Cryptic crosswords

I love them . Do the Guardian everyday - they tell you who the compiler is so you know, for example, this will have several anagrams etc. I do the Times if its around - I won't buy it because of you know who!!

Used to be, but have turned into an ipad scrabble addict!

Another fan here! Daily Telegraph every day except Sunday, when I don't have a paper as I'm still wading through all the extra bits from Saturday.

Guardian and Independent on line if I'm feeling strong!

I agree re. getting used to certain compilers, the DT on Tuesday is often a right bugger. I think some of them are on drugs!

I have found the Guardial crossword really hard - I just don't seem to be on the right wavelength - or just not bright enough!

My DH does the DT cryptic every day, often at our local with a group of other Gdads. I can't get my head round cryptic crosswords at all. Even when I see the answers, I can't work out how they arrived at them. Now Sudokus are another matter. I really enjoy tussling with those.

The Guardian cryptic setters are sadists! I try hard, but did I say I completed them? On line, you can cheat (shhhh)

I'm addicted to The Lady Ladygram. If my copy doesn't arrive on Friday, I'm spitting tacks. I love the word puzzles that give you a target time, it's so lovely when you beat it by a mile!

Buying the I for a lengthy train journey is the best 20p I ever spend. The two crosswords, codeword and sudokus keep me going for the better part of three hours. And then there's my Kindle.

I really wish I could do them. Sadly I rarely even understand the answer having read the clue.

POGS - there are books that tell you how to do them; and books with the answers in the back help too. I had no clue (no pun intended!) how to do them but set about teaching myself to - it can be done! But beware you could get hooked!

I once "taught" a previous boss how to do them, learning some basic crossword type things ("perhaps" will often indicate an anagram etc) and then looking at the answers the next day to try to find the link between clue and answer.

Some are very perverse, but can lead to extending the mind, for example I now know that Veronica is not only a womans name, and the name of a plant, but also a move in bull fighting!

And before anyone posts, yes, I do know that that bit of info is hardly likely to enrich my life or be much use in day to day events, but so what?!

There's a smashing book about all the most well-known crosswords amd their compilers and their 'style' of cryptic compilation, I had to hunt a bit as I read it a few years ago but then remembered the title "Pretty Girl in Crimson Rose" (8) (answer is rebelled ) - here's an article that mentions the book:
www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/7652591/Meet-the-Telegraphs-cryptic-crossword-maestro.html

Do you have to subscribe to a newspaper to access their crosswords online?

I am pretty sure that you do have to with the DT, not sure about others.

Not for the Guardian and the Independent (yet), but I think they are the exceptions.

You can get the Telegraph crosswords online - just google it.

Just had a look. The page I reached said £2.99 per month or a week's free trial.

Oops! Didn't notice that bit, anno! Sorry, you're right phoenix.

used to be addicted to cryptic crosswords.Now am addicted to Gransnet.
I did have a Daily Telegraph 'solving cryptic crosswords' book but lost it in my last move.
Have you tried the 'Oldie' genius crossword .It's fiendish!

Thanks - I have found the Guardian crosswords online but the darn things won't save, so I managed to lose some of my efforts! I am sure I will find a way of doing it somehow. I actually managed some of the clues!

I don't have any trouble, just clicking 'save' at the bottom of the puzzle. It has never failed. Are you doing it on an i-Pad?

It looks like I'm the only one here who hates cryptic crosswords - can't do them, never could. My son can bash through the hardest of them in no time and he tried to teach me to do them. No joy; thick as pudding with a short attention span .