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Why Every Writer Should Do Cryptics

6/19/2014

7 Comments

 
I tend to take the English language for granted.
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It’s hard not to. Because English is my first language, I speak it without thinking. It is my packhorse for the daily grind, carrying me from one exchange to another, and as such I rarely consider the larger meaning behind certain words.

I only see English words anew in two situations. The first is when I learn a new French word, which leads me to compare it to its English counterpart. (For example, in French, when a woman goes into labour, you say “elle entre dans le travaille”, she is starting the work. Which is exactly what the word “labour” means: work.)

        The second time I consider words anew is when I do cryptics.

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As I put together my most recent crossword puzzle (for astronaut Chris Hadfield), I wound up with “TESTATE” as the only word that would fit a spot. As I always do when drafting clues, I looked up the definition and discovered that it is both an adjective and a noun. A testate is one who dies with a valid will.

The “ST” and “AT” had the makings of an intersection. I saw that I could create a hidden word clue that conjured up the image of someone being struck at a busy junction (and a real one, at that).


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“He died with a will” was too obvious but it quickly led me to this:
                    “He died willfully”

Could I use this? Would that be too much of a stretch? I had never really thought about that short, staid, legal word “will” before, but now I saw the humanity behind it. To be willful is to have determined intentions. It follows that we would call the document we leave behind when we die “a will” because it is a summary of our specific desires about how things should go down once we have gone. In fact, leaving a will may be the most “willful” thing we can ever do: our heirs are socially and legally bound to carry out that which we have willed to happen.

The final clue became: “He died willfully, perhaps, in the middle of Lafayette St. at Eight (7)”


It is common practice in creative writing workshops to give students writing catalyst exercises; exercises designed to help student bypass their inner critics and just get writing. I find them incredibly useful. But they don’t give me the same rush of discovery that the two insights described above do.

When I engage in a writing catalyst exercise, I know that I’m trying to unblock some creative fluidity. But cryptics have the magical element of surprise. Like the split second in which you mistake your reflection in a window for someone else, and momentarily view yourself as a stranger.

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Several months ago, Fraser Simpson, my favourite cryptic crossword setter, published a clue that included the phrase “hound caught by the ear”. The last four words were a tip-off to a homophone but the image of grabbing a dog by the ear was so vivid that it took some time before I was able to see this. When I finally did, it changed my perspective on hearing. Our ears do, in fact, catch sound waves out of the air. It took the clue for me to remember and appreciate this.

Am I overselling the benefits of cryptics? Perhaps. Maybe, like the father in “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” who spritzed everything with Windex, I am extrapolating power that cryptics simply don’t have. And yet, since starting this blog, I have discovered that an uncanny number of writers, including mystery writer Howard Shrier, blogger Adriana Palanka, and poets Sue Sinclair and Dennis Lee, are fans of cryptics.

If you are a writer, tell me: do cryptics have the same effect on you as they do on me?

Sarah


7 Comments
Sally
6/18/2014 11:57:11 pm

That's a thoughtful post, Sarah. I have found crosswords in general, but especially cryptics, do make me really think about individual words - whether I am trying to solve a puzzle or set one. I'm pretty new to both, so I do have to really concentrate on each word and think of it in different ways. The mind gymnastics can work as a warm-up, too, to the writing session, or provide relief away from a writing session.

Reply
Sarah
6/19/2014 08:12:05 am

Cryptics often introduce me to new vocabularly but what I like best is the way they trick me into seeing tired old words with fresh eyes. What kind of writing do you do, Sally?

Reply
Crypticrochet link
6/19/2014 06:36:50 am

I'm wondering if your use of willfuly counts as a Swifty. Swiftys were regularly used in crosswords in the earlier part of last century but fell out of favour. I Learned about Thomas Swift in school, but I'd never heard of Spooner until starting cryptics so why cleave to one then cleave the other? (See that? That's why we love words.)

The joy of learning new words I share with you. When, as adults not in an educational surrounding, are we exposed to new words if not through crosswords? Exposed in a way that we have to become intimate with the word, look up its definition to cross reference its suitability and weigh up against another possibility that's equally obscure and beautiful.

I recently discovered a beautiful word in a clue that I was determined to use in conversation. Now, if I just give you the word, it's not as wonderful. The joy, the delight, the awe comes from its earned discovery.

Doc Palmer a problem for old giraffe ? (10)

Now that gave me some delightful imagery to play with for days, but back to the beginning, Swiftys! They should come back. They are delightful, they are punny and I cannot understand why they fell out of favour. I'm not expert enough to say your clue is in fact a Swifty, but I'd say it's damned close.

Reply
Sarah
6/19/2014 08:31:10 am

How extraordinary! I had never heard of Swiftys/Swifties before and am quite delighted to read the following from Wikipedia:

"The [Tom Swift] series' writing style, which was sometimes adverb-heavy, suggested a name for a type of adverbial pun promulgated in the 1950s and 1960s, a type of wellerism called "Tom Swifties"... Some examples are: "'I lost my crutches,' said Tom lamely"; and "'I'll take the prisoner downstairs', said Tom condescendingly.""

Thank you for that fantastic insight!

And now to puzzling out that clue you left...

Reply
Crypticrochet link
6/19/2014 06:58:13 am

Ok, obviously it's a hidden word clue. Got excited a bit there, but I still think "He died wilfully" is where it counts as a Swiftesque kind of thinking. Sorry, needed to clarify. I'll get coffee now. It's not even dawn yet...

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graydon james link
6/20/2014 12:23:45 am

I almost get more of a kick from cryptic clues that construct a word from smaller words. Like "man's laughter" becomes "manslaughter", or similar. The words that are hidden inside other words are sometimes the quirkiest of things.

Do you ever come up with cryptic clues for random words that you see/find? I definitely do.

Reply
K T Rajagopalan link
6/23/2014 04:19:20 pm

Loved the post, but a doubt lingers: how is the word spelt? WILLFULLY or WILFULLY?

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    I'm a writer, adventurer, amateur setter of cryptic crosswords, lover of "ah-ha!" moments, and exhausted mom.

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