Product Description

Expert crossword compiler and solver Kevin Skinner shows in easy steps how to solve those trickier puzzles. Once you recognize the type of clue used, you're half way to finding the answer. You can learn to spot: double straight clues; double meaning clues; word exchange clues; homophone clues; anagrams; and all the other clever clues beloved of crossword compilers. You can work your way through the example crosswords provided and hone your new-found skills. The explanations show how the answers are arrived at, so you can see precisely how each clue works. Next time you come across a clue of the same type, you'll be able to tease out the answer for yourself and beat the compiler at their own game!

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #6266 in Books
• Published on: 2008-10-30
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 160 pages

About the Author
Kevin Skinner is an experienced cryptic crossword compiler and solver.

Customer Reviews

This is a great introduction to cryptic crosswords.
I have always wanted to be able solve cryptic crosswords, in particular those appearing on the back pages of the broadsheets. Solving these crosswords has always been an impossible task for me and I found it extremely frustrating. This book has however changed all of that. The book begins by clearly explaining the various types of clues encountered and more importantly the indicators used by the crossword compilers to indicate these clues. There are example crosswords consisting of only one type of clue which is great for practice. Once you have been introduced to the basics you are gently eased into complete crosswords of steadily increasing difficulty. Having explanations of how each answer is arrived at is easily the best feature of this book, it actually seems simple once you realise how clues are constructed. Another handy feature of the book is the lists of typical indicators for anagrams, word exchanges and abbreviations. These are excellent at helping you to spot the more subtle clue indicators. Overall I found this book to be an excellent guide to understanding and solving cryptic crosswords.

Fantastic!
If you want to learn how to solve these "bizarre" crosswords, this is a very good book. What I particularly liked was that after you had been taught a certain technique, there was a whole crossword devoted to this particular type of clue. After a few chapters there was then a revision chapter and revision crosswords, covering all sorts of clues taught to that point. A brilliant introduction to solving cryptics.

Lovely book (with a small caveat)

If, like me, you find cryptic crosswords from The Independent and their ilk totally impenetrable, this great little book (written by an actual compiler) will almost certainly cut through most of the mystique.

Skinner teaches the reader his own method for recognizing the different types of clue and how to go about solving them. His explanations make the derivation of the solutions extremely logical. From knowing nothing initialy, within around ten pages I managed to complete the first practice crossword without cheating once!

Now the caveat: as Skinner (quite correctly) maintains, the best way of learning how to do crosswords is to DO CROSSWORDS, which means that the last two thirds of the book are exactly that: crosswords. Having said that, they do come with fully exploded solutions (which newspaper versions lack).

This book will let you tackle cryptic crosswords in no time at all. Definitely recommended.