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4 comments about Cranium-Crushing Crosswords.

1. OK, I knocked off all CCCs. Whew. The quickest one was 20-30 minutes, the toughest was 2-3 hours, but as you all know, the time measurements are very subjective depending on how long one keeps ones attention on the puzzle and how many (and long) breaks one takes.

   There appears to be no apparent major progression of difficulty. None were MOAHs (Mothers of All Habaneros) by the Cru's (NYT Crossword Forum people) standards.

   Trip Payne said this was the very best puzzle book he has ever worked. I would very much have to agree with him, but would add the adjective "challenging" to book. Probably the most entertaining books were Merl Reagle's books.

   All in all I would say that these puzzles are all in the difficulty level of the upper third of Saturday NYT's.

   But that is not the big thing about this book.

   The BIG thing is the phenomenal cluing the likes of which I have rarely seen. EVERY puzzle chock full of mind bending misleads and jolts of the cerebral electrodes. But you do not get mad because every puzzle is doable, and after you look at the finished grid you say, "HEY, I know all these common words and phrases." But when you look at the clue list BEFORE solving the puzzle you go into instant puzzle-shock and say "DUH!".

   If you appreciate Barry Haldiman's Cru habaneros as regular NYT Crossword Forum Tuesday fare, you MUST buy this book. Period!

   Popeye




2. Am almost through with this book, and am dreading withdrawal symptoms, because I don't see any more in this series for sale yet. Frank, get cracking! We need at least one a day for mental health reasons.

   What makes these puzzles so much fun is that there are very few definitive answers, so you have to fill it in a little at a time at first, regardless of how good you are. But they all fall in place in time. It must be that Frank's sense of humor and mine are pretty close, because a fair number of my longshot answers have actually paid off.

   If only the late-week NY Times puzzles hold your interest anymore, get this book now! But solve them slowly until a continued supply is assured.




3. I'm a reasonably good crossworder; I'm no Jon Delfin but I do the Saturday NYT in 30 minutes or less most of the time. Yet, the first puzzle in this diabolical book took me 45 minutes and the next one took over 60!
   
   The difficulty is not achieved in the old Maleska manner, by using ridiculous obscure words, but rather by incredibly clever clue writing, the likes of which is rarely seen but which you owe it to yourself to experience and enjoy. Very tough puzzles, yet eminently solvable with time and patience, and very rewarding in the end.
   
   I have a huge collection of crossword books and this has got to be one of the very best. Containing 72 puzzles which represents hours of entertainment, the book is a wonderful value.



4. have done other Frank Longo puzzles thru newpapers but this one was the
   ultimate in the degree of difficulty and therefore impossible to enjoy.
   What a disapointment!!!!

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