Cryptic Crosswords for Us Volume Three Paperback – April 2, 2013

The cryptic crossword puzzles of Wayne Robert Williams are just challenging enough to be fun without being frustrating. You may have to rest and come back to a few of the clues later to figure out the answers, but it is well worth the effort. The directions in the front of the book set you up to be able to figure out many of the answers on each page once you get the idea of the "double clues" in the cryptic format. Hidden answers within words or spanning two words will start to jump out at you. Clue words relating to "hearing" alert you to sound-alike answers. And the number at the end of a clue help you to look for the combination of words that can be unscrambled and rearranged to give the answer to the real definition or clue. The thinking and re-thinking of where the real clue is in the line stretches those sluggish brain cells a bit more than standard crossword puzzles which may become boring to you once you are hooked on the cryptics.

A little on the easier side; good for "trainees," and as it turns out, people who haven't done cryptic crosswords in a really long time. I found most of the puzzles fairly quick to do, and they most often used only two of the "formulas" in their clues. Still, pretty good. I'll move up to a little tougher puzzle for my next book.

These are hard, but I enjoy them immensely! I have done just about every word game there is and most of them bore me now except Cryptic and Diagramless. I purposely looked up these books so I could be challenged a little more. They certainly do the trick! There's a rhythm you have to get into before you can figure out the clues. I admit, I have to look in the back sometimes, but it's getting easier as I get the hang of it. Definitely not for beginner crossword lovers, but if you're up for a challenge, this is it.

Very good collection of puzzles, some seemed to be easy, others take several days of thinking how to resolve the clues. Good for filling in the time.

This gentleman is the gold standard by which all cryptics should be measured. I purchase everything he comes out with, and I enjoy each publication! Hope he keeps producing these!

Hard but not impossible. Love it! Thank you.

Well thought out and challenging.