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A cryptic distraction

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09 Nov 2020 15:52 - 10 Nov 2020 04:07 #316036 by mezike
A cryptic distraction was created by mezike
Just a bit of fun. One of my friends has been entertaining us recently with a variety of game-related puzzles, culminating in a series of cryptic crossword style clues for game titles. I decided to answer with some of my own devise which I thought I would share here in case anyone was interested in a little distraction. These are not just game titles, however they are all game related, plus there is one special TWBG related one lurking in the midst.

1 Guiding the horse and the queen, partly stepping forward and to the side, it's no example of Italian Egypt. (6,6)
2 On the floor with a little time to crow about this meadow. (4,7)
3 Slowly shifting forever. A capital idea! (3)
4 Fighting far away in outer space, think bigger small thing. (10,9)
5 One more American than normal is a bit of a mess. (4,5)
6 Some of you, we and I headed north with the flower to the city. (3,9)
7 Making an effort in such a small area. (9)
8 The ghosts are all at sea, torn and buried. (6,6,6,5)
9 It's the natural end to this political advocate lordly, spinning oddly toward the rising sun. (4,6)
10 Sharp fireworks, a short break on time is too hot. (5,5,4,6)
11 Twice on the edge? (5,3)
12 Underneath that big area, the front of it is coming up and keeping us all in check! (7)
13 Searching for something underneath? (4)
14 Messing about this wee cracking tizzy thing. (6,10)
15 It's an ironic big old bear. (4,7)
16 It's all made up while it's in the air. (7,6)
17 A single dead body found to the North of this City. (11)
18 Booked more than one odd trip. (6,2,4)
19 The wine is in motion, it must be what his heir wants. (5,6)
20 Most of the farm was lost, oh my! We all read in the papers. (8,6,7)
21 A quick procedure will end this focal point. (5,3)
22 It's cooking for this messed up Doctor. (8)
Last edit: 10 Nov 2020 04:07 by mezike.
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09 Nov 2020 16:30 #316038 by hotseatgames
Replied by hotseatgames on topic A cryptic distraction

mezike wrote: 4 Fighting far away in outer space, think bigger small thing.


COSMIC FROG
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09 Nov 2020 16:43 #316039 by mezike
Replied by mezike on topic A cryptic distraction
No, but it should have been!

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09 Nov 2020 20:12 #316042 by ChristopherMD
Replied by ChristopherMD on topic A cryptic distraction

mezike wrote: 4 Fighting far away in outer space, think bigger small thing.


Star Wars: Armada?

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09 Nov 2020 21:37 - 09 Nov 2020 21:58 #316044 by jeb
Replied by jeb on topic A cryptic distraction
OK, so, I know these are cryptic crossword clues, and these have always fascinated me. I am terrible at them, and I like to think I am very clever! They are always in GAMES magazine, where I can roll through the 3-star difficult American crosswords, but the cryptic ones always leave me flummoxed. For the edification of the Americans here I will elaborate on how these work (from GAMES magazine). The clues contain both the definition and an indication of the answer's makeup, found via wordplay. Expect to see abbreviations in your answer like DR if the clue contains "doctor," as an example. "Five" might become V in the answer (Roman numerals) and so forth.

  • anagrams: the answer appears in anagrammed form, preceded or followed by a word or phrase that suggests the mixing, for example Changing times for ITEMS.
  • deletions: These come in three varieties, beheadments, curtailments, and internal deletions. The clue will hint at which is used. For example, Fiery bird without a tail indicates a curtailment, and it would be "flamingo" leading to the answer FLAMING.
  • charades: the answer is in smaller words clued individually, as in Auto animal being a CARPET.
  • containers: An answer like PATIENTS "contains" TIE inside of PANTS, so it might be clued as Hospital residents make knots in trousers.
  • hidden answers: the answer is intact but camouflaged in the clue, e.g., Myopic colonel clutches flute has PICCOLO in it (shown underlined here).
  • homophones: a word that sounds like the answer indicated by a giveaway phrase like "We hear," example: Counted frozen chicken out loud, as they say leads you to "numb bird" = NUMBERED.
  • reversals: a synonym for "backward" or "overturn" in a clue tips this one off, as in Returned beer fit for a king gets you to lager, becoming REGAL.
  • double definitions: No wordplay half in these clues, just two definition halves: Scooter was blue becomes MOPED.
Last edit: 09 Nov 2020 21:58 by jeb.
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10 Nov 2020 02:29 #316048 by Dr. Mabuse
Replied by Dr. Mabuse on topic A cryptic distraction
I LOVE cryptic crosswords, I'm terrible at them but I love them. I also LOVED GAMES magazine growing up.
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10 Nov 2020 02:57 - 10 Nov 2020 04:38 #316049 by mezike
Replied by mezike on topic A cryptic distraction
Thank you Jeb! I should point out though that these are technically semi-cryptic because they are all either the title of a board game or the name of a publisher or designer, trying to make them truly cryptic by working the indicator in to every clue would end up in a total mess. So I suppose they are mostly word charades. Also, I am a total amateur at doing this!

