Cryptic Crosswords, a Unique Type

If you know your crosswords, then you know that there are different variations other than the usual stuff you see in the newspapers. And one that usually calls attention to is the one called cryptic crosswords, a unique type.

The main difference of cryptic crossword puzzles from any other kind of crosswords is the fact that the clues themselves are little puzzles that you need to solve. So unlike the ordinary crossword where all you need to do is read the clue and figure out the answer, in a cryptic puzzle, you will need to figure out what the clue is all about before you get to thinking of the possible answers. If you find the regular crosswords as hard to finish, attempting to fill out the boxes of a cryptic crossword would be a very daunting task.

This kind of crossword is not that popular in the United States, however, it has quite a following in its birth place, the United Kingdom. In fact, the crossword is sometimes referred to as “British-style” crossword puzzle in the US. It was around 1923, during when the crossword phenomenon was sweeping the globe that the cryptic kind of crossword puzzles came to be. At first the clues were not like today but rather the clues were composed more of anagrams, incomplete quotations, and, of course, wordplay.

Outside the UK, it seems that the crossword is also popular in Kenya, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, India, Malta, and even in South Africa. A lot of daily newspapers in the UK and Canada carry cryptic crosswords.

Cryptic crossword has been further subdivided into two kinds. We have the basic or ordinary cryptic puzzle where the clues are mini-puzzles and we have the advanced version. In the advanced version which is also called variety cryptic crosswords, aside from the clue being mini puzzles, some or all of the answers have to be changed or altered based on certain rules that can be apparent to the solver or totally hidden and have to be discovered first.

Getting confused? Let’s break it down. In the basic cryptic crosswords you won’t get the answer from reading the clues and taking them literally. The clues have to be dissected and sifted through. The literal translation of the clue is often the distraction. So never absorb the literal meaning of the clues in cryptic crosswords. Usually, a clue in a cryptic puzzle will have the first part describing the answer in terms of its definition, tense, or part of speech. On the other hand, you will find that the second part of the clue is usually more of wordplays that point you to the answer.

Although it is difficult, once you identify which part of the clue is the definition and which part is the wordplay you can get the answer more accurately. So the trick would be to where the first part ends and where the second part begins. It can be obvious in some cases but other times you have to really put your mind to it. There are clues that have double definitions because of the nature of the answer. The size of a typical cryptic crossword is 15 by 15 but the advanced version usually is only 12 by 12.

Cryptic crossword puzzles are very challenging. It takes a certain amount of practice before you get good at it. Your knowledge should cover a wide enough range of topics and subject matter in order to excel in solving cryptic puzzles.

June 17, 2009 · Filed Under Crossword Puzzles

Website Building Tools

If you interested in website building for your home business, here are some great tools you might find useful to learn how to earn online, step by step. These are the tools that I use after checking out a lot of tools in the market. Hope it helps you in some ways:

1. Site Sell University

If you aren’t familiar…CHECK IT OUT! If you are… Congratulations!

Site Sell University will offer you a goldmine of information about “pre-selling” your customers and, in my opinion ( and I don’t endorse too many businesses this strongly), they have the best web hosting service on the planet for new startups, complete with mailing list features, newsletter integration, promotional tools… and much more.

I have to be honest with you. When I first came across Site Sell University, I was very excited to try it. A lot of ordinary people were raving about it. I thought if they can do it, I can do it, too.

My excitement fizzled out after a while. The reason being, I wasn’t very focused with my goal. However, after thinking about it and resolving to Take Action, I saw great results. That’s why I’m very very thankful I found Site Sell University and I’m not ashamed to tell the whole world about it. Check out this video to learn about Site Sell University in just 3 minutes.

2. Maverick Money Makers

If you are a novice at making money online, Maverick Money Makers is one site that you might want to check out to learn step by step methods. I’m a member of this private money making society online and I have learned many things from it. It’s a wonderful tool to use whether you want to start a home business on a low budget, medium budget or a high budget.

