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When crossword clues clash with the Guardian style guide When crossword clues clash with the Guardian style guide
(about 13 hours later)
There are few groups of readers more passionately committed to their patch of the Guardian than the devotees of the crosswords, both quick and cryptic. If the puzzles are just a few minutes late in going up on the paper’s website – normally around midnight every day – the puzzlers are swift to complain, increasingly from abroad, where the crosswords’ audience is growing.There are few groups of readers more passionately committed to their patch of the Guardian than the devotees of the crosswords, both quick and cryptic. If the puzzles are just a few minutes late in going up on the paper’s website – normally around midnight every day – the puzzlers are swift to complain, increasingly from abroad, where the crosswords’ audience is growing.
Any error will provoke a stream of emails and telephone calls to the readers’ editor’s office within hours of being spotted. People love to wrestle with the teasing, subtle language of the clues. However, sometimes readers find that language jars, especially when the setter’s clues rely on an aspect of physical or mental health.Any error will provoke a stream of emails and telephone calls to the readers’ editor’s office within hours of being spotted. People love to wrestle with the teasing, subtle language of the clues. However, sometimes readers find that language jars, especially when the setter’s clues rely on an aspect of physical or mental health.
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“I am writing to complain about the cryptic crossword (No 26,611) that was printed in the 30 June 2015 edition of the Guardian. It often seems to be the case that we are expected to accept lower standards in the crossword than in the rest of the newspaper when it comes to references to gender, disability, race, etc. I hope that it is the last remaining places where “stunners”, “nutters” and “cripples” are free to roam in the Guardian … However, the example in this morning’s crossword is particularly egregious:“I am writing to complain about the cryptic crossword (No 26,611) that was printed in the 30 June 2015 edition of the Guardian. It often seems to be the case that we are expected to accept lower standards in the crossword than in the rest of the newspaper when it comes to references to gender, disability, race, etc. I hope that it is the last remaining places where “stunners”, “nutters” and “cripples” are free to roam in the Guardian … However, the example in this morning’s crossword is particularly egregious:
Clue: That’s microcephalic? Grow up!Clue: That’s microcephalic? Grow up!
Solution: It’s not big and it’s not clever.Solution: It’s not big and it’s not clever.
“Have the crosswords in the Guardian been given an exempt from applying the editorial code or some leeway in its application? If so, why?”“Have the crosswords in the Guardian been given an exempt from applying the editorial code or some leeway in its application? If so, why?”
Here is another: “The Guardian seems to believe it’s OK to include a highly offensive term for a disabled person as an answer to the clue ‘Physically challenged person’s cold wavelet (7)’ in this week’s prize cryptic crossword (Saturday 13 December 2014). Perhaps you should be a bit more careful in future.”Here is another: “The Guardian seems to believe it’s OK to include a highly offensive term for a disabled person as an answer to the clue ‘Physically challenged person’s cold wavelet (7)’ in this week’s prize cryptic crossword (Saturday 13 December 2014). Perhaps you should be a bit more careful in future.”
The answer was cripple.The answer was cripple.
Another reader who saw a breach of the style guide in a cryptic crossword asked: “Surely the onus is to respect the organ’s style advice ie ‘mental’ is not an acceptable synonym for ‘crackers’.”Another reader who saw a breach of the style guide in a cryptic crossword asked: “Surely the onus is to respect the organ’s style advice ie ‘mental’ is not an acceptable synonym for ‘crackers’.”
There are 25 setters overseen by the crosswords editor of the Guardian, Hugh Stephenson. Some do both quicks and cryptics. Stephenson checks the clues and edits for taste and decency. Of course, the language used in the crosswords should be consistent with the Guardian’s style guide, which says the following: “Take care using language about mental health issues. In addition to such clearly offensive and unacceptable expressions as loony, maniac, nutter, psycho and schizo, terms to avoid – because they stereotype and stigmatise – such as schizophrenic and psychotic, should be used only in a medical context: for example, never use schizophrenic to mean ‘in two minds’.”There are 25 setters overseen by the crosswords editor of the Guardian, Hugh Stephenson. Some do both quicks and cryptics. Stephenson checks the clues and edits for taste and decency. Of course, the language used in the crosswords should be consistent with the Guardian’s style guide, which says the following: “Take care using language about mental health issues. In addition to such clearly offensive and unacceptable expressions as loony, maniac, nutter, psycho and schizo, terms to avoid – because they stereotype and stigmatise – such as schizophrenic and psychotic, should be used only in a medical context: for example, never use schizophrenic to mean ‘in two minds’.”
The first clue relating to the cryptic crossword of 30 June was clearly an error. “I am afraid I missed it but I certainly would have edited it if I had spotted it,” said Stephenson.The first clue relating to the cryptic crossword of 30 June was clearly an error. “I am afraid I missed it but I certainly would have edited it if I had spotted it,” said Stephenson.
The second and third complainants are right to say that we shouldn’t be using crackers to mean mentally ill or cripple to describe a disabled person in crossword clues, but some complaints about the use of language reveal a clash between the Guardian’s style guide and cryptic crossword convention. Setters sometimes use words such as nuts, bananas, crackers and cripple to signal that the clue involves an anagram. These words suggest something mixed up, therefore the answer is likely to be an anagram.The second and third complainants are right to say that we shouldn’t be using crackers to mean mentally ill or cripple to describe a disabled person in crossword clues, but some complaints about the use of language reveal a clash between the Guardian’s style guide and cryptic crossword convention. Setters sometimes use words such as nuts, bananas, crackers and cripple to signal that the clue involves an anagram. These words suggest something mixed up, therefore the answer is likely to be an anagram.
I don’t think it’s fair to suggest that the crossword setters rely on “lower standards”, as one reader did. The standard of setting is very high. Araucaria, the pseudonym of the late John Graham, was the doyen of Fleet Street setters and revered by his fans – but his fellow setters also have loyal followings.I don’t think it’s fair to suggest that the crossword setters rely on “lower standards”, as one reader did. The standard of setting is very high. Araucaria, the pseudonym of the late John Graham, was the doyen of Fleet Street setters and revered by his fans – but his fellow setters also have loyal followings.
Readers love the Guardian crossword – 2,500 compete to win the weekly prize crossword on average and every newspaper executive knows that, whatever redesign he or she is contemplating, “don’t mess with the position of the crossword” should be a watchword. (Mind you, that’s not always remembered.) Readers love the Guardian crossword – 2,500 compete to win the weekly prize crossword on average and every newspaper executive knows that, whatever redesign he or she is contemplating, “don’t mess with the position of the crossword” should be a watchword. (Mind you, that’s not always remembered.)
There is no reason why some of those anagram signifiers can’t be used in ways other than in relation to mental or physical health; ships can be crippled in a storm, for instance. But it’s not unreasonable for readers to expect the Guardian to abide by our own style guide rules. There is no reason why some of those anagram signifiers can’t be used in ways other than in relation to mental or physical health; ships can be crippled in a storm, for instance. But it’s not unreasonable for readers to expect the Guardian to abide by our own style guide rules.