to be annoyed that I struggle with cryptic crosswords...

[NessCathy]

I've been trying to get into cryptic crosswords, and I'm really annoyed that I struggle with them, and some find them so easy. I can usually get a few and when I cheat, find myself thinking either
a) Oh, that's so bloody obvious, or
b) How could anyone have put all that together?

Anyone else like them? Maybe we could have a MN group to improve? Or a grandmaster to help us?

Y'know, if it were the opposite of contempt, the answer could be praise...

Yes. The answer is a platform. The 'P' is the party leader and contempt is the remaining 5 letters.

allhail, I think 2 begins with an e and ends with an r.

For 3, if I'm right, play on without pause is the definition. Anagram of 6 letters, so out of the remaining words there are only 2 ways of making 6 letters.

1. I'd also think it started with a P. Praise, p+raise, but that's an antonym of contempt. . The only other thing I can think is party leader could be host?

hocus, aha, I've got 4. Begins with a p and ends with m?

yes, I've got 4 now as well.

The ladies anagram starts with an 'i'.

Got it instantly. Thank you.

This is brilliant.

Right. Where are we?

3 Breaking a leg, has to play on without pause (6)

I've got it. I don't really see what 'has' is doing in the middle of the anagram... I suppose I have broken 'a leg' and it has 'to'. I do see. Right. Have learned.

2 One who makes one cross at times (7)

Right. You're all steering me towards voting, voter... E _ R ... chooser... I'll get there. I just need to chew it a bit longer. Polling... Ha! Just been to my thesaurus and I've got it. . Phew.

Ha! And I have my platform too now thanks to my thesaurus.

Brilliant brilliant. Thank you all. Onward...

I am now working on

11 Across
Drink, long and light (8)

L P _ T

I put those letters into a crossword solver online thingy and there are only 8 words that fit so it must be one of them!

Flippant means light, but I don't see why it's a drink, or long.
Slapshot? Well a shot is a drink but apart from that...

Must. Get. On. People coming to stay and housework not doing itself. More crosswording later.

Do any of them start with ale?

Flip is a drink
If you long for something you may pant for it

You must be right. I never would have guessed that flip was a drink but it all fits.

Come back with more! I'm bored waiting for a new toilet to be delivered. Definitely before 12.00 they said

Yup, beer and rum apparently. First coined in the 16th century. Who knew? (Well, Norma did). Flippant it is.

1 Across
Room at the top? (8)

I S _ E

I wanted it to be something that meant 'room' (lodging, board etc) but was alto found at the circus (the big top). But sadly I think it might actually be 'airspace'. Space = room. Airspace = at the top. Yes?

How about 4 Down
Love on the dole is trouble (9)

O A _

I think 'love' often means O or nothing... like the tennis score. I wonder if the dole is code for something crossworders tend to know...? And the whole thing means trouble? But maybe that would be too easy?

You are right with airspace.

Have you got the other one yet? I was delayed when the toilet turned up!

The answer means love. Trouble is usually 'ado'. Does this help?

If you think of dole as being something that is given out sparingly and something that happened during the war this might help.

egg flip is the only drink I know of but couldn't remember it earlier.

I love a crossword. I do the Guardian everyday and the Telegraph sometimes. I can usually complete everyone in the Guardian except Araucaria - when the revolution comes he's going to be first up against the wall.

Took me bloody ages to learn though; I'm a translator and couldn't get used to seeing words in a different way.

I do the Grauniad every day too - on the train. Helpfully you can also print it off the interweb for free, as I don't have time to read a proper paper every day and so am tight about buying it

I love araucaria - he was on desert island discs the other week

Oh, my favourite clue ever:

Must've? (5,7,2,3,3)

fegwood and Norma - being Araucaria fans, have you looked at the guardian Bank Holiday Prize job yet with the two grids? Fiendish old bugger has produced an absolute masterpiece.

Oh no, fegwood! I love Araucaria, he is my favourite! Shed is one I cannot ever get on with - usually can't even get one clue. Araucaria was the only one I could usually finish. It's all about how your mind twists though, isn't it?

Paul is an evil genius and one of the harder ones imo. And shed.

Araucaria is just so bloody prolific!

I have got half way to nowhere with the prize one - have been ill (hence home today not at work) and didn't have much time, but 4 bloody clues solved out of 2 crosswords!

I can't get the prize ones because they aren't available online, you have to look at the pdf and I'm still having ishoos with pdfs (to do with DH's unwillingness to pay out for the Adobe licence yet not wanting to lose the option to upgrade whenever he changes his mind - and it overrides Acrobat Reader so pdfs are no-go areas for me :()

Thumb! That's terrible.

PM me your email addy and I will send you a jpeg or something

I know what you mean about prolific, Norma - the chap is ninety for gawd's sake!

He's one of the few setters that never seems to produce an unsatisfactory clue - he almost always leaves a smile on the face because of his wit and ingenuity.

I am one clue off completing the prize one - had a sudden flurry late last night. It's worth persevering with. Hope you feel better very soon.