This fred is like.......... so lame.

It's like........totally random.

Sounds like this SteveStrummer needs to get wiv da times, yeah ?

Hes like just totally wasted my time. He should of spent the time he spent righting this doing sumfin else.

Sum people are just to sad, innit ?

Interesting how the word 'cool' has been adopted by every generation since the 1940's (although it probably goes back centuries)as their own..that one just won't die.

jamesg1213


Interesting how the word 'cool' has been adopted by every generation since the 1940's (although it probably goes back centuries)as their own..that one just won't die.

Cool!

Coolio.

my fave= Geg (9,3)

mgh


my fave= Geg (9,3)

 
I forgot that one

oh and, 'presumably...'slow coach

How do we approach solving these things Steve?

craigb

I love puzzles of this type, but am not familiar with this exact type.  Got a simple example?  I don't know what's implied by the numbers in parenthesis either...  Guess I'll go Google "Cryptic puzzles" while I wait to see your reply...

Craig, the numbers in brackets are just there to tell you the number of letters/words in the answer.
 
e.g: hair (4); Great Britain (5,7); low-budget (3-6) etc.
 
There are quite a few conventions and types of cryptic clues.
 
Here are a few examples:

• Multiple definitions - two or more words that all mean the same as the answer, but are written in such a way that you are misled:
  • Broken statue (4) = BUST (Broken = BUST; Statue = BUST)
  • Take notice of Gospel (4) = MARK (Take notice of = MARK; Gospel = MARK)
• Anagrams - the setter must always indicate an anagram, and which words/letters are to be anagrammed:
  • Weapon destroyed gnu (3) = GUN (We are told to 'destroy' gnu to find a weapon)
  • Neat prose translated into a universal language (9) = ESPERANTO (If we 'translate' the letters of neat & prose we will find a universal language)
• Bits and pieces/Additions/Subtractions - this can include literally putting together and/or removing bits and pieces of words/phrases/abbreviations to form the answer:
  • Finishing with a boxed ear - charming! (9) = ENDEARING (the word ear is literally 'boxed' inside a word for 'finishing'; i.e. ending to reveal: ENDEARING
  • Rubbish outside lair may suit this creature (6) = RODENT ('rubbish' = ROT is literally placed 'outside' 'lair' = DEN to reveal the creature RODENT
  • Headgear on communist invokes intense dislike (6) = HATRED ('headgear' = HAT is literally 'on' 'communist' = RED to get 'intense dislike' - HATRED
  • Endlessly talk about the field event (6) = DISCUS ('talk' = DISCUSS; we are told that it is literally 'endless' so we knock off the final 'S' to reveal the field event - DISCUSS
• Reversals - letters that you are told to reverse right to left (for across clues) or upside down (for down clues):
  • Have a little look round part of the fortification (4) = KEEP ('have a little look' = PEEK is [turned] round to get KEEP)
  • Exist the wrong way? That's bad (4) = EVIL ('exist' = LIVE, the wrong way [round] gives you EVIL)
• Hidden words - the word is literally written in front of you:
  • Some overenthusiastic kissing - one draws blood (4) = TICK ('some' [letters] of the phrase 'overenthusiastic kissing' reveal something that 'draws blood')
  • Powder used in ancient alchemy (4) = TALC (similarly, 'used' tells us that the phrase 'ancient alchemy' 'uses' the letters of TALC)
• Puns, homophones and soundalikes - words that sound similar:
  • Such a range of food is said to be satisfactory (4) = FARE ('satisfactory' = fare, which, when 'said', sounds like FARE = 'range of food')
  • Shakespeare in speech? It should be precluded (6) = BARRED (similarly, 'in speech', we hear BARRED as well as 'bard')
• Abbreviations/Numbers etc:
  • Miss West embraces novice man (4) = MALE (Miss West = MAE 'embracing' a novice 'L' [for learner] to give us our 'man' = MALE)
  • One hundred, very old and shut in (5) = CAGED ('One hundred' in Roman Numerals = 'C' + 'AGED' = 'very old' to give CAGED)

 
There are others types, and some clues may include more than one of the devices listed above.
 
What they all have in common, in keeping with the 'fairness' aspect of composing clues, is that somewhere in the clue there will be a 'straight' definition of the answer, even if that definition is itself 'cryptic'; the rest of the clue will be there only to show you how to get to the answer. The key in writing a good clue is in how well you can disguise the 'real' meaning. Punctuation is generally allowed to go out of the window, providing the sentence still makes sense. You're not permitted to write gobbledegook (the clue must be grammatically correct) or have a different tense between the clue and the answer; for example, you can't include "reversed into a space" as the definition part of a clue if the answer is "parking" - you would have to use "reversing into a space".
 
It's generally accepted that the 'better' clues are often the 'simplest'.
 
I once pondered for days over this beauty that appeared in a Times (Jumbo) puzzle:

• The inner state of the sausage (3,6,6,2,7)

 
 
 

Yes. The language keeps evolving. The tragic thing is that the modern power of media makes it evolve according to the ones that have the least knowledge about it. Earlier it was the ones who were skilled with the language that got heard and read.

All kinds of skaters, Big Brother "stars" and "yo mans" get so much coverage that their moronic way of expression spreads like cancer.

I don't mean to lack sense of humor. There are wild and delightfully innovative expressions popping up everywhere. Put like so often mentioned here on the forum: To break the the rules you need to know (some of) them first.

And the kids say: C'moooon, who cares! They just don't realise how important it can be in their life to be able to talk properly to the right person at the right time.

I love language, and so does my better half. She's an interpreter and a journalist. It often happens that one of us uses a peculiar expression during late dinner - and the next four hours we're trying to find out how it's said in french, italian or spanish. The dictionaries pile up on the table and two lappies are googling :o) :o)
(I was totally surprised when she showed me how unreliable and different dictionaries can be.)

The only professional level element in my songs are the texts. If I could compose or play as well as I use finnish language I could make a living with music instead of this ..***t.