English Chess Forum

Gerard Killoran wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 13, 2020 5:07 pm

An example of a cryptic chess clue could be 'Rear Admiral's weakness' (4,4).

Back rank?

JustinHorton wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 13, 2020 7:38 pm

Gerard Killoran wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 13, 2020 5:07 pm

An example of a cryptic chess clue could be 'Rear Admiral's weakness' (4,4).

Back rank?

Correct.

Simon Brown wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 13, 2020 4:30 pm

From today's Times - "One piece by queen in drag, failing to finish lines (5)"

I rarely attempt cryptic crosswords so am unsure of the conventions, but my thinking is that 'One' could be 'I' and 'piece by queen' one of B, P or K (but K being the popular choice) . Then those two letters are inside another word for 'drag', but minus its terminal letter(s) ('failing to finish') . The definition being 'lines'.
I've found a solution to the above, but it feels obscure and may be way off the mark so am not keen to declare it just at the moment....

Those hints gave enough
Insight into Simon's clue
For me to solve it

Simon Brown wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 13, 2020 4:30 pm

From today's Times - "One piece by queen in drag, failing to finish lines (5)"

This was tough and positioned in the top right quadrant, the area I found hardest anyway. I certainly needed to get another letter towards it, known in the trade as a crosser.

The 'one piece by queen' is IK (could have been IB), so when another word gave me H as the starting letter I got HAIKU (= lines). Then you realise the HA..U is haul (= drag) failing to finish.

The Times expects solvers to know chess notation, including N for knight (but not sure about O-O for 'oo'). The clue elsewhere in this thread about the Rear Admiral would be valid only in a chess themed cryptic, I think, because 'back rank' is too specialist a definition of 'weakness', even with the addition of '(weakness) on board'. Pity, because 'on board' goes smoothly with Rear Admiral.

Born without chopper but leaps about gayly with unperturbed androgynous pals anyway. (6)

Paul Habershon wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 14, 2020 7:56 am

Simon Brown wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 13, 2020 4:30 pm

From today's Times - "One piece by queen in drag, failing to finish lines (5)"

The 'one piece by queen' is IK (could have been IB), so when another word gave me H as the starting letter I got HAIKU (= lines). Then you realise the HA..U is haul (= drag) failing to finish.

Thank you, Paul. So not 'IP' then as a pawn is not a piece? I was making things more difficult for myself by not realising that.

I agree that was a tough one, I also had the H, from the first clue I solved.

Post deleted

Kevin Williamson wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 14, 2020 8:46 am

Paul Habershon wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 14, 2020 7:56 am

Simon Brown wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 13, 2020 4:30 pm

From today's Times - "One piece by queen in drag, failing to finish lines (5)"

The 'one piece by queen' is IK (could have been IB), so when another word gave me H as the starting letter I got HAIKU (= lines). Then you realise the HA..U is haul (= drag) failing to finish.

Thank you, Paul. So not 'IP' then as a pawn is not a piece? I was making things more difficult for myself by not realising that.

More pertinently, Kevin, I think the pawn is in front of the queen, not by.

The distinction between pawn and piece is probably too specialist for general cryptics and, indeed, quizzes. On ITV's 'The Chase' yesterday the Chaser, the one called Paul who is the current UK Quiz Champion, was asked which chess piece (I'm not actually sure if that word was used) occupies the second and seventh ranks. 'Knight', he said, on the way to letting the contestants' team of four win £29000 between them.

With Simon's clue, I'd got as far as the "hau" element, but couldn't be sure it was right without the "H" crosser. I'd have needed a lot more time before tumbling to "haiku". I like Jack's reply - very clever!

More pertinently, Kevin, I think the pawn is in front of the queen, not by.

Have to agree.

And I'd have put "£29,000 among them" - I still hold to the notion that "between" is used only when referring to two people or entities.

Part cryptic, part unfathomable, partly playful crossword clue: world champion crowned in 600 years time writes congratulatory letter on last sold in Harrolds 200 years previously, reveled in the Sunday times one Sunday in late October a mere 500 years or from now (preorder available if assistance is required).

Capturing rook left one ready to mate champion (9)

I'd need a crosser or two to get Tom's one, I think.

Meanwhile, try this (which some might think more like a Spectator or Mephisto clue):

Averting disaster having lost a rook to his fellow-countryman, he still finished last. (7)

"Cracking the Cryptic" Youtube channel yesterday covered the Listener crossword from about 3 weeks ago, number 4630.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-viPim9hm6M

One clue was, "Pawn gets moved to pin rook in centre" (6)

The good news is the clue is normal... In just over half the down clues, you had to change one letter in the answer and once you solved all the clues, you would find instructions on how to find the mystery answer. I won't spoil your fun by telling you what that was...