01.29.03
Roman parent’s half-hearted talk (5)
No, this isn’t my attempt at Diamond Geezer-style cryptics.
Last year I got up to the 10-or-more answers per day stage on the Guardian crossword, though I’m pretty rusty at the moment. As an attempt to kick some life into my miserable crosswording, I was browsing a guide to cryptic crosswords when I saw the clue above given as an example.
It mentioned, in passing, that the apostrophe-s here is the link word (i.e. the word that links the definition with the cryptic explanation). Apostrophe-s = “is”, in crossword-speak.
I never realised that. How bad at these things am I?
I wouldn’t have blogged this except for the fact that I can see a sort of theme developing today.
Q: Does this make sense?
A: Jon heads off, backtracking negatively (2)
Steve said,
January 29, 2003 at 3:33 pm
I’m afraid you’ve lost me, Jon…
However (Steve derails yet another comments board - I shall end up with a bad name) - I recently found out the rules for apostrophe-s OR trailing apostrophe at the end of a word ending in ’s’ - e.g Jesus’
Want to hear it…? It’s not that exciting.
Jon said,
January 30, 2003 at 11:39 am
Do tell though, Steve. I’m always up for rules.
For completeness sake, the clue goes as follows:
Roman parent’s half-hearted talk (5)
“Roman parent” is the definition (i.e. the answer will mean Roman parent, in some sense)
“’s” is the link (i.e. tells you where the definition ends and the cryptic explanation). “’s” = “is” as in “means”.
“half-hearted talk” is the cryptic explanation and goes like this -
talk = patter
half-hearted = remove half of the centre of ‘patter’ = pater
pater = Roman parent (more or less)
QED
P.S. I would never, ever have got this one in a real puzzle.
Steve said,
January 30, 2003 at 1:01 pm
Crossword puzzlers are patently psychotic IMHO.
The trailing apostrophe rule (which bugged me for ages) is that if you vocalise the possessive s at the end of a noun ending in s, you should write ***s’s - but if you don’t vocalise it you just put ***s’
I can’t think of examples so I’ll leave that up to you.
Oh and - I pipped you at the 7am puzzle
Rogue Semiotics said,
February 5, 2003 at 12:39 pm
Catching up
More crossword autobiography at Taj Mahal. Another newsreader I would try if I had the time is Feedreader. Ben Hammersley lauds the tactile joy that is Moleskine. I have one in my coat pocket. Snapping the elasticated band on and off never fails to giv…
jane staunton said,
April 9, 2003 at 12:58 am
Have you ever attempted to create a cryptic puzzle?? It is much more fun than solving one! Mind you, my clues are far less indecipherable than those in the Brit papers. I measure my opaqueness by the standard of Canada’s Globe and Mail, whose straight puzzles used to be called the 20-minute ones, and the cryptic, 40 minutes. Whenever i visit Great Britain I lose all my confidence - after years of successfully completing the Globe’s cryptic in far fewer than the proscribed 40 minutes. Do write back to me if you have attempted to create a cryptic puzzle yourself. Regards, Jane Staunton