Question as above. I dont mean asking for the answer, but the explanation of the answer
Example - this clue.
Rush animal from behind
Answer: Reed
Eventually figured out both the meanings - but could I have asked here about this?
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Ok, now you've got me curious: what is the explanation for your example? (Does reed have meanings I don't know about?)– MarthaªCommented Dec 15, 2010 at 19:15
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2@Martha: "Rush" and "reed" can both refer to grass-like plants, and "reed" backwards is "deer".– Mitch SchwartzCommented Dec 15, 2010 at 21:12
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@Mitch Schwartz: thanks. That's painful, even for a crossword clue.– MarthaªCommented Dec 15, 2010 at 21:14
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@Martha: yes i had to google for the "Rush reed" bit - was totally unaware of that meaning– JoseKCommented Dec 16, 2010 at 4:56
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5@Martha: that depends what crossword tradition you’re used to. In standard US crosswords (i.e. NYT-style), yes, it would be odd. In cryptic crosswords (more popular in UK/Commonwealth; e.g. the Times or Guardian), that’s a pretty straightforward clue.– PLLCommented Dec 23, 2010 at 4:41
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@JoseK: the blog fifteensquared.net is an excellent source for cryptic crossword explanations — they give annotated solutions of several notable crosswords daily (the major UK newspapers, and several international ones, iirc).– PLLCommented Dec 23, 2010 at 4:44
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@PLL: thanks for the link, i got a couple of cryptic links to check now– JoseKCommented Dec 23, 2010 at 15:43
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1@Marthaª. I'm useless at cryptic crosswords, but thought this one was fairly easy. (Non-cryptic crosswords are pointless.)– TRiGCommented Nov 5, 2012 at 17:39
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1 Answer
I would say it is on-topic, it is some kind of single-word-requests, with sometimes a hint of etymology.