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Cryptic Clues

Cryptic Clues

Posers and Puzzles

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I love cryptic crosswords - here are some home made clues, all the answers are chess related.

1. Shrimp sacrifices rook for another piece.

2. What French? Then English Opening for piece.

3. Almost time at the King's Head.

4. Gin and potassium cocktail for him!

5. Piece has short jump after French again.

6. Reverse osmosis is alright for a bird.

7. Piece costs half the bill and additional retail therapy.

Have fun! 😀

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Originally posted by wolfgang59
I love cryptic crosswords - here are some home made clues, all the answers are chess related.

1. Shrimp sacrifices rook for another piece.

2. What French? Then English Opening for piece.

3. Almost time at the King's Head.

4. Gin and potassium cocktail for him!

5. Piece has short jump after French again.

6. Reverse osmosis is alright for a bird.

7. Piece costs half the bill and additional retail therapy.

Have fun! 😀
No letter counts?

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Originally posted by darvlay
No letter counts?
If I gave letter counts you wouldn't need clues!!!!!!!!!!!

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I know number 2 is Bishop.

1 edit
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Nice ones!
Here's #4.

Gin + K cocktail... -> King

Here's #5.
Bis is again in French. Short jump = hop --> Bishop

1 edit
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talzamir has 4 & 5 (Well Done!)

2. is NOT Bishop!

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Here's #2.

What in French = Que. Then the opening, or beginning, of the word 'English' = En. Together, Queen. Nicely done, the English opening had me thinking 1. c4.

2 edits
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Here's #1.

Shrimp = Prawn. Sacrifice R for Rook leaves Pawn.

Here's #3.
King's Head is a tavern, among other things. Almost time there means night. Add to that the head of King.. the K.. and you get Knight.

Here's #6.
R for reverse, O for osmosis, OK for all right, spell Rook. Which is also a bird, Corvus frugilegus.

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All correct.
Just #7 to go

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7 is

Bishop, (opening of bill = Bi and retail therapy = shop

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Originally posted by iamatiger
7 is [hidden]Bishop, (opening of bill = Bi and retail therapy = shop[/hidden]
Were these too easy?
I can be more fiendish!!!

1 edit
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Originally posted by wolfgang59
Were these too easy?
I can be more fiendish!!!
The style of clue is unique (split the word into component parts and provide a clue for each part)

I think once that pattern emerged, they became easier to solve.

Before the first of the solutions were posted, I couldn't get any of them, but afterward, I was able to figure out most (except the last one, I was stuck on "check" or "cheque" for the "half the bill" part, and I wasn't expecting a repeat answer)

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I quite enjoyed these. And my experience is similar; once the first one opens, it gets easier.. which is why it took a while to get started and then several opened in sequence.