crackingthecryptic

February Monthly Reward - The Fossil Hunt

Hi Patreons!  Thank you so much for sponsoring our channel!

Your reward this month is The Fossil Hunt, an incredible sudoku hunt by Philipp Blume, aka Glum_Hippo, themed on (a) palaeontology, and (b) XY-Differences, a sudoku variant in which Philipp is very skilled.

There are 11 sudokus to get through to enable you to get to a congratulatory message - send this to crackingthecryptic@gmail.com by 4pm UK time on 20th February to be in with the chance of winning a prize, which i...

Mark solves Simon's Incredible 2004 Puzzle

Back in 2004, in the second year of The Magpie (see www.piemag.com ), Simon's monthly puzzle was Circling the Square by Pieman, an incredibly hard advanced thematic cryptic crossword - remembered well by all of the few who solved it!

Here Mark tries it again for the first time in 18 years,and comments on the wonderful inventiveness and astonishing denouement of this puzzle. After watching the intro, you can certainly jump over the two full hours of cryptic clue solving to watch the endg...

Snake Pack Solution Videos - Advanced Section

Thanks so much to all the constructors involved in Cryptic Scriptures of the Secret Snake Society! Here's where you can learn how to solve the final eight puzzles in the pack, which would have taken you from the first eight to having your name read out on the channel!

The constructors have created videos to explain the secrets of their puzzles, and we are delighted to share them with you. Please feel free to leave comments on the videos thanking them.

Another Latin phrase conclude...

Solutions to Jay Dyer's Numeric Alchemy

Here are the solutions to the first seven of Jay Dyer’s astonishing Numeric Alchemy puzzles, which would have been enough to get you into the prize draw!

The theme of the hunt was Modifier cells, and Jay talks us through the solution paths to these puzzles with undeniable aplomb.

Here are the videos:

No 1 Mercury: https://youtu.be/O_ORNgKfEZw

No 2 Aqua Fortis: 2023-01-23 09:59:59 +0000 UTC View Post

The Maddest Cryptic There Is

Mark again takes on the Times Monthly Club Special, the challenging cryptic that drains even his ability, and vocabulary, each month. This one is by Roger Phillips.

See the video here:

https://youtu.be/HnnE9FaE0IM 

Gifts and letters received

Sometimes people are generous enough to send us actual letters, cards and even presents!

Mark went down to the PO Box after the Christmas and New Year holidays, and returned with a whole host of stuff. he decided to open it on camera, so he could share the moment with Simon, and Simon suggested sharing it with Patreons.

There's no puzzle in this video, except why people are so generous to CtC ... but feel free to watch Mark unbox some Christmas goodies. The video is here: 2023-01-11 14:00:20 +0000 UTC View Post

Castle Wall Yin Yang #1 by Magnus Josefsson

Here is a brand new puzzle type invented by the brilliant setter/solver Magnus Josefsson.  It's got a fairly intricate ruleset, which is why we were a little worried about attempting it on the channel.  However, if you're prepared to work on the rules, it's an absolutely fantastic puzzle.  The link to Simon attempting the puzzle in a bonus video is below but do have a go at it first if you can.  

Play it at the link below:  

2023-01-02 23:49:40 +0000 UTC View Post

January Patreon Reward - Numeric Alchemy

Hello Patreons!

Thank you so much for supporting our channel, and Happy New Year! New Year's Day is the first of a month, and that always means there is new Patreon content - this month Jay Dyer brings us Numeric Alchemy, a sudoku hunt based on modifiers.

In the attached pdf, you will find 15 puzzles (well, 14, and clues on how to get to a 15th), which all use the idea of modifier cells (doublers, negators, reflectors, nullifiers, incrementors, gregarious cells, squarers, copycat ...

Snake Pack Solution Videos - Part One

Thanks so much to all the constructors involved in Cryptic Scriptures of the Secret Snake Society! Here's where you can learn how to solve the first eight puzzles in the pack, which would have been enough to get you into the prize draw!

The constructors have created videos to explain the secrets of their puzzles, and we can now share them with you. Please feel free to leave comments on the videos thanking the constructors/video-makers!

And well done if you got to the requisite Lat...

The Sudoku Event of the Year - Reprise

Hi Everyone,

We are reissuing the document for Phistomefel's brilliant Hybrid Sudoku Hunt, including a couple of clarifications. These involve "normal killer sudoku rules apply" in The Nori Nori Nighthawk (so no repeat digits in cages) and a new example puzzle for The Archipelago.