Traditionally you would also know the count of letters and words in the answer which I will now go through and add - I hesitated on this initially because it might give some of them away but I fear I may otherwise have made the clues too obtuse.

edit: Reading through them again, there are a few that do follow the logic of a true cryptic clue but it's not applied consistently across all of them.
Last edit: 10 Nov 2020 04:38 by mezike.
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10 Nov 2020 02:58 #316050 by mezike
Replied by mezike on topic A cryptic distraction

ChristopherMD wrote:

mezike wrote: 4 Fighting far away in outer space, think bigger small thing.


Star Wars: Armada?


One of those three words is correct!

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10 Nov 2020 06:53 - 10 Nov 2020 06:56 #316053 by Turek
Replied by Turek on topic A cryptic distraction
15?
Warning: Spoiler!
Last edit: 10 Nov 2020 06:56 by Turek.
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10 Nov 2020 08:51 - 10 Nov 2020 08:52 #316056 by Sagrilarus
Replied by Sagrilarus on topic A cryptic distraction
I believe 18 is

Warning: Spoiler!


I'm terrible at these. The word count and size is my only hope.
Last edit: 10 Nov 2020 08:52 by Sagrilarus.
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10 Nov 2020 12:16 #316059 by Turek
Replied by Turek on topic A cryptic distraction
11
Warning: Spoiler!
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10 Nov 2020 13:21 #316060 by Turek
Replied by Turek on topic A cryptic distraction
13
Warning: Spoiler!
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16 Nov 2020 09:02 #316180 by mezike
Replied by mezike on topic A cryptic distraction
In the best traditions of providing the answers to last week's puzzle I'll drop the solutions in here for anyone who was curious.

1 Guiding the horse and the queen, partly stepping forward and to the side, it's no example of Italian Egypt. (6,6)
Warning: Spoiler!

2 On the floor with a little time to crow about this meadow. (4,7)
Warning: Spoiler!

3 Slowly shifting forever. A capital idea! (3)
Warning: Spoiler!

4 Fighting far away in outer space, think bigger small thing. (10,9)
Warning: Spoiler!

5 One more American than normal is a bit of a mess. (4,5)
Warning: Spoiler!

6 Some of you, we and I headed north with the flower to the city. (3,9)
Warning: Spoiler!

7 Making an effort in such a small area. (9)
Warning: Spoiler!

8 The ghosts are all at sea, torn and buried. (6,6,6,5)
Warning: Spoiler!

9 It's the natural end to this political advocate lordly, spinning oddly toward the rising sun. (4,6)
Warning: Spoiler!

10 Sharp fireworks, a short break on time is too hot. (5,5,4,6)
Warning: Spoiler!

11 Twice on the edge? (5,3)
Warning: Spoiler!

12 Underneath that big area, the front of it is coming up and keeping us all in check! (7)
Warning: Spoiler!

13 Searching for something underneath? (4)
Warning: Spoiler!

14 Messing about this wee cracking tizzy thing. (6,10)
Warning: Spoiler!

15 It's an ironic big old bear. (4,7)
Warning: Spoiler!

16 It's all made up while it's in the air. (7,6)
Warning: Spoiler!

17 A single dead body found to the North of this City. (11)
Warning: Spoiler!

18 Booked more than one odd trip. (6,2,4)
Warning: Spoiler!

19 The wine is in motion, it must be what his heir wants. (5,6)
Warning: Spoiler!

20 Most of the farm was lost, oh my! We all read in the papers. (8,6,7)
Warning: Spoiler!

21 A quick procedure will end this focal point. (5,3)
Warning: Spoiler!

22 It's cooking for this messed up Doctor. (8)
Warning: Spoiler!

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16 Nov 2020 09:37 #316183 by Sagrilarus
Replied by Sagrilarus on topic A cryptic distraction
I just remembered that I suck at this.
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