Leading North American cryptic crossword setters Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon (collectively known as Hex) recently retired, just about the time that I became more interested in cryptics. Cryptics are popular in Britain, so many of the more challenging puzzles on line are made more challenging by the presence of British references.

I have been working my way through some of Hex’s older puzzles published in Canada’s National Post. The puzzles are not available through the Post website, but can be found here.

A New York Times cryptic from a year ago tripped me up with the clue Obscure quote spreading around on Democrat. I already had the following letters from cross-words:

R _ C _ _ _ _ _E

I assumed the word to be RECHERCHE and I assumed the clue was some how related to HRC – Hilary Rodham Clinton. Turns out that the answer was RECONDITE, providing a lovely pair of nine-letter synonms sharing their first, third, and final letters.

The official explanation from The Times offers:

This solution is also an unusual word, with a difficult container clue. “Obscure quote spreading around on Democrat” solves to RECONDITE, which means “dealing with abstruse or difficult subjects.” To solve, wrap a word for “quote” — RECITE — around OND, or “on Democrat.”

My first thought had been that the Democrat was Gary CONDIT.