All numbers, all cryptic

Comments

• SamuRai constructor · 2024-07-07T02:38:47.318Z

  1A: End of countdown (321) mixed up = 132

  3A: Beginning of Caesar’s victory (V is 5 in Roman numerals) cubed is 5x5x5=125

  1D: Supreme is a synonym for prime, same mirrored is a palindrome, introduction is then 101 which is a prime palindrome.

  2D: Hex (base-16) end of a hippogriff (ff). ff=255 in hex

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• The Noah 5:14 · 2024-07-07T02:56:15.294Z

  Congrats on your first cryptic! I’ve been attempting cryptic crosswords for a while, but am very green at making them. Here are my thoughts.

  Most cryptic puzzles have a definition, wordplay indicator, and wordplay “fodder” with the exception of “double definitions” where both halves are a definition and “&literal” where the entire clue interpreted by the surface meaning actually IS the definition)

  E.g. here is one of puzzle’s clues Zero-suit, covered in sauces, is present (7)[A10DS]. The solution is “attends”, the definition is “is present”, the fodder is “Zero-suit” (0D) and “sauces” (A1S), the indicator “covered in” means sauces is on the outside of zero-suit or A1[0D]S. (Note: D is an accepted abbrev. for suit like in cards)

  I don’t think any of yours have definitions, and I don’t know how to write straightforward definitions for numbers that no one will immediately guess without every clue’s surface reading sounding VERY mathy. Like I’m just not working “sum of 7 non-consecutive triangular numbers” or some shit into a sentence . I don’t have a solution to this problem yet. Also, Ideally the surface reading of the clue seems vaguely meaningful and that meaning usually has nothing to do with the actual solution.

  Here are my honest thoughts/guesses:

  1A: *(321) great clue! Still got it despite not having a definition. I like how the surface meaning is there. 1D: Great double def. First intro course // palindromic number. I think it works. 2D: I’ve got literally no clue 3A: V[ictory] cubed is 5^3=125. Funnily enough, VI[ctory] is 6^3=216, so this clue has two answers and no definition.

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  • SamuRai constructor · 2024-07-07T13:47:00.726Z

    Thanks for the feedback. I did struggle with the definition part of clues. For 101, “introduction” was meant to be a definition but the clue as a whole never quite made the definition. I also overlooked that the start of victory could be V or VI. I suppose this means that the next gauntlet thrown down is a cryptic crossnumber Schrödinger! We can get that 4 people in the world whittled down a bit more.

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    • The Noah 5:14 · 2024-07-07T15:42:13.954Z

      You think I’m not already working on a cryptic, schrodinger, crossnumber, rebus, wordladder?

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      • SamuRai constructor · 2024-07-08T01:43:10.316Z

        While playing The Dark Side of the Moon and watching the Wizard of Oz, I presume. (I may have just dated myself there!)

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        • The Noah 5:14 · 2024-07-08T14:08:21.593Z

          Lol

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