“Charles Dickens Novels”
Dickens serialised his novels, which were so popular that the illiterate would pay a halfpenny each month for someone to read them the next episode.
First Question
Hint
Answer
Snuff the candle out: pick the wick
records: “papers”
Pickwick Papers
Second Question
Hint
Answer
Shortly “onions”: “o”
“liver”
unexpected finale: “twist”
Oliver Twist
Third Question
Hint
Answer
It sounds as though the need to grate is expected:
Great Expectations
Fourth Question
Hint
Answer
“A”
story: “tale”
about: “of”
sofas: settees
A tale of settees?
“Two”
“sit” with “ease” we hear:
“cit” with “ies”
A Tale of Two Cities
Fifth Question
Hint
Answer
Inquisitiveness: “curiosity”
“the old”
mashed hops:
anagram of “hops”: “shop”
“curiosity” with “the old” and “shop” about:
The Old Curiosity Shop
Twitter and Facebook Question
Hint
Answer
Possible description: “Hard”
broadsheet cryptic crossword: “Times”
Hard Times
Click abbreviations to decode words in the clues. Use Deciphering to help you break them open. Try Helpful Resources to look for possible answers.
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Abbreviations
Chemical elements: All possible, Carbon: C, Copper: Cu, Gold: Au, Hydrogen: H, Iron: Fe, Nitrogen: N, Oxygen: O, Silver: Ag, Sulphur: S
Chess: King: K, Queen: Q, Bishop:B, Knight: N, Rook: R
Countries: Australia: Aus, England: Eng, France: Fr, Germany: Ger, Great Britain: GB, Northern Ireland: NI, New Zealand: NZ, Russia: Rus, Scotland: Sco, South Africa: SA, Spain: Esp, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: UK, United States of America: USA/US
Cricket Score Card: bowled: b, caught: c or ct, stumped: st.
Direction: east: E, left: L, north: N, right: R, south: S, west: W
Jobs: Salesperson/man/woman: Rep
Military: Royal Artillary: RA, Royal Engineers: RE
Miscellaneous: Hospital: H
Money: penny: d/p, pound: l, shilling: s
Music notation: loud: f, notes: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, quiet: p, very loud: ff, very quiet: pp
Musical notes: doh, ray, me, fa/fah, so, la/lah, te
Names: First/Christian Names can be abbreviated to the first letter. Common alternatives are also used: Catherine/Katherine: Cath, Cathy, Kat, Kate, Katy, … Charles: Charlie, Chaz, Chuck, … Elizabeth: Liz, Lizzy, Beth, Betty, Eliza, … Henry: Harry, Hal, …
Numbers: billion/thousand-million: giga/G, billionth: nano/n, hundredth: centi/c, million: mega/M, tenth: deci/d, thousand: kilo/k, thousandth: milli/m, trillion/million-million: tera/T
Police: Detective Inspector: DI, Detective Sargent: DS, Policeman/Copper/Plod: PC
Popular Culture: Compact Disk: CD, Extended Play record: EP, fashionable: U, laugh out loud: lol, Long Play record: LP, unfashionable: non-U
Position/Grade: First/1st/I/A, Second/2nd/II/B, Third/3rd/III/C, Fourth/4th/IV/D, Fifth/5th/V/E, Sixth/6th/VI/F/Fail
Road Names: Avenue: Av, Close: Cl, Court: Ct, Crescent: Cr, Drive: Dr, Road: Rd, Street: St
Roman Numerals: one: I, five: V, ten: X, fifty: L, one hundred: C, five hundred: D, one thousand: M,
Scientific: acceleration: a, Amps: A, Centigrade: C, electricity: AC (Alternating Current), DC (Direct Current), Energy: E, Fahrenheit: F, hour: h/hr, mass: m, minute: m/min, Newtons (Force): N, Speed of Light: c, second: s/sec, speed/velocity: v, time/temperature: t, Tesla: T, Volts: V, Watts: W
Ships: Steam Ship: SS, Her/His Majesty’s Ship: HMS
Sport: Professional: Pro
Subjects: Art/s: A, Biology: Bio, Chemistry: Chem, Engineering: Eng, Philosophy: Phil, Science: Sc
Text: circa : c, editor: ed, information: i/info, in charge: ic, plural: pl, reference/referee: ref, refers to/with reference to: re, slang: sl, spelling: sp, very: v,
Titles: Bachelor: B, Doctor: Dr/DPhil/PhD, Knight: Sir, Master: M, Missis/Missus/Mistress: Mrs, Mister: Mr, Professor: Prof, Saint: St
Vehicle Licence Plate Country Codes: France: F, Germany: D, Italy: I, Switzerland: Ch, UK: GB
Weights and Measures: gram: g, metre: m, pound: lb, stone: st, ton/tonne: t