August 29 2010

The New Cryptic Alphabet

alphabet

Last week, over at the old Cassowary blog, we had one hell of a turbulent Brainstorm, dreaming up a new alphabet of crossword phrases that went to suggest a single letter each.

You know the kind, where petrol-head is P, or shock ending is K. At least, these are the more familiar types, often seen in cryptic clues. But the brilliance of the Brainstorm brigade conjured up 200 new versions.

We had movies: Braveheart (A), Rear Window (W) and End of Days (S).

We had rock groups: Radiohead ( R ), Living End (G), Van Halen (H) and Led Zeppelin (Z).

We had anarchic genius: startling (L), Family First (F) and violin bow (V). We even had the Pakistani batsman, Salman Butt for N. (Thanks Mr X).

But sticking to a single phrase per letter, I sifted the surge and chose these 26 creations, the inventor in question credited in brackets. Savour the collection, and watch out for any of these innovations cropping up in a cryptic near you. (PS – the overall winner is declared at the alphabet’s culmination.)

A – catgut (Mr X)

B – lead balloon (X again)

C – coalface (dg)

D – red caboose (Mauve)

E – fin-de-siecle (JD)

F – defending (PRS)

G – pig’s arse (dg)

H – middle of nowhere (DA – no real takers on the H-front)

I – frontignac (JD)

J – jump start (Mr X)

K – sharkfin (Mauve) – with dg’s backpack a close second

L – Nickelback (JD)

M – film trailer (via Mauve’s movie trailer – which I’m comm-ending!)

N – Glenn Close (Mr X)

O – apologist (Mr X) tied with PRS’s boundless joy, which gave me ditto

P – epicentre (SB)

Q – equal second (SB again)

R – rainbow (dg)

S – speed dial (dg again)

T – senseless treason (a dg threepeat!)

U – hubbub (Mr X)

V – lavender (dg)

W – Rear Window (JD)

X – soapbox (think about it – no BO – from dg)

Y – pussyfoot (Mr X)

Z – Led Zeppelin (Mr X, sustaining the spark of AS)

Phew – what an E (close finish)! Doing the grand tally, we have Mr X winning the day on 8 letters, dg on 7, with JD (4), Mauve (3), PRS and SB (both a bodacious brace) and the all-important spark of AS to get X over the line. A Storm to end all storms? Don’t you believe it. Next week, to launch the site, a new tempest is set to blow.

Comments

JD — 30 August at 01:25PM

Wow, I finally found this site - had to drop the 'au'.
Great storm result, except there's no 'q'
(first quarter less a useless queue maybe?)
And this script box is so narrow!

JD — 30 August at 01:40PM

Sorry, found Q,just had to open my eyes a little bit wider.

DA — 30 August at 03:22PM

Thanks JD - and welcome to the new site - a dot-com in utero.

Agree about the boxy post size. (Will see what I can do.) And I've also corrected the wonky Q.

dg — 30 August at 08:11PM

found it!

And DA, what was the 12-letter answer for 'copy'?

DA — 30 August at 09:59PM

I'm liking reproduction, so to speak. (I suspect Zoe the listener may have strayed with her cross-letters.)

Welcome across, by the way dg. And please bear with this new setup. It will take a little while to get the place fully humming. But hum it shall.

Simon L — 31 August at 10:32AM

Wow, like the new site DA.

Also, missed the storm, but enjoyed reading through the cryptic alphabet. I think it would make a fun replacement for the International Phoenetic Alphabet for radio transmissions.

Apologist Lavender Fin-De-Siecle Rainbow

DA — 31 August at 10:46AM

Welcome Simon Lima, glad you've crossed the cyber-divide. I will be letting people know in clearer terms with a banner post on Cassowary.