Cryptic Crosswords from The Nation [Paperback]

Frank Lewis (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 25, 2006

Though known for its fierce polemics and contrarian political voices, one of the most abiding and popular features of The Nation magazine — and something Republicans would consider subscribing to the magazine for — are Frank Lewis' weekly crossword puzzles which have appeared in the magazine since 1947. This new collection of Lewis' work — the first in over a decade — will delight Lewis fans and crossword puzzlers alike with his trademark cryptic, punning and anigram-atic style.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Frank W. Lewis has constructed cryptic crosswords as a hobby for The Nation since 1947. Although trained as a musician (with a Master of Music degree) possessing some talent as a conductor, particularly for choral groups, Mr. Lewis worked for thirty years as a cryptanalyst for the War Department and the National Security Agency. Much of his work is still classified. He and his wife retired to the Caribbean in 1969 but had to relocate to Massachusetts after the Montserrat volcano blew. They have five children.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Nation Books (April 25, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1560258721
• ISBN-13: 978-1560258728
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #351,137 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great cryptics for Americans, March 16, 2007

By 

katydid (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Cryptic Crosswords from The Nation (Paperback)

I am fairly new to cryptics, but have really enjoyed this book. There is a real sense of humor in many of the clues, and most are fairly to very clever. Sometimes downright devious - in a good way. I find the British cryptics too obscure because of cultural differences, and I love the fact that this book is more accessible to Americans. There are many challenging clues, it wouldn't be an interesting collection if there were not, but I do not think most experienced cryptic fans would find it so difficult that they cannot eventually solve the puzzles. I have the benefit of a British spouse experienced with cryptics who can help me. Those who are starting out, and don't have that kind of help available, might want to invest in a guide which explains cryptics before tackling this book. Others will most likely find it the right blend of challenging and accessible.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Different and Harder than Other Cryptic Crosswords, July 6, 2007

By 

K. Yuen (New York) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Cryptic Crosswords from The Nation (Paperback)

First off, the format is horrible. The book is not spiral-bound, but the binding is too tight to keep open easily. The clues are below and to the right of the puzzle grid, so as a right-hander, my hand is always blocking the clues. There are no explanations to the clues in the back, just answer grids, which some may find bothersome.

If you've never done a cryptic crossword puzzle before, start someplace else--101 Cryptic Crosswords: From the New Yorker is excellent.

Frank Lewis apparently has been making cryptic crosswords since the late 1940s. He doesn't play by standard cryptic crossword rules. (Maybe they were developed afterwards?) You aren't guaranteed two "definitions" in a clue (there may be one or three), and there may be no straight definition anywhere in the clue. In addition, he often combines multiple words in the grid together and gives one clue. (e.g. NEO in one place and GOTHIC in another, and one clue that produces NEOGOTHIC). In essence, you have to obtain a lot more long answers than short answers, which, for me, makes the puzzles harder to solve.

The clues are very fun and playful, but I find the puzzles much more difficult than normal cryptics, because of the abnormal clue format.

11 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Try before you buy, June 27, 2007

By 

Christopher Grant (Salem, UT USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Cryptic Crosswords from The Nation (Paperback)

I would encourage cryptic fans unfamiliar with Lewis's puzzles to find a copy of the Nation and try out its puzzle before buying this book. Those used to the clues of puzzle writers like Henry Hook, Fraser Simpson, Emily Cox, Henry Rathvon, and Richard Maltby, Jr., will find Lewis's clues substantially different. Lewis's clues are long and rambling and contain a lot of stuff that is neither part of the definition nor part of the word-play. I suppose that some people might find the extra challenge of sorting the wheat from the chaff enjoyable, but I suspect that many (like me) won't.