How to Solve Cryptic Crossword Puzzles | The New Yorker

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  • เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ต.ค. 2024
  • The puzzlemakers Anna Shechtman and Erik Agard break down how cryptic crosswords work and decode this style’s double clues.
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    How to Solve Cryptic Crossword Puzzles | The New Yorker
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ความคิดเห็น • 110

  • @scout_finch
    @scout_finch 4 ปีที่แล้ว +222

    I want a more of Erik Agard! He's a great character with a lateral-thinking mind!

    • @Nature_r-n6v
      @Nature_r-n6v 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      This was great, I been tryin to find out about "spiritual warfare help" for a while now, and I think this has helped. Ever heard of - Banulian Lonameron Breakthrough - (should be on google have a look ) ? Ive heard some extraordinary things about it and my friend got great success with it.

  • @themroc8231
    @themroc8231 4 ปีที่แล้ว +397

    1 - that's amazing
    2 - I hate it.

  • @BioYuGi
    @BioYuGi 2 ปีที่แล้ว +153

    The last one kills me because how would you know that the capital it refers to is Juneau, Alaska?

    • @zmaj12321
      @zmaj12321 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +48

      That one would definitely require some crossing letters to help solve.

    • @snakelemon
      @snakelemon 2 หลายเดือนก่อน +19

      I think if you HAPPEN to know about the bank note clue, you might be able to cross reference what capital might contain the same letters as the people on the bank notes.

    • @shnitzel9052
      @shnitzel9052 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

      @@snakelemon Yeah, a lot of cryptic is knowing an answer to what you've figured out is the straight part and seeing if the cryptic part actually can coincide.

    • @maximilianellis1311
      @maximilianellis1311 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

      Immediately thought of juneau because of all of the letters it has in common with the start, but I couldn’t figure out the letter swap part so i assumed it was something else. I never would’ve been able to get it without knowing the answer beforehand though.

    • @faithharrison3755
      @faithharrison3755 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      @@shnitzel9052 for me it’s almost always definition first, wordplay second.

  • @tsukikage
    @tsukikage 2 ปีที่แล้ว +94

    In fairness, I've been doing the NYT crossword for a while now, and while I'm pretty darn good at Mondays, like most people I have to cheat a lot on the later days because I simply don't know the "best-selling novel that begins in Pondicherry, India".

    • @maxdavis8767
      @maxdavis8767 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +20

      life of pi?

    • @emilyjay4152
      @emilyjay4152 2 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      Life of Pi?

  • @JungianHeights
    @JungianHeights 3 ปีที่แล้ว +78

    I love Crosswords and Cryptic Crosswords. I started understanding the cryptic ones because of that one episode of Inside No.9 where he explains the clues to solve them.

  • @paulmerced5587
    @paulmerced5587 4 ปีที่แล้ว +335

    His hair is so big because it's full of brain power

    • @maljamin
      @maljamin 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      Capable of the fuzziest logic

    • @kuztomix
      @kuztomix ปีที่แล้ว +1

      His hair is actually short...

    • @Blueoceandog
      @Blueoceandog 2 หลายเดือนก่อน +9

      That's why his hair is so big.
      It's full of secrets.

  • @joecab1
    @joecab1 4 ปีที่แล้ว +97

    I loved that last one -- nice! And yes the difficulty is hilarious but a lot of people crave their cryptics that way.

  • @maypasifiki9360
    @maypasifiki9360 2 ปีที่แล้ว +22

    I've tried to solve a cryptic crossword in the Sunday newspaper but it always stumped me. This clip is a great start on how to begin solving it

  • @SC-bg8wf
    @SC-bg8wf ปีที่แล้ว +53

    When I see the solutions to cryptic crosswords I still struggle.

  • @Vitoria-tx4xh
    @Vitoria-tx4xh 3 ปีที่แล้ว +26

    Cryptic crosswords are absurd. I love it.

  • @ResistorSynthwave
    @ResistorSynthwave 5 วันที่ผ่านมา

    These two are perfectly matched as presenters and should have their own series.

  • @goodlookingcorpse
    @goodlookingcorpse 2 หลายเดือนก่อน +8

    In Australia crosswords are often printed in pairs, a cryptic and a 'normal' one.

