AJ Jacobs makes The Puzzler podcast, wrote The Puzzler book, and sometimes turns his whole life into a puzzle. He comes bearing word games, explanations of anagrams being used to precipitate wars and were key evidence in trials, tips for writing with a quill, below-the-knee insults, and tales of living constitutionally.
Read moreAllusionist 62: In Crypt, Decrypt
Crossword-solving is often a solitary activity - over breakfast; on the train; on the loo... But a few times a year, crossword puzzle enthusiasts gather in their hundreds to compete to be the fastest, most accurate crossword-solver.
This episode comes to you from a church basement on the Upper East Side of New York City, wherein takes place America's second largest crossword puzzle tournament: Lollapuzzoola.
Read moreAllusionist 8: Crosswords
Cryptic crosswords: delightful brain exercise, or the infernal taunting of the incomprehensible?
Either way, crossword setter John Feetenby explains how they're made and how to solve them. He reveals how he composes clues (even one for 'Zaltzman'), why crosswords reign supreme over sudoku, and why 'jacuzzi' is rarely the answer.
ADDITIONAL READING:
If, like me, you suck at cryptic crosswords, to start off here's Cryptic Crosswords for Dummies.
I'll never be able to do The Guardian's crossword, but if that's the crossword mountain you want to climb, here's the Guardian's Cryptic Crosswords for Beginners series. I can do the Telegraph crossword a bit, so here's the Telegraph's guide too.
This is a very handy compendium of what words mean in crosswordese.
Here's a summary of the differences between UK and US crosswords.
I'm aware that crosswords from other countries work differently to British ones, so do illuminate me about your own local crossword practices.
RANDOMLY SELECTED WORD FROM THE DICTIONARY:
waterbrash
Say hi at facebook.com/allusionistshow and twitter.com/allusionistshow, and come back in a fortnight for the next episode.
- HZ
CREDITS
John Feetenby's crosswords appear every Sunday in one of Britain's major newspapers. He is @feexby on Twitter and his website is feexby.com, via which you can find his own podcasts.
This episode was presented and produced by me, Helen Zaltzman.
MUSIC:
'Allusionist Theme' - Martin Austwick
'I don't Get It' - Cowboy Junkies
'Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood' - The Animals