Many congratulations to the 150-odd people who have already sent us the correct solution, even without these minor clarifications! Many thanks again also to Phistomefel, who has generously devoted so muc...

Phistomefel's Sudoku Hunt - Updated Version

We were so keen to get this out to you that we used a slightly out-of-date version of the pdf - one that didn't have the solution words when you complete the puzzles (although all the puzzles were correct).  

So here is a revised version of the pdf - which should give solution words if you find the correct solutions!

Also, one point to clarify which has been raised:  In the puzzle The Nori Nori Nighthawk, digits CANNOT repeat within cages ie normal killer sudoku rules ap...

The Phistomefel Puzzle Hunt

We are absolutely thrilled that our friend Phistomefel volunteered to make a Puzzle Hunt for Cracking the Cryptic's Patreons! This demonstrates the value of being a member of this very special club, and as our Christmas Present to you, we are delighted to present his Hybrid Sudoku Hunt here.

Examples, puzzles and instructions are all in the document, and we wish you some very happy holidays as you struggle with the puzzles. All we can promise to you is that the great man has not let him...

Shadow by tallcat: How To Melt Your Own Brain!

A little bonus video today in which Simon tackles Shadow by tallcat - a curious mixture of sudoku, cave and skyscrapers!

This has a ruleset that seems like kryptonite to Simon at least - utterly bamboozling and fascinating at the same time.  Enjoy!!

Simon & Mark

Play Shadow by tallcat at the link below:  

https://app.crackingthecryptic.com/sudoku/23bmgmFj7h...

The Insanest Crossword

The Times Monthly Club Special can lay claim to being the hardest regulrly published cryptic anywhere - and few of us have heard of any of the entries used in the grid. Notwithstanding, Mark takes it on again, without a dictionary to hand. This one is by Richard Rogan.

See the video here:

https://youtu.be/1QhBLhu6wjc 

December Monthly reward - The Cryptic Scriptures of the Secret Snake Society

Hi Patreons,

Thank you so much for supporting our channel. We are really grateful, and your support helps us to keep the channel going in the form that it is.

We are delighted to present The Cryptic Scriptures of the Secret Snake Society by Dying Flutchman, DadJokes, Jay Dyer, Mr. Menace, PjotrV, Raumplaner, rockratzero and ZegreS.  Thanks so much to these constructors for the chance to present this to you!

This fantastic sudoku hunt will give you a chance of winning th...

Time for that Crazy Cryptic!

This month's (well, last month's) Times Monthly Club Special is by Roger Phillips, and, as usual, is jam-packed full of vicious vocabulary, crazed clues, wacky wordplay and diabolical definitions.

Mark takes it on again, without the crutch of a dictionary to hand.

See how he does this time:

https://youtu.be/BfK6FElnSzc 

A Mathematical Crossword

As mentioned in the bonus video published on the channel today, The Magpie magazine includes a mathematical puzzle each month.  Here is the mathematical that appeared in the first ever edition of The Magpie in November 2002.  If anyone would like help with the cryptic clues please ask.

The video:

https://youtu.be/3Kxqf8xbT_I

Simon & Mark

The Labours of Hercules - Solutions #7-#12 and the endgame

Thanks to PjotrV, Aspartagcus and Panthera for their excellent work creating The 12 Labours of Hercules hunt, and indeed the solution videos to accompany it!

Here are the last seven videos:

#7 – The Cretan Bull: https://youtu.be/kBdyr0uJGAY 

#8 – The Mares of Diomedes: https://youtu.be/GHCtmoSLuQ8 

#9 – The Belt of Hi...

The Labours of Hercules - #1-#6 Solution Videos

Thanks to PjotrV, Aspartagcus and Panthera for their excellent work creating The 12 Labours of Hercules hunt, and indeed the solution videos to accompany it!

Here are the first six videos:

#1 – The Nemean Lion: https://youtu.be/rumQ78xplkg 

#2 - The Lernean Hydra: https://youtu.be/dNr2tk6TbXU 

#3 – The Ceryneian Hind: <...

Mark takes on the Same Cryptic as Simon

Simon solved this cryptic crossword from the Times recently - one of the hardest in recent times - and auggested Mark record his solve too. Now you can compare how they got on with it.

