What’s your favorite crossword clue? Please leave it in the comments below. I want to know why you like it and also any interesting story that may go along.
In the interest of full disclosure, my ulterior motive has to do with the further development of FROM SQUARE ONE: THE LIVE SHOW.
No promises. Hey, that’s show biz.
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Thanks!
Hi Dean,
Love your book. I too wish that cryptic puzzles got more play and my favorite clues are in fact from cryptics. They are all mentioned in the wonderful book "Pretty Girl in Crimson Rose (8)" by Sandy Balfour.
REBELLED [Pretty girl in crimson rose]
EGO [I say nothing]
MUSH [Amundsen's forwarding address]
Of these three, the last could clearly be used in a standard American-style puzzle with a "?" tag. All of them are, however, wonderful!
Hi Dean
Orange commanded me to come here and do this:
Crab [fiddler on the reef]
Hope this helps.
Ladel
Amy's wish is my command as well.
One of my all-time favorites is from Byron Walden's NYT Sun 8 Apr 07. Clue: Once across the Rio Grande? Answer: Eleven. Perfectly worded, and resulting in an exceptionally satisfying "aha" moment.
I use this example often when people ask me, "How can you stand to do crossword puzzles? Isn't it all memorizing villages in Bulgaria or something?" It's fun to watch the "ohhhhhhh…." reaction as they either get it themselves or I explain it to them.
Wow, that is a really good one!
My favorite is still the cryptic-ish:
WATER [H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O?]
Great guest-blogging yesterday, and the book is fantastic!
I love this clue from an old GAMES "World's Most Ornery Crossword" by Cox/Rathvon:
[John (words) and Paul (music)]
.
(6 letters)
.
.
.
.
.
SIMONS!
OLAF [Norwegian king who...oh, as if you know anything about Norwegian kings]
by Frances Heaney, Onion A.V. Puzzle July 15/09
There's the famous "Extinct Namibian shrub genus: Var." from this puzzle, which is a perfect clue. My favorite clue that I ever wrote was [New Jersey?] for CALF.