Sorry, this is not a guess.

Once the answers are given, I understand them, but until that moment I am left scratching my head. Would it be too much to ask that we at least categorize our clues? By that, I mean could we say if the answer is a person, place or thing? Or would that be making them too easy?


Would it be possible for a few easy ones so usnon-cryptic people can get the hang of it?

Thanks! Looking forward to figuring one of these out!

Reposting for this page:

Crafty actor goes back to earth tones.

HINT: person.

Barrow-Wight: be sure to read The Saucepan Man's excellent summary of the tricks of the trade for these puzzles, on page 1 of this thread.

B-W, I pondered Annun's clue for ages and got no further than the "-grim" bit, so being familiar with these types of clues doesn't always help with the really tricksy ones.

The trick is to work out which is the straight clue and which are the cryptic clues. Then you can test various answers for the straight clue and see how they work with the cryptic ones.

Turambar - Is the answer Mahal?

Actors can be "Hams" and "Ham" backwards gives "Mah". I've no idea how to get "-al" from earth tones, but Mahal, aka Aule, was a pretty crafty chap. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

You're very close, Saucepan. Your hammy reasoning is correct.

It's Fëanor's father-in-law, the smith Mahtan.

The beginning of the solution is Saucepan's inverted 'ham', but earth tones is tan.

So you want Mahtan, tan being an earth tone. If that's right, give it to Saucepan, since I never would have gotten the Mah, and won't be able to form a new clue anyway. [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img]

Edit: Ah, beaten to the answer by about three seconds.
[img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

[ July 30, 2003: Message edited by: Arestevana ]

Yep, that's it. http://forum.barrowdowns.com/ubb/icons/icon14.gif

"Crafty" probably wasn't the best "straight" clue -- I mis-remembered, and thought Mahtan was described as a craftsman rather than a smith -- but "The actor Mr. Smith" would have been too easy anyway.

Anyway, your turn, Squatter.

I like this game ! [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

So do I, Turambar, although I'm still kicking myself over Herugrim.

Anyway, here's a nice easy one as per the Barrow-Wight's request:

Fair city can include southern port

can = tin
includes a southern port = Rio [de Janeiro]

=> fair city Tirion

[ July 31, 2003: Message edited by: Sharkû ]

Spot on, Sharkû. Welcome to the game.

Eh, she fell asleep somewhere around that part a lot. Place.

Doriath?

Nope. 2 words, btw.

*wonders which part is the "straight" clue* [img]smilies/eek.gif[/img]

[ July 31, 2003: Message edited by: Turambar ]

It's Cabed Naeramarth, although I've only really solved the 'abed' part: a place to fall asleep. And of course 'naer' is an anagram of 'near'. Close enough?

Told you it was, silly. [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img]

EH plays on the stereotype of it being a typical CAnadian interjection.
A LOT should be read as 'a fate/doom' and is then, of course, AMARTH.

Niniel fell there to her eternal sleep, and earlier near there, when Túrin first met her again, fleeing from Glaurung.

[ August 03, 2003: Message edited by: Sharkû ]

Oh, come on: at least let me pretend that it wasn't a wild guess. Here's another to cover up my discomfort.

Perilous dwelling is empty point reached by five-hundred when ad confused.

Bar-en-danwedh?

WHEN AD is an anagram for ANWEDH, preceeded by the Roman numeral D for 500 = DANWEDH.

BAR-EN contains BARE, 'empty', and the whole House of Ransom proved a dangerous abode for Túrin & co.

You're right again, old man. The 'N' is the point (North). It was, I suppose, rather cheeky of me to use a question that's answered by my own location.

It's Sirannon, old boy.

One addresses a knight as Sir; 'a year' is Latin anno and 'nitrogen' is represented by its chemical symbol N.

The gate-stream of Khazad-Dûm had been dammed when it was reached by the Fellowship of the Ring, hence no water issued forth.

Perfect answer.

Ah, so much like the answerer.

Roman drove erratically, sighting diminutive hero

I hope nobody minds if I join in...

Are you talking about Roverandom?
I know it might be remotely related to M-E stuff, but Roman drove is an "erratic" version of Roverandom, and "random" itself means "erratic".

You're quite right, Kaiserin. Welcome to the game.

Okay... I guess it's my turn now. Here goes...

Seemed at first like a tall tale, so I fled
(Just doing as the guy said!)
Then was followed by a demon-in-red

I'm talking about a person. I guess this would be easy. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

Mithrandir?
A tall tale = Myth = Mith
Fled = Ran
Demon-in-red = D. I. R.

[ August 07, 2003: Message edited by: Arestevana ]

[img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img] Told you it was easy.
You got it!

Ah, but can I think up a new one? [img]smilies/eek.gif[/img]
Here goes:

Baby boys, otherwise we meet Mike without Kim.

Edit: Better, but probably too easy.

[ August 10, 2003: Message edited by: Arestevana ]

Elured and Elurin?

(Can't be right.)

Okay... I'm still wondering which one is the straight clue. Here's a shot:

Nino is a spanish word for "baby boy",
Or can mean "otherwise",
Mike without Kim is the letter E...

Is it Nienor?

[ August 13, 2003: Message edited by: Kaiserin ]

Hmm, you're probably right, but why baby boys (which would be ninos), I wonder? And using a foreign word without a clue that you're doing this is cryptic indeed. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

Oh, Kaiserin, so close! Nope, no foreign words, but the last two parts of your guess were correct. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] Okay, I should have said this at the beginning: the answer is a place. Good luck!

I think I've got it... Numenor!

I can't see where the 'e' is supposed to go, but Numen- pronouced like 'New men'- is where the baby boys part comes in, and then we've already addressed the 'or'.

Hope I got it!

Then it must be Númenorë. I found a place where it is spelled like that.

Right! Your turn.

Whew! [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] Thanks..

I'm sorry if this sounds like a riddle, and must therefore be in another thread.. but it's just cryptic, trust me!

That which matter
would go under
And for follower
that precedes after
Flowing over
the sad sepulchre

It's NOT a place... I'd like to tell you what category it falls under, but if I did, that would give it away. Have fun!

[ August 15, 2003: Message edited by: Kaiserin ]

[ August 15, 2003: Message edited by: Kaiserin ]

Two days and still no one? I'm surprised... And I'm sorry; I either came up with a clue that is too hard, or made one one that really sucks. [img]smilies/frown.gif[/img]

Anyway, I'll rephrase the same clue above, to make it simpler:

"For" follower that precedes "after"
And that which goes "over matter"
Flowing on a sepulchre

I't not a person or a place or an animal; it's more of an object but it's not really an object. This might make it a little too easy, but at least it will get the thread going.

Have fun! [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

[ August 18, 2003: Message edited by: Kaiserin ]

Evermind

Ever can follow 'for' to make 'forever' or precede 'after' to mean much the same thing; 'mind over matter' is a common phrase. The whole, a translation of simbelmynë, grows on the the graves of men.

[ August 18, 2003: Message edited by: The Squatter of Amon Rûdh ]

Excellent, Squatter!

I was also using the word "flowing" to refer to Evermind as a flow-er, or flower, but anyhow you're very right. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]