The New Sudoku Players' Forum

[alfabeta]

I am looking for information on:
how to SOLVE: Crosswords
how to SOLVE: Mind Benders
How to solve: Cryptic Crosswords
How to solve Brain Teasers
How to solve logic puzzles

I have searched the web and have not found much information on these topics. I have also looked in all of our bookstores and can only find books with puzzles, but no indepth process to learn the basics...

I bought a how to solve sudoku book which was sufficient in teaching me enough to enjoy the challenge and now I want to move onto other puzzles.

Any leads will be great...

Cheers
Alf...

[alfabeta]

Hi,
Just bringing this topic back to the forefront of the forum list.

Since i posted I have found the Oxford book of Word Games...Unfortunatly this only talks about the games and does not go into how to solve them efficiently.

Thanks
Alf...

[Lindy]

Logic puzzles, mind benders and brain teasers are extremely diverse. Your best bet here would be to visit websites or buy magazines and sample different puzzles for yourself.

You should have no problem finding books for cryptic crosswords. I have one myself - "How to Crack the Cryptic Crossword" by Val Gilbert. Have a look on Amazon and while you're there, do various searches for brain teasers, mind benders and logic puzzles and see if anything takes your fancy.

Standard crosswords are mostly general knowledge. A good crossword dictionery can help with these but don't go to that expense unless you really enjoy doing them!

Lindy

[MCC]

As Lindy has pointed out, a solver of crosswords needs to have a wide range of knowledge.

A good book to acquire is: 'Ximenes on the Art of the crossword' by D.S.MacNutt.

It has just been reprinted and can be ordered at Amazon.co.uk


And Lindy, dictionery maybe one should have got the dictionary out


MCC

[Lindy]

Well it was the early hours of the morning. I hardly ever make mastikes.

[MCC]

Don't worry it happens to all of us


MCC

[Lindy]

Here you go, Alf. I was browsing a bookshop at lunchtime and came across this:

"How to Solve Word Puzzles" by Philip Carter and Ken Russell. It covers puzzles like Anagrams, Crosswords, Acrostics, Cryptograms, Word Search, Word Squares, Lateral Thinking.

By the same authors there's also "How to Solve IQ Puzzles". You're likely to get Logic puzzles, brain teasers and mind benders in this.

[alfabeta]

Thanks Lindy....they are exactly what I am looking for!!!

I will go down to my bookstore today and see if they can order them...They are certainly not on the shelves, and I have been to every major bookstore in Brisbane, Australia!!!

I knew that there would be something like that out there either on the net or in books.....

If any one else can think of any other resources, I would be very appreciative...

Again thanks....

Regards
Alf

[alfabeta]

MCC, Thanks for the reference to the book 'Ximenes on the Art of the crossword' I will also see if I can get a copy of that.

In our bookstores here, I have found "how to solve cryptic crosswords" by Kevin Skinner.

Another book I discovered was the "Oxford Guide to Word Games"...It seems more like a book on the history of word games, rather than how to solve them...

Can anyone provide a review of these books....

Thanks again,
Alf...

[chrisity]

i would recommend Chambers Crossword Manual by Don Manley, a new edition is being launched in October. Covers all sorts of tips on solving,setting and the clue types and language used in the more difficult cryptic crosswords such as the Listener (in Saturday's Times).

Also Cryptic Crosswords and how to solve them by michael kindred and derrick knight.