This crossword dictionary is for solvers and lovers of crosswords of all kinds. Compiled from Chambers' extensive wordlists and databases, this book includes over 290,000 words arranged into over 15,000 'one-stop' entries combining lexical synonyms and reference lists. Thousands of reference lists cover a wide range of the proper names, place names and miscellaneous items that may occur in crossword solutions. Also covered are cryptic crosswords, anagram indicators, and understanding clues. Special features: Over 290,000 words, over 290,000 solutions. Compiled from Chambers' extensive wordlists and databases, and with advice from a team of top crossword setters and solvers. Unique 'one-stop' entries combine sections for lexical synonyms and for reference wordlists. All wordlists are arranged alphabetically and by word length to make finding solutions easier. Over 15,000 reference words covering a wide range of the people and places whose names may occur in crossword solutions. Useful introduction covers how cryptic crossword setters compile crossword puzzles, and a summary of key words used in clues, including words which indicate that the solution is an anagram of one or more words in the clue.
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Editorial Reviews
About the Author
Lynda Durrant is the author of three previous historical novels for Clarion. She lives with her family in Bath, Ohio.
Catherine Schwartz is a contributor for the following Chambers Harrap Publishers Title: The Chambers Crossword Dictionary
Catherine Schwartz is a contributor for the following Chambers Harrap Publishers Title: The Chambers Crossword Dictionary
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17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An eminent aid for crossword solvers and stters,
This review is from: The Chambers Crossword Dictionary (Hardcover)
The Chambers Crossword Dictionary certainly is a fine book, a solid hard-back the same height as the familiar dictionary but only 800 pages long. It promises 290,000 solutions for cryptic and quick crosswords and will, I am sure, be popular and a safe Christmas present for any crossword fan.This is a thesaurus with 15,000 definitions as headwords. Each of the entries in the dictionary leads to a list of words with of similar meanings sorted alphabetically by length. For example looking for a horse of seven letters, I quickly picked out bronco, centaur, charger, hackney and mustang. However,this work also has extensive reference lists and I went on to the list of horse and pony breeds and discovered Comtois, Criollo, Finnish, Furioso,Hackney, Hispano, Jutland, Masuren etc. It is the reference listings that are the strong point of this book; for example the entry for city is followed by a section on ancient cities, capital cities and almost four pages of towns and cities. This is the place to find the names of famous people, kings, criminals, authors, actors, astronauts - they are all listed. Moreover because all of the entries are listed according to their length it is easy to find the correct answer. Project consultants for the Chambers Crossword Dictionary were Don Manley and Jonathan Crowther and short essays by both are included in the introduction. Azed writes lucidly on the art of the crossword setter and gives an interesting insight into his methods. One comment which bemused me was that he used Chambers Words to search for words of a suitable length to fit his puzzles. I too have a copy that I bought 20 years ago. I have tried to buy one recently to replace my tattered paperback but to no avail. Don has written a superb and individualistic piece on Crossword English, explaining how to read a crossword clue. He lists 20 clues and explains each one. This essay would make an excellent introduction to the cryptic clue for a beginner to the art. There is also a section on anagram indicators. The Chambers Crossword Dictionary is a lovely book and would be a great help in solving cryptics such as one finds in The Times and would make definition-only puzzles a piece of cake. Its reference sections, garnered from other Chambers databases such as their Book of Facts, will certainly be a help for me, if only to check the name of a protein or a physicist.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Ideal Book,
By dunseith07 (Los Angeles Ca. USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Chambers Crossword Dictionary (Hardcover)
First rate book for solving English Crosswords, not sure if it is as applicable to US Crossword solving but great for The Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph!
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
The Chambers Crossword Dictionary,
By
This review is from: The Chambers Crossword Dictionary (Hardcover)
I was very disappointed. As I use the Chambers Dictionary a lot I expected more from this book. It is just a thesaurus and not a very good one at that.
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Inside This Book
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Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs):
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regnal numerals, part ofthe solution, stick your oar, flip your lid, put your oar, brass neck Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Sir John, Sir William, Sir Richard, Sir Henry, Don Juan, Sir Edward, Sir Francis, Sir George, Sir Peter, Letter of Paul, Sir Charles, Sir James, Sir Robert, Sir David, Sir Arthur, William Henry, Sir Isaac, Giovanni Battista, Sir Norman, Sir Bernard, John Philip, John Henry, Leonardo da Vinci, Stephen Jay, Sir Alexander Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Front Flap | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Flap | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
regnal numerals, part ofthe solution, stick your oar, flip your lid, put your oar, brass neck Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Sir John, Sir William, Sir Richard, Sir Henry, Don Juan, Sir Edward, Sir Francis, Sir George, Sir Peter, Letter of Paul, Sir Charles, Sir James, Sir Robert, Sir David, Sir Arthur, William Henry, Sir Isaac, Giovanni Battista, Sir Norman, Sir Bernard, John Philip, John Henry, Leonardo da Vinci, Stephen Jay, Sir Alexander Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Front Flap | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Flap | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
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