The Christmas Investigations - The Adventure Game

Christmas Investigations
Part Two

In our second Christmas Investigation we travel to Arg, the planet featured in the classic BBC game show - The Adventure Game. We'll tackle some multi stage lateral thinking puzzles before we get down to the serious business of money and tackle a mathematical problem with a difference.

Can you decipher the hidden values of the Argond currency?

The Christmas Investigations - Turnabout

Christmas Investigations
Part One

Delve into a world of word puzzles and strategic thinking in the first of my Christmas Investigations. We look at the different word games featured in Turnabout before exploring the strategic play of the sphere game.

What is the maximum score on a Turnabout grid, and how can it achieved?

Never A Crossed Word

Cryptic Crosswords
Part Sixteen

We have reached the end, well, almost the end, of our tour through the world of cryptic crosswords. Before we hang up our pencils for a while, we just have the small matter of three clues to fill in.

Just Plain Cryptic

Cryptic Crosswords
Part Fifteen

So we have been looking at cryptic crosswords for some considerable time without actually solving any cryptic crossword clues. I see the furrowed brow and look of confusion you are pointing in my direction; but I stand by that statement.

The final type of clue we will be looking at in this crossword is the pure cryptic. The most cryptic of all cryptic crossword clues.

Three Cheers for our Queer Old Dean!

Cryptic Crosswords
Part Fourteen

Never let it be said that I pass up an opportunity for a thoroughly rude blog title. In this post we continue our exploration of Cryptic Crosswords with a look at one of the more light hearted and entertaining crossword clues.

Sounds Like An Answer

Cryptic Crosswords
Part Thirteen

That title needs a comma in it somewhere, I know. This is a relatively short post to give you the answer to the remaining crossword clue from our post on Sounds Like clues.

Sounds Good

Cryptic Crosswords
Part Twelve

Today we’re looking at another variation on the Charades clue that occasionally crops up in Cryptic Crosswords; indeed there’s a single one hiding out in our master crossword grid.

Give Us A Clue!

Cryptic Crosswords
Part Eleven

Find out how you fared with Charades clues and fill in some more spaces in our Cryptic Crossword as we examine the solutions to the clues I set in the last post.

Charades!

Cryptic Crosswords
Part Ten

In our last post on Cryptic Crosswords we didn't get the chance to fill in any of our master puzzle grid. We're definitely going to make up for that today as we explore a more specific type of wordplay clue; charades.

Cryptic Playtime

Cryptic Crosswords
Part Nine

From dipping our toes into the waters of cryptic crosswords with the relatively simple 'double definition' style of clue we've arrived at the defiantly choppy seas of proper wordplay clues.

We have looked at the manipulation of letters in a source phrase to produce an answer, but true word play clues mix and match all kinds of techniques to hide a solution.

Putting Things In Order

Cryptic Crosswords
Part Eight

It's time to revisit our first steps in the world of wordplay and discover the solutions to our previous eight challenging clues. This will take us beyond the halfway point of our first cryptic crossword.

Starting and Switching

Cryptic Crosswords
Part Seven

Today we're still exploring the exciting world of wordplay in two new types of cryptic crossword clue. As we continue to add more skills to our arsenal it's important to remember that crossword clues aren't usually presented in this fashion, normally of course the clues are all mixed up.

Any Which Way?

Cryptic Crosswords
Part Six

It's time to get into the nitty gritty of Cryptic Crosswords by delving into the wondrous world of wordplay. Of course we are not without considerable skill in this area, we've been tackling word puzzles for a long time and our knowledge and skill with word play will stand us in good stead for the two kinds of clues we're going to look at today.

Lost and Found

Cryptic Crosswords
Part Five

Today we look at the answers to our hidden word clues and look at the working behind them.

The Lost Word

Cryptic Crosswords
Part Four

Today we're looking at 'hidden words', these are clues where the answer is  right before your eyes, although it will be hidden amongst other letters. We've done them before so hidden words should be simple right?

Defining those Definitions

Cryptic Crosswords
Part Three

So, last time we looked at Cryptic Crosswords, we examined one of the simpler types of clue, the double definition. We learned that the key to solving them is to identify where to split the clue into its constituent definitions and then try to solve for each one.

