tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4873728714349694734.post364081006453646946..comments2023-09-18T20:09:19.841+08:00Comments on A Hunters Tale: The JKL's of Treasure Hunting - "J"2 Romans 1 Impostorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17620986324451691215noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4873728714349694734.post-29010552478546734842009-02-13T11:13:00.000+08:002009-02-13T11:13:00.000+08:00I don't know how I could have missed the very comm...I don't know how I could have missed the very common "Sounds Like" piece. <BR/><BR/>I was reading the "Well Wishes" posting and then something triggered me to ask "did I include it?" ... it's there now as No.18.BlogCe5nThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13655155453671738720noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4873728714349694734.post-63406759375634853592009-02-03T11:06:00.000+08:002009-02-03T11:06:00.000+08:00peter,That's exactly the point I was trying to mak...peter,<BR/><BR/>That's exactly the point I was trying to make when I said "it lacks elegance; it reflects a "lazy" CoC".<BR/><BR/>As a general rule, the fodder can't be only <I>some</I> letters taken from a single word. However, sometimes the indicator is connected to the fodder in a single word. For example, EARTHQUAKE, where EARTH is the fodder, and QUAKE is the anagram indicator; or ADJUSTABLE, where ADJUST is the anagram indicator, and ABLE is the fodder.<BR/><BR/>It is not the same with, say, CONFUSED HUNTER, where we're adopting CONFUSED as the anagram indicator, and only take HUN as the fodder. I don't think this is accurate - in fact, I think it is awful!<BR/><BR/>In your CRAZY COMEBACK, perhaps one can argue that although COMEBACK is a single word, the BACK in that word is itself an indicator, thus leaving COME as a qualified (independent) fodder. If viewed from this angle, then I suppose it is possible - and logical - to treat COME separately with the anagram and reversal operations. I think it is debatable whether it would have been more agreeable to split the COMEBACK into two words, i.e. COME BACK.<BR/><BR/>But my main objection to your solution - although it is logical - is the dual operations of anagram and reversal, which in my opinion reflects a "lazy" CoC looking for an easy way out.<BR/><BR/>In the course of my (limited) study of cryptic clueing, I have not seen such an approach. The anagram is a powerful tool for the reconfiguration of letters, and my view is that there is no need to adopt the reversal operation here. The anagram operation alone is quite good enough to get the job done. It makes little sense to me to arrange some letters in a specific order, only to follow that up with the reversal of the final product. It is more efficient to configure those letters to the final product <I>directly</I> using the anagram operation. <BR/><BR/>This is the challenge for the setter, i.e. how to set the clue in the most efficient way with a reasonable surface reading, but still obeying cryptic rules:<BR/><BR/><B>Q) Nine come awkwardly.</B><BR/><BR/>Or something like that. There is no need to include the reversal operation. But of course the above clue is too straightforward for MEXICO.Corneliushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08049388322332876859noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4873728714349694734.post-14087356929405112752009-02-03T09:30:00.000+08:002009-02-03T09:30:00.000+08:00Sorry, I missed that.My main query is:Can the fodd...Sorry, I missed that.<BR/><BR/>My main query is:<BR/><BR/>Can the fodder for the anagram just a part of the adjacent word?<BR/><BR/>In this example, it is only to anagram <I>come</I> in 'comeback'.<BR/><BR/>Probably in this example, it is not so bad, as 'come' is a complete word by itself. But what if it is not? Then would it not be endless possibilities??Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4873728714349694734.post-1377022682583582012009-02-02T18:02:00.000+08:002009-02-02T18:02:00.000+08:00Hi peter,Actually, you posted that under "A FIZZY ...Hi peter,<BR/><BR/>Actually, you posted that under <A HREF="http://cluebusters.blogspot.com/2009/01/fizzy-stretch-of-imagination.html" REL="nofollow">"A FIZZY STRETCH OF THE IMAGINATION"</A>, and both 2R1I and I responded with our respective comments:<BR/><BR/><I>"If I am thinking what you are thinking, I can't fault your logic.<BR/><BR/>Nothing wrong with this craft in my books."</I><BR/><BR/>- 2R1I<BR/><BR/><I>"Not the way I'd set my question - it lacks elegance; it reflects a "lazy" CoC. But yes, the solution is logical enough."</I><BR/><BR/>- ckohCorneliushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08049388322332876859noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4873728714349694734.post-43633490238285528632009-02-02T17:21:00.000+08:002009-02-02T17:21:00.000+08:00I posted this question sample somewhere asking for...I posted this question sample somewhere asking for comment, but no one did. I try here again. It involved anagram, reversal and numeral conversion.<BR/><BR/>Q: Nine in crazy comeback.<BR/>A: MEXICO<BR/><BR/>Explanation:<BR/><BR/>Nine - IX<BR/>crazy - anagram indicator<BR/>come - fodder for anagram<BR/>back - reversal indicator<BR/><BR/>Nine in <I>crazy come</I>back<BR/>(IX) in (OCEM)[Reverse]<BR/>=> OCIXEM [Reverse]<BR/>=> MEXICOAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4873728714349694734.post-36821307370758333602009-01-29T15:00:00.000+08:002009-01-29T15:00:00.000+08:00Thank you indeed for your sharing, Ckoh!This is a ...Thank you indeed for your sharing, Ckoh!<BR/><BR/>This is a very good example of the use of "positional" indicators.<BR/><BR/>I would for now categorise that under Jigsaw No.9 Acrostics.<BR/><BR/>While Acrostics by definition, usually refer to the 1st and last letters - I have used it to loosely categorise all other "positional" indicators as "acrostics" too. Other examples (mid, centres, seconds, lefts, rights, etc.<BR/><BR/>And you have pointed out an important tip in treasure hunting - because of the "in frequent" appearance of certain jigsaw pieces - they can catch the unprepared!BlogCe5nThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13655155453671738720noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4873728714349694734.post-80678479332904004482009-01-29T10:39:00.000+08:002009-01-29T10:39:00.000+08:00There is another rare kind of puzzle which is base...There is another rare kind of puzzle which is based on<BR/>mathematical numbering systems. The common indicators are "odd" and "even".<BR/><BR/>Check out this question from one of my past hunts:<BR/><BR/><B>Q) Oddly, this business is having a sale.<BR/><BR/>A) SHAKLEE</B><BR/><BR/>Businesses are having a "SALE" all the time, and there is nothing "odd" about that. The "sale" referred to in the question is "odd" in the <I>cryptic</I> sense.<BR/><BR/>By taking only the oddly-positioned letters found in <B>S</B>H<B>A</B>K<B>L</B>E<B>E</B>, one can find the word <B>SALE</B>.<BR/><BR/>These indicators are rarely used in hunt questions, but it's good to remember them. You never know when you're gonna see them, but when you do, you will know how to handle them.Corneliushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08049388322332876859noreply@blogger.com