iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

CrypticBlah @crypticblah.bsky.social · 1h

If in doubt leave them out, mentally adding a comma to parse is one thing, removing one that disrupts the cryptic grammar is quite another.

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CrypticBlah @crypticblah.bsky.social · 2h

Gah fecking autocorrupt *importance.

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CrypticBlah @crypticblah.bsky.social · 2h

Ha I saw it this morning, got nowhere and forgot about it, Saw this, looked again and solved instantly. Still not wild about the definition though. It all comes down to trust again.

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CrypticBlah @crypticblah.bsky.social · 2h

Another diversion but where do you stand on nounal grinds? I think we probably agree on prawn cocktail but what if a noun phrase has an adjunct that could work as a grind? Would you accept say "chaos theory" as being *THEORY?

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CrypticBlah @crypticblah.bsky.social · 3h

I am so grateful that I was taught Latin at school, it made learning French and German so much easier. English (language) lessons by comparison were a complete waste of time.

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CrypticBlah @crypticblah.bsky.social · 3h

Yes, I would say coffee would be an adjunct noun in the phrase coffee cup. It qualifies or limits the noun cup (N.B that's not the same as modifies). Completely aside I quite like the way French distinguishes between verre de vin (glass of wine) and verre à vin (wine glass). Also what Widders said.

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CrypticBlah @crypticblah.bsky.social · 3h

Ha, that reminds me of the important of commas too. Would you help your Uncle Jack off a horse?

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CrypticBlah @crypticblah.bsky.social · 14h

I wondered that myself but then again how likely is it that someone interested enough in word puzzles to do the online MC wouldn't also have played Wordle?

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CrypticBlah @crypticblah.bsky.social · 23h

I would have said out of bounds is a noun phrase? It could apply 'adjectivally' as an adjunct noun phrase without the hyphens. I would expect some dictionaries would class it as either an adjective or adverb too.

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CrypticBlah @crypticblah.bsky.social · 23h

Wrt to gegs and co I should perhaps have said infamy.

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CrypticBlah @crypticblah.bsky.social · 23h

It certainly gave the solver all they needed to actually solve. It also passes the once you've solved you absolutely know you're right test. I think my final verdict is - it works, it's fun, it's cute, please don't do it again. It may very well end up with similar fame to gegs and HIJKLMNO

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CrypticBlah @crypticblah.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Very inventive. I wouldn't approve of using "Wordle" as a grind without the full context of the clue though, so it's a one-off that can never be repeated.

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Reposted by CrypticBlah

Ludwig Wittgenstein @randomwittgenstein.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

It throws light on our concept of meaning something.

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CrypticBlah @crypticblah.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Interesting that they've classified it as hard. Good? Yes. Hard? No!

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CrypticBlah @crypticblah.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Discarded is very sneaky - well done. Might I suggest a QM on the clue, or perhaps add a link "Snake in a discarded space? (3)"

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CrypticBlah @crypticblah.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

"but he is making progress?" As a def perhaps?

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CrypticBlah @crypticblah.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Northern arse who's running a country (5) #cryptic #crossword #clue coffeecryptics.com/s/:l6GlZt9ng...

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CrypticBlah @crypticblah.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Oh yes you are, you wouldn't give up on us.

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CrypticBlah @crypticblah.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Daily specials include Chameleon!

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CrypticBlah @crypticblah.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Long dead before that I believe, but then again that would depend on your understanding of 'dead'.

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CrypticBlah @crypticblah.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

I've been waiting for this one.

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CrypticBlah @crypticblah.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Agreed. I think you would also enjoy and appreciate de Montaigne's works. Even Nietsche found something positive to say about his writing.

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CrypticBlah @crypticblah.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Northern arse who's running a country (5) #cryptic #crossword #clue coffeecryptics.com/s/:l6GlZt9ng...

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Reposted by CrypticBlah

John Henderson @enigmatistelgar.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Did you know that @the-independent.com is planning to shelve its cryptic crossword at the end of October? Get involved, by contacting the Indy directly, by retweeting this post and/or by commenting at fifteensquared.net/2026/09/21/i.... Save the Indy #crossword!!

fifteensquared.net

Independent Cryptic Crossword – the future – Fifteensquared

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CrypticBlah @crypticblah.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Trolleyed, pissed and full would maybe fit the bill, and if you're not fussed about dictionary support then wellied.

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CrypticBlah @crypticblah.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Don't think I've seen that before, nice one.

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CrypticBlah @crypticblah.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Or mute to prevent the tinnitus starting?

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Ludwig Wittgenstein @randomwittgenstein.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

'But if the concept 'game' is uncircumscribed like that, you don't really know what you mean by a 'game'.'——When I give the description: 'The ground was quite covered with plants'—do you want to say I don't know what I am talking about until I can give a definition of a plant?

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CrypticBlah @crypticblah.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Tee hee hee it wasn't my slide rule it was my sister's.

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Brian O @proudcanadaveteran.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

bsky.app/profile/prou...

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merr-itt came from outer space @merrittk.com · 08/09/2026

i dont know how to get this through to the true believers but i simply do not want to ask a machine to do my work for me. i dont want it to communicate with other people for me. i dont want it to plan my vacations or make my agendas or anything because all of that IS my life

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CrypticBlah @crypticblah.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Yeah that was my thought too. The 'a' makes it a nounal grind.

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CrypticBlah @crypticblah.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Date yourself with a picture of your first computer: Nobody specifed electronic.

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CrypticBlah @crypticblah.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Not even in trinary no! In all seriousness one per puzzle is enough, it's such an obvious indicator (which it needs to be to be fair) that unless a puzzle is themed around the concept, more than one is overkill.

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CrypticBlah @crypticblah.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Yes, and that includes in binary too!

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tpg @tpgrammar.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Cryptic crossword fans, welcome @cogsturn.bsky.social to Bluesky 🧩

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CrypticBlah @crypticblah.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

No idea but blocked and reported as requested. Nearly blocked you by mistake at first though. 🤦

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CrypticBlah @crypticblah.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Ten or thereabouts on the scale.

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