For Dummies puzzle books
Interviews
- Learn how to solve cryptic crosswords with Denise Sutherland, guest blog on the Booktopia blog (22 March 2021)
- "Dumb luck? No way. The billion-dollar smarts of the 'For Dummies' empire" Tim Elliott in The Good Weekend magazine (11 July 2020)
Solving Cryptic Crosswords For Dummies
This is the book on how to solve cryptic crosswords. It has a lots of background information, and training crosswords, each one focused on a particular clue device. There are also a bunch of cryptics at the back to try, and reference lists.
Publisher: Wiley Publishing Australia Pty Ltd
Published: 1 June 2012
New edition published: January 2020
Originally published (ISBN: 978-1-118-30525-6): June 2012
Cryptic Crossword Puzzles For Dummies
This book is a pocket-sized collection of additional cryptics to solve, with a few puzzle solving tips. It is a companion volume to Solving Cryptic Crosswords For Dummies.
Please note: this is not the book to get if you want to learn how to solve cryptic crosswords. Solving Cryptic Crosswords For Dummies (above) is the complete 'how to' guide.
Publisher: Wiley Publishing Australia Pty Ltd
ISBN: 978-0-730-38475-5
New edition published: January 2020
Originally published (as Cryptic Crosswords For Dummies, ISBN: 978-1-118-30521-8): June 2012
Cracking Codes and Cryptograms For Dummies
In this book you get to learn about the main encryption methods used in puzzles, and how to crack them. The bulk of the book is three stories (written by my co-author Mark Koltko-Rivera) set in different times of America’s history, and written as series of letters. They have been heavily encrypted, though! To read the stories, you have to crack the codes through the book. Quite a challenge!
Co-author: Mark Koltko-Rivera
Publisher: Wiley Publishing Inc.
ISBN: 978-0-470-59100-0
Published: 1 September 2009
Word Searches For Dummies
This book is out of print. You can sometimes find secondhand copies on Amazon.
While there is a bit of text about how to solve word searches, the benefits of solving them, and their history, this is basically a book of word searches. There are hundreds of puzzles, with a great variety. They range from simple word searches to challenging themed puzzles, and extremely difficult quizzes, anagrams, secret list puzzles and heaps more. There is even a whole chapter devoted to teaching you how to create your own word search puzzle, using pen and paper.
Publisher: Wiley Publishing Inc.
ISBN: 978-0-470-45366-7
Published: 13 April 2009
Out of print