Pretty good help for beginners
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This book is written by the Guardian's Crossword Editor, who is not a crossword compiler, so sees things more from the solver's point of view. It's written in a more entertaining style than some 'how to solve' books, and has helpful guidance for beginners, both clue analysis and tips about solving techniques, and does well at showing that the knowledge you need is "wide but shallow". It slips up on one or two technicalities such as the meaning of "&lit" - as used in this book, this includes true &lits and another clue-type, normally called "cryptic definition". The text includes groups of practice clues, and at the end of the book there are 14 sample puzzles with a letters in the grid to start you off, and (equally important) explanations of the answers as well as the solutions.
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An excellent guide for beginners
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I think the other review is a little mean-spirited!
This is a very good book to get you started on how to solve the Guardian crossword; it explains things clearly and in nicely paced stages, ratcheting up the difficulty in such a way that you feel that you're making progress without getting left behind.
So, all in all, it does exactly what its sub-heading sets out to do!
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The starting grid....
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On hearing of this release, I was hoping for something that would delve into the very individual styles of 'the Guardian' crossword setters, and therefore give something for beginner and experienced solver alike.
I was hoping for a text that would tease out the idiosyncracies of (to use their pen names) Paul, Bunthorne, Auracaria et al., as the title "Secrets of the Setters" suggests. That it dosen't do this seems a shame and a missed opportunity. What it does do is deliver a good and clear beginners guide in a market already crowded with similar books.
However, this remains a good place to get started, or to get someone you know started.
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United Kingdom | 
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