7
$\begingroup$

A little while ago I started getting into cryptic crosswords (after several false starts over the years) and have started enjoying them and doing them on the regular.

I thought I would try creating one myself. Specifically one focussed on Software Integration so I could use it as a way of getting some colleagues interested in them as well. Then I thought I may as well share it here too, as who doesn't love a nerdy crossword!

Some disclaimers:

  • Knowledge tag because it is industry specific. If you have a background in computer science or software architecture you should be all good to go - and probably find it quite easy.
  • I'm not 100% sure every clue strictly conforms to the Cryptic Crossword structure. Would appreciate any feedback in this regard (and overall feedback in general).
  • The grid is not symetrical. That went into the too-hard-basket.

Solve the grid on Crossshare or print it out below and solve it over a nice cup of tea.

Integration Cryptic Crossword

# Across # Down
1 High level design is like a wild charcuterie with tea. (12) 2 Travel 100 pastures north, behold, a tidy architecture. (5)
8 Notification for the first lady of Northern Territories. (5) 3 Orientating another way to achieve system connectivity. (11)
10 Line up for message transport. (5) 4 Stop! Remove Steve's Top! I see; what a group of events! (5)
12 Sewer, you say? Initially some obscure application, then an architectural style. (1,1,1) 5 Ask about repeating an adventure. (7)
13 Ready made software for sleepy children. (1,1,1,1) 6 Sleepy API style found in pure stallion. (4)
14 Lesser vices include an integration application. (7) 7 Era of untidiness? Send some data! (7)
15 Kill your short mother with a bounded context! (6) 9 A hog chows down lane producing a fancy reverse proxy. (3,7)
17 A green vehicle connects public and private clouds. (6) 11 Openers messed up to mostly reply. (8)
19 Send the farm building onto the stage! 'Etty's loudly orchestrating containers. (10) 12 A small Holy man with 500 sheets of paper delivers notifications down a river. (6)
13 See I see; dee I say! Deployment automation is the way! (1,1,1,1)
16 Atop a charged atom, find a layered pattern which will make you cry. (5)
18 Interconnected services hidden in lame shop. (4)
Improve this question
$\endgroup$
5
  • 2
    $\begingroup$ Well done! I see some of the answers. Knowledge tag is definitely important. If no one puts together a solution I will when I have more spare time. $\endgroup$
    – LeppyR64
    Commented Mar 26 at 11:33
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ This is a fun puzzle (for me, a programmer). I'm 2/3 done. I'll keep going with it, and if nobody else does, I'll post a partial answer. One feedback is that many words don't link to many other words, so solving a clue doesn't gain you much for other clues. But not sure I could have done any better. $\endgroup$
    – pmacfarlane
    Commented Mar 26 at 23:46
  • $\begingroup$ Is the enumeration or the diagram incorrect for 9D? $\endgroup$
    – LeppyR64
    Commented Mar 27 at 14:39
  • $\begingroup$ @LeppyR64 It should be 3,7. $\endgroup$
    – pmacfarlane
    Commented Mar 27 at 18:58
  • $\begingroup$ Ah you are right - can't count apparently. I will update this! $\endgroup$
    – Johnson
    Commented Mar 27 at 22:50

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
4
$\begingroup$

Here is the completed grid. Thanks juicifer for getting the last one for me!

enter image description here

Clue explanations:

Across:

1. High level design is like a wild charcuterie with tea - anagram.
8. Notification for the first lady of Northern Territories. Eva Lawler is the Chief Minister of the Northern Territories in Australia. EVE + NT for Northern Territories.
10. Line up for message transport - not really cryptic but line up is a synonym of queue.
12. Sewer, you say? Initially some obscure application, then an architectural style - I guess SOA could be pronounced like SEWER?
13. Ready made software for sleepy children - COTS is an acronym for Custom Off The Shelf, i.e. ready made software. Kids sleep in cots.
14. Les ser vices include an integration application - answer contained in clue.
15. Kill your short mother with a bounded context! - To do someone in is to kill them. Ma is short for mother. DO + MA + IN.
17. A green vehicle connects public and private clouds - a hybrid vehicle is considered green.
19. Send the farm building onto the stage! 'Etty's loudly orchestrating containers - Not entirely sure, but bern sounds like barn, and Etty's could be written etes.

Down:

2. Travel 100 pastures north, behold, a tidy architecture - 100 is roman numerals for C, a LEA is a pasture, N for North.
3. Orientating another way to achieve system connectivity - not really cryptic, but integration could be a form of orientating.
4. Stop! Remove Steve's Top! I see; what a group of events! - Steve's top is S, remove that from Stop gives TOP, plus "I see" = IC.
5. Ask about repeating an adventure - Repeating RE adventure QUEST.
6. Sleepy API style found in pu re st allion. Answer contained in clue.
7. Era of untidiness? Send some data! - Untidiness = MESS, Era = AGE.
9. A hog chows down lane producing a fancy reverse proxy - A hog = A PIG, chows down = ATE, lane = WAY.
11. Openers messed up to mostly reply - anagram (mostly, we need an extra S).
12. A small Holy man with 500 sheets of paper delivers notifications down a river - holy man is "saint", shortened to ST, a REAM is 500 sheets of paper.
13. See I see; dee I say! Deployment automation is the way! See I see; dee = CICD. Continuous integration, continuous deployment.
16. Atop a charged atom, find a layered pattern which will make you cry - Atop = ON, charged atom = ION.
18. Interconnected services hidden in la me sh op - answer contained in clue.

Thanks for the fun puzzle!

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
5
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ Looking pretty good, only one which isn't quite right at this stage - 12 across. Probably a more niche one... $\endgroup$
    – Johnson
    Commented Mar 27 at 8:04
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ @Johnson I think I fixed 12a, and got two more clues. I'm only missing 4d now. $\endgroup$
    – pmacfarlane
    Commented Mar 27 at 18:55
  • 2
    $\begingroup$ @pmacfarlane I think 4d is rot13(FGBC - F + VP) $\endgroup$
    – juicifer
    Commented Mar 27 at 18:57
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ Congrats! Great work! You have the completed grid, and nailed most of the explanations. Just a couple of comments for some: 8a: (Gur svefg ynql vagrqrq jnf whfg gur Ovoyvpny Rir, jvgu Abegurea Greevgbevrf cebivqvat gur AG) 12a (Frjre - nf va fbzrbar jub frjf - sbe cebahapvngvba checbfrf.) 19a (Fraq gur snez ohvyqvat bagb gur fgntr = "Phr Onea". "Ybhqyl" pyhrf ubzbcubarf. Phr Onea 'Rgglf.) 3d (Bevragngvat vf na nantenz bs vagrtengvba - urapr "Bevragngvat nabgure jnl"). $\endgroup$
    – Johnson
    Commented Mar 27 at 23:51
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ @Johnson Thanks for the clarifications. Quite crazy that the first lady happens to have almost the same name as the Chief Minister. Really enjoyed your puzzle. $\endgroup$
    – pmacfarlane
    Commented Mar 28 at 0:25

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.