Hooked on Cryptograms Spiral-bound – 2 Nov. 2010

Well and clearly printed, I like the spiral binding. A good, wide selection. Very addictive and frequently very funny. The only slight downside for English users is that it is American and this has to be born in mind, as some words can be difficult to get because of the language difference. For example: I knew what the IRS was, but not the NRA, and what on earth is NyQuil? That is why I have given it only 4 stars, otherwise it would merit 6!

Great cryptic puzzles, perfect book not too big and plenty of room to write letters above each puzzle

I've been solving sudoku for a few years, and then I bumped into cryptograms while hunting for sudoku books at my local bookstore. I decided to see if there were any more books with cryptograms and found this on Amazon and decided to order it - and I really can't set it down once I've picked it up. The fact that it's spiral bound helps a lot. It's really nice to be able to keep the book open so you can start where you left off the last time.

I'm nearly half-way through already. The puzzles are refreshingly new to anyone who has previously relied on newspaper versions. Level of challenge varies enough for advanced players. When some of them have proven too difficult for me, there were (thankfully) clues offered at the back of the book and ultimately the whole puzzle solution, if need be, also at the back of the book. The quality of the paper is super -- erasures without shredding the page. I will be purchasing these Hooked on Cryptogram editions again.

Cannot recall if this was large or small print. It doesn't make any difference because I really enjoyed doing the puzzles. Sometimes you get a few mistakes in the printed words that you are trying to solve, but I find that you can get those mistakes in any type of puzzle book. It only makes you mind work overtime. (it's a puzzle..right?? ). I just recently got a new batch of puzzle books from Amazon...should keep me busy during the winter months that are just around the corner.

I guess I misunderstood what Cryptograms were. These are too difficult for a novice. I bought them for my plane ride but ended up just reading as these were beyond my skill level. I may tackle them again after I have some experience with cryptograms.

Love it!!

Good

I enjoy this book

My dad loves it. Thanks

great fun and a wonderful gift for puzzel people

Super awesome.

I just finished all 360 cryptograms in this book. Since this book has high quality paper and is so well constructed I was able to complete all puzzles in ink while sitting in bed before sleep. Being spiral bound, the book folds back easily without tearing the pages or making a clicking sound so common with books with puzzles printed right up next to the spinal margin. This book is small but packs many hours of puzzle solving pleasure with the additional bonus of 2 hints for each cryptogram if needed. The quotes are fun and sometimes very challenging. I highly recommend this book and continue to look for more spiral bound puzzle books of this nature.

I've done 15 puzzles in this book and am very disappointed. The spiral binding does not fold flat, but that is a minor complaint. The content is just not that good. Too many unattributed, nonsensical quotes already in these early pages that are not the least bit amusing or thought provoking. "Try doing the New York Times crossword puzzle using pieces of magnetic poetry." What?? I'm about to toss this book or cut out the pages I've completed and donate it to my local library for their used book sales. I won't buy another from this author.

Some time ago I bought "Hooked on Crytograms" by Henry Hook. I keep it in the car for road trips. Then later I bought "Large Print Cryptograms #2" by Henry Hook, Shawn Kennedy, and Helen & David Nash. I soon discovered that the exact same puzzles appeared in both books, so I spent all that money to buy exactly what I already had except the book has a different title and cover. Big ripoff. They should have advertised this book as having the same content as the other book. I gave this one a 1 star because not only does it have the same content, but the section for clues is awkward to use and your 'writing space' in solving the puzzles is small and letters too close together.

On the plus side, I found no typos or other errors. The paper in the book is smooth and sturdy, and the spacing between lines is adequate. What I find lacking is consistency in the quality of the quotes. Some are clever, which makes solving fun. But the author made the mistake of writing many of his own quotations, and let me tell you, he's no Oscar Wilde. I'd like the book much better if he'd left himself out of it. After working hard to find a solution to a puzzle, it's a drag when the answer that emerges is mediocre. Like this: "A new age store in my neighborhood had a display in the window labeled "essential oils." I looked them over and decided, "No, they're not—I can do without them."" Perhaps he thinks that's witty. I find it disappointing and contrived.

I bought this book to bide my time when travelling, mostly waiting at the airport and on the plane.Pluses:1) Good quality paper so you don't see through.2) Font size is good and there is sufficient room between lines to write solutions.3) In the back, there is a separate first hint page and second hint page.4) The spiral binding makes it somewhat easier to fold back the pages (see hack below to make it even better). Also, the spiral binding is a good place to store your pen.Minuses:1) Some of the quotes aren't that interesting or funny, but solving the puzzle is my primary goal.2) As many other reviewers noted, the edge cover prevents the book from folding all the way around. I think they have that edge cover so people can see the title when it's on the shelf in a bookstore. Anyway, there are 2 solutions to this. The quickest way is just to remove the front/back cover, but then it wouldn't look as nice. What I did was get a pair of thin scissors and cut along the fold line inside the spiral ring, first from the top down, then from the bottom up. The middle part might be a bit tricky if the scissors are too short. Make sure not to cut/tear the cover front/back holes that hold the cover on. Once you cut all the way along the crease edge, then do the other side. Now you can fully remove the edge cover and the book will now fold around easily.Here's another nice hack: Get a sticky note for each of the hint pages and cover up the first section of hints. When you want a hint, move the sticky note down just enough to see the clue for the puzzle you're working on. This way, you don't accidentally see the next clue if you don't want to.

I usually work the cryptograms in a puzzle book, this is the first time I've had a book of nothing but cryptograms. I really enjoyed this book. Most of the cryptos are a funny quote or witty saying, It's a great blend of old comedians (Henny Youngman) and new comedians (Stephen Colbert). The sayings are relatable - many of the cryptograms in other puzzle books seem irrelevant or lame. I won't call them easy, but they were doable. There were only a handful where I had to look at a hint to get started. I highly recommend this book!