Comments on: Torquemada and the torturous literary puzzle http://www.litro.co.uk/index.php/2010/06/26/torquemada-and-the-torturous-literary-puzzle/ Fri, 03 Feb 2012 20:07:50 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: emily.cleaver http://www.litro.co.uk/index.php/2010/06/26/torquemada-and-the-torturous-literary-puzzle/comment-page-1/#comment-1180 emily.cleaver Fri, 02 Jul 2010 23:14:40 +0000 http://www.litro.co.uk/?p=2793#comment-1180 Hi Peter, sounds like the history of the crossword is a bit more cryptic than I’d thought… We haven’t tried one of the narrative puzzles yet, they looked even more intimidating than the literary ones. Something for a rainy day, I think. Hi Peter, sounds like the history of the crossword is a bit more cryptic than I’d thought… We haven’t tried one of the narrative puzzles yet, they looked even more intimidating than the literary ones. Something for a rainy day, I think.

]]> By: Peter Biddlecombe http://www.litro.co.uk/index.php/2010/06/26/torquemada-and-the-torturous-literary-puzzle/comment-page-1/#comment-1158 Peter Biddlecombe Wed, 30 Jun 2010 21:12:04 +0000 http://www.litro.co.uk/?p=2793#comment-1158 You have stumbled across a bit of cryptic crossword history. If single person invented cryptic crosswords, it was Torquemada, who was writing complete sets of recognisably cryptic clues when the daily papers were still mixing cryptic and plain clues (Telegraph and Guardian) or hadn't started yet (Times). Getting half the clues in a Torquemada puzzle is good going, judging by my goes at puzzles in his two books - but you souhnd as if you know more literature. My only completions were the "narrative ones" like No. 508 in your book. You have stumbled across a bit of cryptic crossword history. If single person invented cryptic crosswords, it was Torquemada, who was writing complete sets of recognisably cryptic clues when the daily papers were still mixing cryptic and plain clues (Telegraph and Guardian) or hadn’t started yet (Times).

Getting half the clues in a Torquemada puzzle is good going, judging by my goes at puzzles in his two books – but you souhnd as if you know more literature. My only completions were the “narrative ones” like No. 508 in your book.

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