    • @qwmx
      @qwmx 2 หลายเดือนก่อน

      I never knew that. I use to do crosswords but lost interest because there were facts that weren't things that I normally would know (they were pop culture facts).

  • @Eval999
    @Eval999 2 ปีที่แล้ว +13

    How are you supposed to get Juneau?

  • @StoneColdMagic
    @StoneColdMagic 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +11

    Excellent video. Thanks for sharing!
    The main issue I've had with cryptic crosswords (watching them on TH-cam, not actually solving them) is often they relate something obscure that only a Brit would know about. For example, I've seen some that refer to street names (non-well-known) in London that unless you live there, you're not likely to know the word or be able to follow the clue. Other cases are words that are inherently British like "loo."
    Loo, however, is a relatively commonly known word outside of the UK, but there are plenty of others that are just not known to us Yanks. :0]
    Is there a cryptic crossword for Americans using American icons, and jargon?
    I've not been able to find one.

    • @levtokol8649
      @levtokol8649 2 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

      Well, the New Yorker itself actually has a series of them you can find for free online. They started offering them weekly around when this video came out, iirc.

    • @wordsinahandle
      @wordsinahandle 2 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      Start doing "Minute Cryptic" daily. There is an explanation each day for the single clue. I got most except the last one of course

    • @wordsinahandle
      @wordsinahandle 2 หลายเดือนก่อน

      The guardian also has a free daily cryptic crossword now

    • @Tossphate
      @Tossphate หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      As a Brit, I felt that the cryptics in this video were quite American-centred. For example I solved the cryptic part "loo" but discounted it because it's not a place to go. Except of course in American speech, when you need to go to the toilet, you "need to go".
      Also the aluminium one, I was just thinking of the chemical symbol for Al, because it didn't click that it was the unusual spelling of aluminium.
      The last one was too hard because it requires knowledge of the British pound notes, plus thinking of American capitals.

  • @ELCNUmorFnaMehT
    @ELCNUmorFnaMehT 4 ปีที่แล้ว +90

    That last one was just ridiculous.

    • @ReGGiEbayer95
      @ReGGiEbayer95 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      That’d be so satisfying to get though

    • @yeerk
      @yeerk 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      @@ReGGiEbayer95 no one would

  • @andyq210
    @andyq210 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Wow this is exciting! Can't wait to try the next New Yorker cryptic!

  • @dirtywashedupsparkle
    @dirtywashedupsparkle 4 ปีที่แล้ว +15

    So glad for that disclaimer for the last one, that would have been a quitting point otherwise! *D'you know?* hint hint

    • @shreyashabhinav1979
      @shreyashabhinav1979 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      I did not even try solving that but that seems gopd

  • @RajMahall
    @RajMahall 4 ปีที่แล้ว +8

    "Go Tell It On The Mountain" as bumper music is 👨‍🍳😘👌

  • @whedonobsessed
    @whedonobsessed 4 ปีที่แล้ว +20

    How many secrets is he keeping in his hair though

  • @Qahtan-z6y
    @Qahtan-z6y หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    the cutest couple in youtube history

  • @gastrickbunsen1957
    @gastrickbunsen1957 2 ปีที่แล้ว +22

    The Jane Austen clue is typical of a setter in a daily UK newspaper.
    Whenever I see the name "Paul", my head falls.
    If get five or six of the clues I'm over the moon.
    To be really honest, "Paul", either stop setting crosswords, or at least, give us humans a chance.

  • @Lalabaster
    @Lalabaster หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    I would need an in-person intensive 2 to 4 week course to pick this up 😅2dum❤

  • @v1d300
    @v1d300 4 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    O M G! I been solving regular/easy crosswords for quite sometime now and never knew what Cryptic crosswords meant. I feel so stupid. Thank you though. TIL.

  • @BioYuGi
    @BioYuGi 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    1:00 I must be doing very easy crosswords because if the answer is 'loo', the clue is just straight up 'british word for bathroom'.

  • @rhijulbec1
    @rhijulbec1 4 ปีที่แล้ว +25

    Nope! Still can't do them. Cryptic xwords are my kryptonite, lol. I can do american style with ease~but those? Arrrggghhhh!

  • @ClifDickens
    @ClifDickens 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    Erik Agard is the James Joyce of puzzlemaking.

