Crypts and cryptics

[dougo]

Recently I've been enjoying the "Expedition Egypt" series currently running on the Biography Channel (made in 2003). Today's episode was fascinating, all about KV5, a crypt in the Valley of the Kings. It was first explored in modern times by James Burton in 1825, then by Howard Carter in 1925, but neither thought it was anything special so it became buried in rubble from other digs nearby. Then in 1995 Kent Weeks discovered that it was much much larger than anyone had realized (over 120 rooms, when most other ancient Egyptian tombs have fewer than 10), and that it contained some of the 50+ sons of the great pharaoh Ramesses II. The Theban Mapping Project site has some maps that look a lot like D&D dungeons.

The current issue (November 2005) of Games World of Puzzles has an excellent (though fairly easy) cryptic crossword from the legendary and prolific Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon. I particularly enjoyed this clue:

Random monkeys write a newspaper (3,4,5)

(And I don't know if anyone noticed, but I came up with a cryptic clue of my own a couple months ago.)

Comments

[memegarden.livejournal.com]

I infected a bunch of my friends with the cryptic clue bug last year. I lost most of those I wrote when my Palm crashed, but I think I can still dredge up a few. Here's one:

Go back inside nomad's hut for fermented milk (6)

Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon are quite inhumanly astonishing. I am pleased to say that I have managed to complete two Atlantic cryptics of theirs in a row for the first time ever.

What was that one clue you wrote:
Albino rodent...head of b... in a million pieces?

[dougo.livejournal.com]

I don't remember the exact clue, but I think it would have been trillion, not million.

[memegarden.livejournal.com]

Upon checking my numbers, I see you are right.

[st-rev.livejournal.com]

I don't understand cryptic crosswords; the clues just seem too arbitrary.

[dougo.livejournal.com]

Not sure if you're being facetious, but Games-style cryptic clues are actually very formulaic. Wikipedia has a good explanation and solving guide.

[st-rev.livejournal.com]

I am not being facetious.

[pobig.livejournal.com]

Heh, nice one! The previous clue, I mean. I can't figure this one out (sob.)

[dougo.livejournal.com]

Rot13 hint: enaqbz zrnaf nantenz.

[jfb.livejournal.com]

I've been strenuously avoiding Games and its offspring, as I know how much time I can sink into them; thanks for providing a quick fix.