In the example clues below, I explain the two parts of each: the definition of the answer, given in bold type, and the wordplay – the recipe for assembling its letters. In a genuine puzzle environment, of course, you also have the crossing letters, which will greatly alleviate your solving load if you have them. The explanations contain links to previous entries in this series on such matters as spelling one word backwards to reveal another. And setters’ names tend to link to interviews, in case you feel like getting to know these people better.
If you see a word in a clue that can be represented by a single letter somewhere in the world, that may be just the toehold you need.
For example, it shouldn’t take you long to summon a decent guess as to the first letter of the answer to this clue from Qaos:
22ac Jack hopes to work for patriarch (6)
[ wordplay: abbrev. for ‘Jack’+ anagram (‘to work’) of HOPES ]
[ J + OSEPH ]
[ definition: patriarch ]
You’re right: it’s a J, which you then follow by “working” hopes into the rest of the answer, JOSEPH.
“Jack” is a word which helpfully stands out as you read the clue. The same goes for the other face cards, though be warned that “queen” more usually gives you an ER – as seen on postboxes – than it does a Q.
“Ace”, having various other meanings, may take a little longer to spot. It may well be an A, but it more often indicates another slangy term like “super” – or, since it’s the card that comes before two, a ONE. Likewise, “one” can be ACE; here’s Vlad:
21ac ‘Answer attack with force’ (one in US military command) (5,4)
[ wordplay: abbrev. for ‘answer’ + synonym for ‘attack’ + abbrev. for ‘force’ + synonym for ‘one’ ]
[ A + BOUT + F + ACE ]
[ definition: US military command ]
ABOUT FACE, then. Much more occasionally, the suits might be reduced to their initials, as they were in the notation of card games before we all acquired computers with ♣s and ♠s already loaded. Paul uses this device …
5d Is card between pair of diamonds swell? (7)
[ wordplay: IS (‘is’) & example of a playing card, contained by (‘between’) abbrev. for ‘diamonds’, twice (‘pair of’) ]
[ IS & TEN, contained by DD ]
[ definition: swell ]
… in a clue for DISTEND, and if you’re not yet exhausted by caveats, “diamonds” are more typically a hint to include the letters of the slang term ICE.
Talking of notation and those who take their playing cards deeply seriously, here comes the wiliest card trick of them all. In an earlier instalment of this series, one about points of the compass, the setter Chameleon remarked:
Unsure whether or not to be relived to see the dreaded bridge players didn’t get a mention …
This players in bridge are named North, South, East and West and so “player” or even “hand” might occasionally mean you need to take an N, an S, an E or a W (perhaps leaving you to work out later which of those is needed).
Much fairer to the solver is the practice of pairing up a couple of these and describing them as “opponents” (NE, SW etc) or “partners” (SN, say, or WE). Far fairer still is some mention of a game or a table, to point you in the direction of these directions, as included here by Pasquale:
28ac Wanting to be like opponents at table competing (7)
[ wordplay: abbrev. of bridge opponents + synonym for ‘competing’ ]
[ E & N + VYING ]
[ definition: wanting to be like ]
Finally, the names of card games, from poker to patience, tend to have other meanings and so might be clued simply by “game”; one pair of ambiguities is used by Brendan in this economical clue …
16ac Bridge as card game (7)
[ double definition ]
… for PONTOON.
Beginners: any questions? Seasoned solvers and setters: any favourites or omissions?