  • @ah_dan6572
    @ah_dan6572 2 ปีที่แล้ว +11

    As a Brit I never knew there was another type of crossword.

  • @babumadarasova5193
    @babumadarasova5193 4 ปีที่แล้ว +21

    bruh in my country london would just be "british city" jane austen would be shortened to austen and be british author

  • @tonyastark1215
    @tonyastark1215 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    This is horrible, I love it

  • @arthimmig
    @arthimmig 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    This is awesome.

  • @dailycrosswordsolve3448
    @dailycrosswordsolve3448 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    For tips & tricks to crack a different type of crossword, check out my daily TUTORIALS for the New York Times Crossword Puzzle! th-cam.com/video/odR3lx-HPes/w-d-xo.html (Today's puzzle by Erik had a CRYPTIC CLUE!)

  • @johnrobbins917
    @johnrobbins917 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    The WSJ occasionally publishes a cryptic puzzle on the weekend.

  • @marcusbeach1762
    @marcusbeach1762 16 วันที่ผ่านมา

    the music is 'Go tell 'em on the mountain' oh my lord

  • @mgmartin51
    @mgmartin51 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    Delightfully devious, regard Kia.

  • @Azura12378
    @Azura12378 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I like the cryptic ones !

  • @cameronporter1
    @cameronporter1 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    great video!

  • @josephsauris4949
    @josephsauris4949 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I've seen clues in The Nation harder than that Jane Austen one.

  • @rhijulbec1
    @rhijulbec1 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    👏👏👏MORE👏👏👏MORE👏👏👏MORE
    And did I say MORE?

  • @JacksonPriceSonder
    @JacksonPriceSonder ปีที่แล้ว +2

    That Jane Austen clue is absurd

  • @berserk322
    @berserk322 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Everything I try to learn cryptic crossword I loose my mind a little

  • @rickreation0
    @rickreation0 27 วันที่ผ่านมา

    So sad that y’all stopped publishing the cryptic :(

  • @o2brhubarb
    @o2brhubarb 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    “The Life Aquatic” beginning with bobbin (3 letters)

  • @PossumMedic
    @PossumMedic 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    6 down - rap god who never sleeps 🙌

  • @paolavalentina9349
    @paolavalentina9349 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    I only knew that Jane Austen is on the £10 note 🤣

  • @shreyashabhinav1979
    @shreyashabhinav1979 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    Thnx man

  • @BlackPixel1
    @BlackPixel1 ปีที่แล้ว

    So, are they together now?

  • @kihunipunk
    @kihunipunk 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    #1: This video just made me a subscriber.
    #2: I can't figure out cryptic passwords to save my life.
    #3: I TOTALLY ship these two!

  • @jgreen2015
    @jgreen2015 2 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Bottle only party? Impossible! (2,3,2)

  • @Azura12378
    @Azura12378 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    Oh I have found my self a new way to live

  • @katiekawaii
    @katiekawaii หลายเดือนก่อน

    I heard "place to go stare endlessly" and thought "place to go pee (because "peer" minus the last letter)"...guess I need more practice? 😅

  • @alexwells2231
    @alexwells2231 4 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    And there is literal type as well
    One may have used rifle criminally?
    Ans Lifer - anagram of rifle and also the whole clue is a straight clue.

  • @henrytebbs1620
    @henrytebbs1620 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    I do agree the last one is satisfying - however not a good cryptic clue. The whole idea of a cryptic crossword is that it is complex within reason and still doable. The clue would be perfect for a Briton if it weren't for Juneau and it would be perfect for an American without the British Ten Pound Note. Particularly Juneau which is so integral in the clue is far too obscure for a cryptic clue. Setters that publish in (English) papers generally are aware of this and rely more on synonyms of woulds than obscure general Knowledge.

    • @henrytebbs1620
      @henrytebbs1620 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Also it is a bad example for a video like this when the setter himself says "It's an absolute mess". Not a good tricky clue for a beginner video

  • @skyrose6529
    @skyrose6529 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Can someone help me with a crossword please 🥺?

  • @KgakgudiLama
    @KgakgudiLama 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Her laugh is straight Julia Roberts

  • @JungianHeights
    @JungianHeights 3 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    It's a little odd that he doesn't mention the fact that the key part of a cryptic crossword is that the definition of the answer will always be at the beginning or at the end.