What’s great about it is that it has tons of resources like videos, audios, ebooks and many other tools which makes learning so easy. It has quick money blueprints that you can implement and skillset videos that will help you develop your skills as you grow your business. Above all it has mindset coaching which is very vital for your success. Mindset represents 80% of our success and strategies only equal 20% so this is an amazing tool for your business growth and success.

It’s the best one you’ll ever need to create an income online. Yes, this online coaching club will charge you $97, but it has a 60 Day Money Back Guarantee with no questions asked so what have you got to lose? If you try it, you can create an income you have never imagined you can have. I’m an insider so I know. Of course you have to TAKE ACTION for it to work as this is not a get-rich-quick scheme type of club. TAKE ACTION and you’ll see RESULTS!

What you will discover inside the club (among many other things) is the ability to help other highly successful companies in promoting their products and get paid a handsome commission for every single bit of business you help them get.

It’s pretty cool that you don’t even need your own product isn’t it?

You see, companies are rapidly moving toward a new model of marketing, and that model is based on people like YOU to get the word out about their products.

You can do this anywhere in the World. You’re no longer an employee, you can be a partner! When you sign up now, you are becoming a partner of a company working for yourself! You can start building your financial future.

3. The Minisite Formula

Another great product for novices is The Minisite Formula. It is one product that teaches you step by step to build your online business. I’ve checked it out myself and I’ve learned many things from it. It’s a great tool to use whether you want to start a home business on a low budget or a high budget. What’s great about it is that it’s a video course which makes learning easy. This video course was launched in 2009 and has a lot of new information like Web 2.0 that are used these days.

The Minisite Formula is unlike any other course because Joel Peterson is not promising you a site that make thousand of dollars a day, or even $10 a day but only $3 a day.

The system is actually teaching to build a mini-site in half an hour that make you $3 a day consistently. You might think that $3 a day is not a lot but what if you have 100 sites or 1000 sites. It will be $9000 a month if you have 100 sites and $90000 a month if you have 1000 sites.

The main product contains over 5 hours of “Quality” step-by-step video training on EXACTLY how to build a mini site empire. Everything is organized to optimize the user learning experience and keep people excited. Extensive helps and resources are available in the download area. A Top-Notch product that is worth 10x the price.

4. Micro Niche Finder

If you have an online presence, one of the many ways that people will be able to find you is through the search engines. Search engines list you in their sites according to the keywords that you use in your website.

With Micro Niche Finder, you can get the jump on the competition and profit from a goldmine of under-the-radar niche markets.

Uncover Completely Overlooked Niche Markets that are so Profitable You’ll be Absolutely Shocked at How Easily You Found Them. (you’ll find so many profitable niche markets your biggest problem will be deciding which one you want to exploit first!)

Micro Niche Finder is guaranteed to “sniff-out” red hot, low competition, high demand keyword phrases that you can turn into quick profits. Here are just a few of the ways you can use Micro Niche Finder to create New Income Streams:

- Create articles to promote affiliate programs and collect regular commissions.

- Create Adsense content pages that pay you residual ad revenue.

- Create eBay feeder pages and make money when new users register for eBay.

- Create Squidoo Lenses and claim your share of the profits generated by the traffic.

- Create niche market private label rights packages and sell these rights for a quick profit.

- Find Unregistered Domain Names that have Built-In Profit Potential from Type In Traffic.

- Find New Markets that are just Begging for Hot New Info Products that You Can Create and Sell.

5. Fat Cat Blueprint

A great blueprint for anyone, whether novice or expert in making money online. If you want to start a high profit online business, Fat Cat Blueprint is a must read. It's simple, straightforward, and just about anyone can do it. I've personally checked out how his system works, so I know first hand that it can work for others. So check it out right now – grab this opportunity with both hands.

The above are the tools that have been profitable for me in my website building. You can copy this formula or you can make your own. However, remember that you need to FOCUS and be COMMITTED to your end goal. NEVER GIVE UP! Success won’t come overnight but I promise you, if you TAKE ACTION, you will see RESULTS!