Here is the video:

https://youtu.be/9Rkf5kdMjH0

Masyudoku by Mr.Menace - A Work Of Genius

Simon attempts this quite astonishing puzzle by Mr.Menace, which combines sudoku with the Japanese logic puzzle Masyu.  To say this is an impressive puzzle is doing it a disservice - it's mesmerising.  

You can play it at this link: 

https://app.crackingthecryptic.com/sudoku/739rht9BTr

And see an example here: 

2022-11-11 12:41:20 +0000 UTC View Post

Another Language: Best Video Solution

We get some amazing entries to our competitions but this video solution from Matt Bouyack was, we thought, outstanding.  We're very grateful that Matt has agreed we can share it with you and we certainly recommend it if symmetry and its effects on sudoku are still something of a mystery.

Please remember to drop a comment on the video if you enjoy it.

https://youtu.be/AWLRw2zt_-4

Simon & Mark

...

Another Language by jovi_al and shye: Their video!

This amazing puzzle has baffled and bamboozled many! We're thrilled to present jovi_al and shye's own video explaining how they thought about this incredible sudoku.  

Massive thanks to the two of them for suggesting this contest and making such a great puzzle for it.  (Please remember to comment on the video if you had fun with the competition as it's a nice way to give the authors feedback!)  

Well done also to Piatato (best solution guide), Matt Bouyack (best vid...

November monthly reward - The 12 Labours of Hercules

Hi Patreons,

Thank you so much for supporting our channel. We are really grateful, and your support helps us to keep the channel going in the form that it is.

We are delighted to present The 12 Labours of Hercules, by PjotrV, Aspartagcus, and Panthera.  Thanks so much to these constructors for the chance to present this to you!

This fantastic sudoku hunt will give you a chance of winning the monthly prize, which this month is a copy of our book Cracking the Cryptic: Gre...

Duality by Skunkworks: Solution Videos 10 - 14!

The Skunkworks collective has not only supplied the fantastic pack of Duality puzzles, they have also sent us videos explaining the solutions! Here are puzzles 10 to 14, with explanations by the individual constructors. Many thanks from Simon & Mark to all the people involved:

Duality 10: Clogged Arteries by grkles

Normal sudoku rules apply. Each clue outside the grid is both a sandwich clue and a little killer clue.
Sandwich: Clues outside the grid give the sum of the digi...

Duality by Skunkworks: Videos 5 - 9!

The Skunkworks collective has not only supplied the fantastic pack of Duality puzzles, they have also sent us videos explaining the solutions! Here are puzzles 5 to 9, with explanations by the individual constructors. Many thanks from Simon & Mark to all the people involved:

Duality 5: Silent Hurricane by XeonRisq

Normal Sudoku rules apply.
Normal German Whisper rules apply.
Normal Entropic Line rules apply.
Lines are both German Whisper and Entropic.

Duality 5 ...

Duality by Skunkworks: Videos 1 - 4!

The Skunkworks collective has not only supplied the fantastic pack of Duality puzzles, they have also sent us videos explaining the solutions! Here are the first four, which were enough to get yo uto the intermediate goal ...

Duality 1: Andromeda Strain by Andrewsarchus (Andrew Weimholt)

Normal sudoku rules apply.
Normal Palindrome rules.
Normal German Whisper rules.
All lines are both Palindromes and German Whisper lines.

Duality 1 video: 2022-10-27 09:00:00 +0000 UTC View Post

Another Language by jovi_al and shye

An absolutely extraordinary puzzle for you to try today from two of the best setters around:  jovi_al and shye have created a classic sudoku which incorporates some very very interesting logic.  (Just watch what a standard computer solver has to do to solve it!!)

Rest assured, there is an elegant and logical way to crack it and we're going to be giving a prize for the best solution guide we receive by 31 October.  We'll send the best entries we get to jovi and shye and th...

The Hardest Cryptic Crossword Around

This month's puzzle in The Times Monthly Club Special series is by Richard Rogan, the Times Crossword Editor.

Like every month, this puzzle will be full of arcane answers, cruel clues, wonderful wordplay and deceptive definitions - and Mark will still try and crack it without using a dictionary!

Enjoy his struggles here:

https://youtu.be/pSVo2_ae2Vg 

The Most Savage Cryptic

Here is where Mark took on the August Monthly Club Special from the Times, an insanely hard cryptic crossword with a mix of extremely difficult clues and remarkably aracane answers.

How will he do this month, pitched against Roger Phillips?

See the video here:

https://youtu.be/Q18_SClUkVA