Troublesome Words

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• Arty constructor · 2024-06-03T21:19:29.040Z

  Another one I made a while back and revised a couple times. And revised again reviewing it now. Collects a few words I have trouble with....

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• Arty constructor · 2024-06-03T21:30:36.810Z

  I'm still learning how to use the Comments, Notes, Blog -- I'll include the "spoilers" here, 'cause I'm not sure which field is best foe them....

  Spelling a few of these words is the trouble I have. But I don't think that'll hurt the puzzling experience. I'm eager to hear your comments!

  Here's my thinking on the word plays. Let me know what you think of my descriptive method (the first hidden spoiler is the wordplay itself, the second the wordplay type):

  1A Polish hypo (anag.) Anagram 6A ArGUE − r Deletion 10A rode a (hom.) Homonym 11A trued it up (anag.) Anagram 12A EDUCatING − at Deletion 13A SET+TEES Charade 14A EX+mALTS − m Charade 15A the mob he (anag.) Anagram 19A venerate (anag.) Anagram 21A laming (anag.) Anagram 24A FIN(AGL)E (lag anag.) Mixed 26A in opera (anag.) Anagram 27A reefer ers (hom.) Homonym 28A DEsIGN − s Deletion 29A YO-YO (initial letters) Initials 30A decant neat (anag.) Anagram

  1D PER+SEVERE Charade 2D a nice lout (anag.) Anagram 3D OR + A LIST Charade 4D OUTrAGE − r Deletion 5D has arses (anag.) &lit 7D G AUGE (hid.) Hidden 8D you ors (hom.) Homonym 9D VI+true (anag.) Mixed 16D an idiot ox (anag.) Anagram 17D and enrich (anag.) Anagram 18D UTTEREaST − a Deletion 20D a gravy (anag.) Anagram 22D AMEN + D+E+D (last letters) Mixed 23D fox'll (hom.) Homonym 24D FOR+TY Charade 25D f(a)int(l)y − al (anag.) Anagram

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• Aaron Riccio 🤓22:07 · 2024-06-04T10:50:44.337Z

  I like your descriptive method for hints/annotations, but I'd put the wordplay type first, then the full solution. Global note for the puzzle: there seemed like an awful lot of anagrams here, and it's sometimes nice to have a wider range of variety. I also think surface sense is somewhat off for a number of these: 11A, 14A, 28A (much as I like the alliteration), 30A, 3D, 22D. It's one thing to offer an absurd scenario, as in 16D, which made me chuckle, but the best cryptic clues are those that don't seem to be cryptic clues.

  As for specifics, I liked 13A, 15A, 29A, 20D, and 24D. I think 5D is cute but missing a definition? Something like 26A (which currently has a typo in choreographed) might be stronger with a definition that flows more into your wordplay, something about like [Two queens, for example]. Keep at it!

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  • Arty constructor · 2024-06-05T00:08:23.416Z

    Thanks, Aaron! The details and attention help me a ton -- haven't had much of that as I'm new to the forum. Getting these details from another set of eyes is great -- the surface often seems more and more natural to me as I work it more and more, but it's the 1st impression that counts most, which I lose in my continued effort. I'll work it a bit more, and as for a couple/few specifics:
    --oops on the misspelling, and thanks!
    --glad to hear of the chuckle on 16D; gotta think even more on the surface of it.
    --I leaned into the alliteration over the surface on a bunch of these clues (incl. 22D); wow, to get good alliteration and good surface -- that'd be noteworthy!
    --yup, a lot of anagrams; I noticed, too. I'm starting to keep track of my clue types, looking to even it out better (also trying to keep the location of the semantic part of the clue even between beginning and end).
    --I like the "two queens" idea (though in my day it was "jacks or better")
    --I tried an &lit for 5D (as indicated by the "!"); maybe I needed to prepend with "for example." I've tried to use "for example" in the semantic (my word for the definition part of the clue) in appropriate places.

    Love your help, and it'll feed my continued development. Hope you liked the puzzle itself! And thanks for trying it.

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    • Arty constructor · 2024-06-05T01:50:31.863Z

      It just occurred to me that I could have claimed the misspelling was intentional in this puzzle!

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