T/S: US vs UK Crosswords

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I think UK crosswords, most easily sampled by 'mercans in the back of The Economist, easily beat US-style crosswords. However, GAMES magazine and the Atlantic both feature regular (monthly) 'puzzlers' and 'Cryptic Crosswords' which can make even UK crossword puzzles seem childishly simple. Recently the Atlantic had one in which all of the clues were part of one long undifferentiated stream of faux book reviews. It was hell.

But that's not the point. Which Times is more devilish on a daily basis?

― Tom Millar (Millar), Thursday, 16 January 2003 04:38 (twenty-three years ago)

DIRTY CROSSWORD: of course.

― Pete (Pete), Thursday, 16 January 2003 11:13 (twenty-three years ago)

blimey, i wish my Atlantic sub was more reliable, it runs out next month and i've received 5 this past year, though i can forgive 1 being lost due to change of address. bastards. my declining ability to do cryptic crosswords is evidence of my senescence. i used to finish them when i was a 6th former and now i barely get started. gah. dirty crossword only from now on

― Alan (Alan), Thursday, 16 January 2003 11:17 (twenty-three years ago)

I know nothing of American crosswords but I am mainly a quick crossword man if anything at all. The thing about crypic ones is that they vary so much. I seem to recall the Telegraph and Obsever ones being comparatively easy. I even finished one once. Whereas the Times Crossword is v.hard and requires not just lateral thinking but also knowledge of things I do not have. The Guardian's is somewhere in the middle.

― N. (nickdastoor), Thursday, 16 January 2003 11:25 (twenty-three years ago)

Words you only ever find in crosswords: Eon.

― Pete (Pete), Thursday, 16 January 2003 11:34 (twenty-three years ago)

The Daily Mirror's general knowledge crossword is surprisingly hard, unlike the Guardian quick, which is pretty easy, as is the Standard one.

― chris (chris), Thursday, 16 January 2003 11:36 (twenty-three years ago)

i agree with chris on the daily mirror and guardian ones. i find it hard to believe that any daily mirror reader has ever finished that quizword.

― michael wells (michael w.), Thursday, 16 January 2003 11:40 (twenty-three years ago)

What is Pete on about? People say 'eon' often enough.

― N. (nickdastoor), Thursday, 16 January 2003 12:17 (twenty-three years ago)

I find the Guardian cryptic one easier than the Guardian quick one... having become used to the cryptic, it seems like the clues in the quick one could mean anything, they feel very imprecise.

For some reason the best dirty crossword sessions have always been with the Guardian cryptic.

― Tim (Tim), Thursday, 16 January 2003 12:20 (twenty-three years ago)

I've not said it in an ages.

― Pete (Pete), Thursday, 16 January 2003 12:20 (twenty-three years ago)

Once you get used to a cryptic setter's style, the cryptic ones get easier, whereas 'quick' ones often include general knowledge and if you don't know it, you don't know it. Today's Guardian quick has an ILXor-relevant clue!

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 16 January 2003 13:26 (twenty-three years ago)

17 Across: What's the most unacceptable thing...

― Tim (Tim), Thursday, 16 January 2003 14:01 (twenty-three years ago)

OK, I meant to say ILXer as in a person, I guess :)

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 16 January 2003 14:06 (twenty-three years ago)

Is 1 across 'Barans'?

― N. (nickdastoor), Thursday, 16 January 2003 14:08 (twenty-three years ago)

1.A Person whose body odour is reminiscent of Minestrone soup.

― Pete (Pete), Thursday, 16 January 2003 14:51 (twenty-three years ago)

an article in this weekend's guardian touched on this (by 'this' i mean the difference between the uk and us in crossword terms, not the minestrone soup thing). it's here:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/weekend/story/0,3605,880719,00.html

all the daily guardian crosswords are also available online with nifty java interface here:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/crossword

i'm currently still trying to finish christmas week's dick francis themed crossword from the guardian, have about 7 clues left to get. i have a theory that it's just a question of time before i can solve any crossword...

andy

― koogs, Tuesday, 28 January 2003 15:30 (twenty-three years ago)

nineteen years pass...

Never saw this thread before.

― Never Mind the ILX, Here's the Blecch Pistols (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 2 April 2022 10:36 (four years ago)

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