tomorrow. 1. One whose business is taking off: S _ _ I _ _ E _ 2. Six-pointer, perhaps: S _ A _ (hint: it’s not “star”) 3. Row between houses: F _ _ _ 4. Master of double-take: N _ _ _ 5. Gives religiously: T _ _ _ E S 6. Oxford pad: I _ _ _ _ E 7. Buck topper: A _ _ _ E _ 8. Ticker tape letters: E _ _ 9. Joined the mob, maybe: R _ _ _ E D 10. Title from which “admiral” comes: E _ _ _ 11. They may be bookmarked: U _ _ _ 12. Jobs output: M _ _ 13. Leaning to the right: I _ A _ _ _ 14. Jazz scores: B _ _ _ E _ S 15. Grab some chow: D _ _ _ A _ 16. Bygone numbers: E _ _ _ R S 17. Remote location: D _ _ 18. Purposely try to lose: D _ _ _ 19. Contracted group: Y _ _ _ 20. Ocean liners: C _ _ _ _ S 21. It’s never left at sea: S _ _ R _ _ _ R _ 22. Professor plum: T _ _ _ _ E 23. Place to see a camel: I _ _ R _ _ _ 24. It has six holes: P _ _ _ _ A _ _ E 25. Uncommon delivery: T _ I _ _ E _ _ 26. It’s used with some frequency: H _ _ R _ _ I _ 27. Ring duo: T _ _ T _ A _ 28. Star followers: M _ _ _ (Acknowledgements: Quite a few of these come from classic NYT puzzle constructors David Kahn, Bob Tausig, Bob Klahn and Pat Berry.) OK, just to get you started, the answer to #1 is “stripper”. |