CRYPTO CLUES XL

GAMES Magazine

September/October, 1981

Henry Hook

The key to solving clues in a cryptic crossword is to find the dividing point between the defined answer and the wordplay disguising it. For example, the clue Bird dog with head dropped, divides between bird and dog. The answer to the clue is EAGLE. An eagle is a bird. A dog with head dropped is also EAGLE because BEAGLE (a dog) becomes EAGLE if you drop its head (first letter).

 

1. Have every intention to be nasty (two meanings)

 

2. Casually displaying a flower garland, certainly (two words)

 

3. Swimming stroke relieves Tyler, endlessly (curtailment)

4. "Picturesque sea." Nick said (homophone)

5. Reportedly forsakes pies, cookies, and cakes (two meanings)

6. Appear rash? Maybe, to put it another way (anagram)

7. Car carrying gold to a city in Alabama (Au = gold)

8. Dirty chickens, say (homophone)

 

Answers:

 

1. MEAN

2. LEISURELY (lei + surely)

3. FREESTYLE

4. SCENIC (sea Nick)

5. DESSERTS

6. PARAPHRASE (appear rash) 

7. AUTOMOBILE (Auto to Mobile)

8. FOUL (fowl)