    • @JungianHeights
      @JungianHeights 3 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      Oh, he does eventually. It's just bizarre that he doesn't mention the basic concept until halfway through the video.

    • @n8style
      @n8style ปีที่แล้ว +1

      he does at 5:22

  • @amazinggrace5692
    @amazinggrace5692 7 หลายเดือนก่อน

    One problem with the British style is that it can use spellings that are British and European landmarks or geography for example.

  • @TheBetterGamer
    @TheBetterGamer 2 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    lmao i would never do cryptics. i am way too dumb for those.

  • @BioPhys92
    @BioPhys92 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Bit of a strange distinction between American and British.. we just have both.. the 'American' one as you call it is just called concise or simple.. actually most people in UK play this one also - probably more than cryptic now

    • @BioPhys92
      @BioPhys92 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      But yeah, useful for improving my cryptic skills as I'm just a beginner. Thanks

  • @chetanisthebest
    @chetanisthebest 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    When I saw Figure close to 10, I was thinking of her looks lol

  • @wobblyorbee279
    @wobblyorbee279 2 หลายเดือนก่อน

    3:19

  • @reemlaza1
    @reemlaza1 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    Traylyn

  • @TheArtkaw
    @TheArtkaw 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Jane Austen.... REALLY?!?

  • @_hollowsky
    @_hollowsky 7 หลายเดือนก่อน

    What does the first one even mean? How is "Head of England" loo?

    • @_Pike
      @_Pike 2 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      Head means toilet

  • @kicknknowledge2178
    @kicknknowledge2178 4 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    Them explaining cryptic crossword puzzles:
    The next narcissistic serial killer: 😈😈😈😈😈

    • @alexwells2231
      @alexwells2231 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      kick'n' knowledge
      Snake in alien surroundings - through water it sped (1-4)
      Answer is E-boat not U-boat
      ET is "alien"and "snake"is boa and "surrounding" indicating put boa inside ET so
      E(BOA)T

  • @AlexRoseGames
    @AlexRoseGames หลายเดือนก่อน

    cryptic crosswords are easy mode compared to The Listener

  • @brettvalerybrett730
    @brettvalerybrett730 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    #freejulianassange #no_usa_extradition #freepress... 🎅

  • @reemlaza1
    @reemlaza1 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    Shorty

  • @sebasbk7x22
    @sebasbk7x22 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    primer ;v xd

  • @Rollers123a
    @Rollers123a 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    I need more weed.

  • @overtonwindowshopper
    @overtonwindowshopper 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Cryptic chad meets normal virgin
    Honestly tho, normal crosswords are just worse lol

  • @degausser99
    @degausser99 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    the only puzzling thing about this is whether this is a video about crosswords or a just really good chick flick bc i can't follow wtf's going on but whatever i'm invested

  • @David-z6o2c
    @David-z6o2c หลายเดือนก่อน

    Crosswords
    I went to the double slit, fell down on my knees
    I went to the single slit, fell down on my knees
    Asked Albert Einstein, "Have mercy, now, save physics if you please"
    Yeah, standin' at experiment, tried to see a cat
    Ooh-ee, I tried to see a cat
    Didn't no cat seem to show me, babe, every look changed it's fate
    Standin' at the double slit, baby, electrons goin' thru
    Standin' at the single slit, baby, electrons goin' thru
    I believed in my soul, now, poor cat is live and dead
    You can run it, you can run it, tell my friend what I found ooh
    You can run it, you can run it, tell my friend what I found ooh
    I got experimental blues this mornin', Albert my thiinkin' said
    I went to the double slit, mama, I saw it live & dead
    I went to the single slit baby, I saw it live & dead
    I found no answer, Albert, simpy lookin' changed its' state

  • @anotherbutt4chair56
    @anotherbutt4chair56 4 ปีที่แล้ว +25

    Step one grow giant afro.

  • @kicknknowledge2178
    @kicknknowledge2178 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Them explaining cryptic crossword puzzles:
    The next narcissistic serial killer: 😈😈😈😈😈

  • @kicknknowledge2178
    @kicknknowledge2178 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Them explaining cryptic crossword puzzles:
    The next narcissistic serial killer: 😈😈😈😈😈