Lateral Thinking with The Creepy Dolls

Relatively Speaking
Part Two

Oh yes, the Creepy Dolls are back with another puzzle all about birthdays, and like the previous puzzle this is a lateral thinking test. Lateral Thinking might be tough, but puzzles from this genre are also very gratifying to solve.

A Pea Bird Ate Two Me

Relatively Speaking
Part One

Alas those glorious two weeks have ended and now I stand on the very brink of turning, well let's just say it's the answer to a previous puzzle and it's far too high a number.

Birthday's are a time for reflection, catching up with family and of course, for puzzles. After measuring things, birthdays are one of the richest sources of puzzle I've come across.

Definitions, Defintitions

Cryptic Crosswords
Part Two

The simplest type of cryptic crossword clue takes a word and gives it's definition, twice. We call them double definitions. Now it might not sound that difficult, but as we've discovered in our adventures in the world of words, many words have multiple meanings.

So what you get with a double definition is often two quite different definitions with the challenge being to find the one word which matches both.

Something Cryptic This Way Comes

Cryptic Crosswords
Part One

I still remember the first cryptic crossword clue I solved, it was Monday 25th February... 2013. Yes that's right, yesterday. So you might wonder what I can possibly teach you about solving them.

A Matchstick Made in Heaven

Table Games
Part One

So, where exactly can I buy coloured matchsticks, and what on earth would I use them for? The Wandering Puzzler is on the road, shopping as usual, and is getting to grips with the basics of matchstick puzzles

Turning Back The Sands of Time

Time and Space
Part Four

In our continued quest for elegance in solutions to time and space puzzles we revisit the sand timers with a video and more time lines, explaining just how to get the most elegant of solutions.

Breaking the Space Time Continuum

Time and Space
Part Three

We're breaking out the sand timers and the jugs again as we search for increasingly well composed solutions to measuring puzzles. Then we attempt the theoretically impossible when we try to break the space-time continuum, with toast.

Word Addicts

Word Mechanics
Part Five

We're back onto word puzzles for today's exercise, and exercise is what it's all about. Well, it's about the meanings and properties of words - which will prove good practice for when we delve into the dangerous and mysterious world of cryptic crosswords.

A Birthday Bonanza

Arithmetic
Challenge One

Here's a mathematical trial to test your arithmetic skills. The whole post is a puzzle so do your best to decipher the clues and find the answer!

A Sandy Situation

Time and Space
Part Two

Today it's a day on the sand - and it's still not all it promises. The second cousin of the jugs problem is all about timing. You are generally presented with sand glasses of known duration, or candles of known burn time, and asked to measure a specific length of time.

A Pair of Jugs

Time and Space
Part One

I'm sorry, but you knew there was going to be smut when you entered into this little student-teacher arrangement and this set of puzzles is too good an opportunity to miss.

Of course I'm speaking not about any part of the female anatomy, but one of the oldest and most varied puzzle sets there is - measuring puzzles. 

Hidden Equations

Algebra
Part Three

So far we have looked at simultaneous equations that were hidden in plain sight, as it were.

Of course most puzzles that rely on equations try and hide the method behind flavour; either in the guise of an elaborate story, where a key piece of information is implied but not stated. Or as a diagram, hiding the maths behind abstract imagery.

Where No Number Can Be Found

Algebra
Part Two

The difficult in algebra puzzles is very rarely found in how difficult the mathematics is, where would the fun be in that. No, the challenge of a simultaneous equation puzzle is in deriving the equations that lead you to the answer.

Today I'm going to arm you with just the skills you need to do that.

The Whole Truth

Riddles
Part Five

If you've ever wondered where I get the ideas for my puzzles this is the post you have been waiting for. A merry jaunt around inspiration leads to a puzzle about holes and wholes.

All X's and Y's

Algebra
Part One

Algebra! There's I've said it, and I'm going to write about it!

Get ready for fun, excitement and interesting puzzles. No i promise you, this is mathematics, but not as you learned it at school.

A Cheeky Little Number

Arithmetic
Part One

If you want to be good at number puzzles you need to understand numbers. A simple enough statement you might think, but I don't mean understanding mathematics - thats a whole different ball game. What we're looking at here is the distinct personality of numbers. 

Trust No One

Puzzling Parables
Part Three

In the third and final entry in this little series of puzzling parables we'll be looking at the strange relationship between the puzzle setter, and solver. It's an odd little relationship because while it is based entirely on trust, it is one that the setter will try to abuse mercilessly.