(no subject)

After giving up on a book of Alfred Bester short stories (they were all less clever than his v. clever novels and equally as jaw-droppingly sexist (yes yes written in the 1950-60s, but seeing women consistently characterized as sexy bodies holding the minds of children, or perhaps very bright dogs, makes me sad)) I've started solving cryptics on my commute. Fun... I'm definitely getting better at them, knocking off a dozen clues during today's bus ride.

But I still quite frequently have no idea how a particular clue was supposed to work, after I backsolve it. Here are a couple. Enlighten me? (UPDATE Never mind, I can't spell.)

1. Sway unsteadily about, missing Bowe's leadoff jab

2. Pep up geezer in convertible

( Answers & whinging )

Phone Post

werd nerd

I just finished my first whole cryptic crossword puzzle (Games, Oct. 2004, Pg. 48)! Solved most of it on my bus commute (about an hour total), getting only one clue wrong, and that only by a single letter (wrong part of speech, pfui).

This is a satisfying testament to my understanding puzzlecraft a lot more over the last year, largely due to my association with the MIT Hunters. After this test, I feel I have leveled up as a solver. If this were first edition I could give myself a cool new title and score 1d6 henchmen but oh well.