Crossword Help Forum
Forum Rules

We've been doing the old geniuses - tricky when they don't include the special instructions. So far only #10 has completely stumped us. Normally we manage something after a first pass of the clues, but even after several readings, we have only a dim possibility for 9A.

Does anyone have any idea? (I resisted asking if anyone has a clue.) I appreciate any help!

This came up a couple of months ago, Kristi. I managed to track down the instructions. Do you want them, or just help for the clues?

Actually, I think it’s almost impossible without the instructions. Not that easy with them. So here they are:

"The 28 solutions are divided into four groups of seven, each member of the group beginning with the same letter. All 28 definitions are normal and positioned with the correct clue number, but the cryptic parts of the clues have been swapped around. The cryptic part for any definition will always be found in a clue whose solution begins with the same letter, though these ignore the initial letter of the solution."

Oh excellent! I did search this forum but couldn't find anything about it - sorry for the repost.

Thank you very much for the help - I wouldn't have guessed that was how it worked, ever. Now I can't wait to have another go!

No need to apologise. It was buried in another thread, but 10 and 13 of the old ones rang a bell with me, so I was able to find it. Good luck!

Just for completeness, so no one has to go searching, here is the puzzle…

https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/2004/apr/05/genius-crossword-10

Quisling, do you know who the setter was by any chance?

I’m afraid not, Jono. I only unearthed these by chance on another site.

https://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Quizzes-and-Puzzles/Crosswords/Question1710483.html#answer-12489293

I haven’t revisited the cipher in 13 yet …

Hooray, we've done it! There's only one we can't parse. If anyone wants to compare notes I can post our solutions.

Which one, Kristi?