Does anyone here understand cryptic crosswords

[tAAC]

I've tried so many times to 'get' it, but its like reading another language.

Is there some key you need to know first? How do you do it?! Or is it just a talent?

Each clue is a little puzzle to be solved!
You might find this book helpful to get you started.

I'm not great (meaning I'm a bit useless), but there are a few tips that help. Like, the use of words like mixed or confused means there's an anagram, mention of church means you add CH or CE to the answer somewhere, and direction tells you to add N, S, E or W.

Start with the Torygraph cryptic. It's way out easier. It's the only one I've ever finished without the help of a thesaurus.

My husband does them a lot, and I do them alongside him sometimes, but I’m not very good.

A lot of the clues aren’t linked to the actual clue, but to the individual words in that clue.

Like, if it says “School’s principal”, it could mean the letter S as it’s the principal letter of school.

I agree that the Torygraph is a good starter cryptic - also the Everyman in the Observer.

A good website for answers, explanations and discussion is:
www.fifteensquared.net

Yes, my family all do the Times cryptic crossword, so I was brought up on them! Dh likes them too. One end of the clue tells you the meaning of the answer (though it's sometimes trial and error to work out which end). The rest of the clue shows you how to work it out. There is a kind of key that you learn - certain words which indicate it's an anagram or a running word etc. It would ne hard to start doing proper cryptic crosswords without someone to show you the ropes.

Model=T (or moss)
Flower- could be a river
the French......= le, la, les
a French..... = un, une
big cat=ounce
key = a,b,c,d etc
abstainer = tt

I'll think of some more in a bit

Oh yes - contains, within, inside and so on=hidden word

A stubborn person takes time to display charm, answer is AMULET.

How.....HOW is it amulet?

@Lambbone, so there is some kind of key you need to know....right! Will track one down, i'm determined to even just get one clue right!

Stubborn as A MULE

T= Time and an amulet is a charm/trinket

A = A
Stubborn person = MULE
time = T

The amulet is a type of charm.

A long angry speech - read it out (6)

Any ideas?

omg

You are all genius.

I can't do cryptic crosswords but do know how the answer is amulet... A mule is stubborn then put a t at the end

Here are some examples.

1. Tourist site with wooden floor assembled in Tennessee (5, 2, 6).

So, the whole answer is a tourist site that has 3 words. It has "wooden floor" in it and is within Tennessee. The abbreviation for Tennessee is TN. So, you have the letters WOODENFLOORTN. The 2-letter word in the middle must be "of" or "on" because no other words will fit. So, it's probably "of" as that seems more likely. You're then left with WOODENFLORTN. Unjumble those letters to make the 1st and 3rd words and you have the answer.

1. Prison reformer keeps me tied up, making return trip (8, 5).

Think of a prison reformer's name. Put "me" inside it. Then think of a word that means "tied up". The two words together mean "making return trip".

Tirade

@80sMum, I am in awe of you. However I think this may be one talent I do not have!

@Whatabanana, ffs, HOW did you work that out?

TIRADE - anagram of read it. The tell is “out” - code for anagram.

Angry made me think of ire, that lead me to tirade. It is an anagram of 'read it', but I only saw that after getting it.

So proud ofysekf that I got tirade and even understood the amulet one though I doubt I could have worked it out from scratch. I have cryptic crosswords on my list of things to do once retired.

Anagram. Tirade. 5 seconds BRAG! Definition followed by anagram.

Tirade. Anagram of read it

To reduce consumption is no good (7)

I don't know the answer to this. But should I work it out as the answer is something which is no good?

Thanks for this op, I love cryptic crosswords and used to do them with my dad (long gone) - I think I might start again! Give us another clue 😀