Crypto

Comments

• Adam 🤓11:10 · 2023-09-16T17:49:37.336Z

  NICEWORK26AFind the hub of UNICEF in New York and drop dishonesty in the end. Well done! (4,4)[--------]! I have some minor comments which might help in the future:

  • If you have an enumeration like (8), that implies that the answer is a single 8-letter word, which confused me for several entries in the grid -- e.g. I would expect NICEWORK26AFind the hub of UNICEF in New York and drop dishonesty in the end. Well done! (4,4)[--------] to have the enumeration (4, 4). If you don't want to explicitly reveal the number of words in the answers, then leave the enumerations off entirely.
  • I don't think "So play it!" works as a definition for SITAR19DI am star bound, so play it!(6)[-----] -- it would have to be something like "something you can play" (i.e. a noun rather than a command)
  • I like the clue for DOUBLETALK8DSpeak, speak nonsense (10)[----------], but it's bends one of the rules of cryptics; namely, the parsing of the clue should use words etymologically unrelated to the actual answer. In this case, the TALK clued by speak has the same meaning as the TALK in DOUBLETALK8DSpeak, speak nonsense (10)[----------]. I think it's fine in this clue, but it can be a problem in other contexts -- e.g. a clue like "Transfer relay (4)" as a ddef for PASS invalid since "transfer" and "relay" are both synonyms of the same meaning of PASS.

  That being said, nice job, and I look forward to seeing more cryptics!

  • A7med constructor · 2023-09-16T19:44:36.416Z

    Thanks Adam. Great point about enumerations. I’ve fixed this. Will think a bit more on the other points. Appreciate the feedback
• A7med constructor · 2023-09-16T20:18:04.421Z

  1A1AQuetzalcoatl massages, kneads, at the core removes any agony (5,3)[--------] SNAKEGOD1AQuetzalcoatl massages, kneads, at the core removes any agony (5,3)[--------] SNAKE(GO agony - any)D (kneads anagram) 9A9ASounds a concert space can carry (4)[----] HAUL9ASounds a concert space can carry (4)[----] Hall homophone 10A10AAlligator shelters cat in Cuba (4)[----] GATO10AAlligator shelters cat in Cuba (4)[----] Hidden 11A11AQuit after injecting last bit of heroin and exiling Republican naval officer (6)[------] ENSIGN11AQuit after injecting last bit of heroin and exiling Republican naval officer (6)[------] (r)E(N)SIGN 12A12AU2 singer, addled with jaw pain and early yeast infection: “Ask someone else” (3,2,3)[--------] NOTMYJOB12AU2 singer, addled with jaw pain and early yeast infection: “Ask someone else” (3,2,3)[--------] NO(TM(Y)J)OB (Bono anagram) 13A13AGot down and turned tail! (4)[----] ALIT13AGot down and turned tail! (4)[----] Tail anagram 14A14AI hear old French people have nerve (4)[----] GALL14AI hear old French people have nerve (4)[----] Gaul homophone 15A15ASister’s origin: newly upgraded nation state (4)[----] NUNS15ASister’s origin: newly upgraded nation state (4)[----] FIrst letters of newly upgraded nation state 18A18ARent without loss is dull (4)[----] EASE18ARent without loss is dull (4)[----] (l)EASE18ARent without loss is dull (4)[----] 20A20AChin wagging a little bit (4)[----] INCH20AChin wagging a little bit (4)[----] Chin anagram 22A22ASummons fatigue from East to West and then from East to West again (4)[----] WRIT22ASummons fatigue from East to West and then from East to West again (4)[----] Tire reversed, change E to W 24A24ABand type that’s rubbish without a bit of bungee (6)[------] GARAGE24ABand type that’s rubbish without a bit of bungee (6)[------] GAR(B)AGE 25A25ACheer on Rafa related to balls, say (7)[-------] GONADAL25ACheer on Rafa related to balls, say (7)[-------] Go Nadal 26A26AFind the hub of UNICEF in New York and drop dishonesty in the end. Well done! (4,4)[--------] NICEWORK26AFind the hub of UNICEF in New York and drop dishonesty in the end. Well done! (4,4)[--------] N(IC)EW (y)ORK 1D1DIt’s a trick. She and neocon outliers are around again, agitating. (10)[----------] SHENANIGAN1DIt’s a trick. She and neocon outliers are around again, agitating. (10)[----------] SHE N ANIGA (again anagram) N
  2D2DConan O’Brien has an old iPod (4)[----] NANO2DConan O’Brien has an old iPod (4)[----] hidden 3D3DStone cold Texas city (6)[------] AUSTIN3DStone cold Texas city (6)[------] Double definition 4D4DArtist moves milk back to tip of teat (5)[-----] KLIMT4DArtist moves milk back to tip of teat (5)[-----] milk (reversed) + T 5D5DMargaret (using a nickname) doesn’t pass dishes like omelettes (4)[----] EGGY5DMargaret (using a nickname) doesn’t pass dishes like omelettes (4)[----] (p)EGGY5DMargaret (using a nickname) doesn’t pass dishes like omelettes (4)[----] 6D6DWeed grows in Michigan jail (5)[-----] GANJA6DWeed grows in Michigan jail (5)[-----] Hidden 7D7DPreminger is forty two, oddly (4)[----] OTTO7DPreminger is forty two, oddly (4)[----] Alternate letters of forty two 8D8DSpeak, speak nonsense (10)[----------] DOUBLETALK8DSpeak, speak nonsense (10)[----------] Double definition 14D14DInitially, wise guy is into crooked pay, yielding trinket (6)[------] GEWGAW14DInitially, wise guy is into crooked pay, yielding trinket (6)[------] GE(WG)AW (wage anagram) 16D16DScrambled iguana, when not top grade, is a Japanese ingredient (5)[-----] UNAGI16DScrambled iguana, when not top grade, is a Japanese ingredient (5)[-----] iguana anagram without a 17D17DClassic Western has underwear in knots (5)[-----] SHANE17DClassic Western has underwear in knots (5)[-----] Hanes anagram 19D19DI am star bound, so play it!(6)[-----] SITAR19DI am star bound, so play it!(6)[-----] S(I)TAR 21D21DLike a gator - cold, hard, not ok in the end (4)[----] CROC21DLike a gator - cold, hard, not ok in the end (4)[----] C ROC(k) 23D23DMakeover is a Communist hug (4)[----] REDO23DMakeover is a Communist hug (4)[----] RED O