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Bilbo1967 · 09-20-2011, 06:36 AM

OK - Cryptic Crosswords 101:

A cryptic clue will point to a well known phrase or saying in a roundabout way. There are a number of variants, but these are the ones I can think of;

Anagrams
There will typically be a word in the clue that indicates that it is an anagram. In the example above it is "Confusing", but others I have seen include "twisting", "mixing", "rearranging" etc... Another example would be "Remote twisting for a celestial object (6)" - answer is "meteor" - an anagram of "remote".

Double Definitions
These are ones where two definitions are given in a clue that both lead to the same word. e.g. "Honestly, ajar (4)" - answer is "open", which means both "honestly" and "ajar".

Straight Cryptic Clues
These are ones where it is just a straightforward reading of the clue in a slightly lateral way. My favourite example (again) is "Weapon that quickens the pulse (10)" - you immediately tend to think of heartbeat, but the answer, "peashooter", can only be derived once you realise it is referring to an alternative definition of "pulse".

Composite Clues
These are where two (or more) parts of the clue define words that you then glue together to make another word. e.g. paraphrasing Shayne's earlier clue "Cushy job leads to function and healing (8)" - a function is a "sine", healing is "cure" and it adds up to a cushy job, or "sinecure".

Composite Inserton Clues
Similar to Composite Clues, but one of the clued words goes inside the other to make the target word. e.g. "Hundred in cookery provide support (7)" - the answer is "backing". Why? It's "c" (for a hundred - crossword compilers love Roman numerals) inside "baking" (for cookery) making a word meaning "support".

Hidden Words
These are where the answer is hidden in the clue itself. e.g. "Super ashes are found to contain skin eruption (4)" - the answer is "rash" as indicated. "found to contain" is the indicator phrase.

Reversals
Where the clue points to a word or phrase that is a different word or phrase backwards. e.g. "Error that puts school children back (4,2)" - the answer is (obviously) "slip up", which is pupils backwards.

Sounds Like Clues
These take words that sound like other words to point to the answer. e.g. "One hears rows can lead to weeping (5)". The answer is "tears". Another word for "rows" is "tiers", which leads to "tears" (meaning weeping) when we take into accout the indicator phrase "One hears..". Easy, really.

Initial Letter Clues
This is where the initial letters of some of the words in the clue lead to the answer. e.g. "Car manufacturer begins funding old red doctors (4)". The answer, "ford" (a car manufacturer) is made up of the initial letter of each word after the indicator word "begins". These can also use the end letter of each word or even alternate letters, as in "Evenly, the airy do make it concrete (4)", where the answer is "hard" - the even numbered letters from the phrase "the airy do"!

Deletion Clues
These remove letters from longer words to make a new word. e.g. "Alter without advertisement is fair (4)" - this gives the answer "just". Why? A word for "alter" is "adjust". Renoving "ad" from that gives us "just", which means "fair".

Of course, these various methods can also be mixed with each other to make even more devious clues, and I'm sure there are some methods I've missed out.

So you'll all be experts now. Carry on

09-20-2011, 06:36 AM	#4020
Bilbo1967 Not scared! Posts: 13,424 Karma: 81011643 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Midlands, UK Device: Kindle Paperwhite 10, Huawei M5 10	OK - Cryptic Crosswords 101: A cryptic clue will point to a well known phrase or saying in a roundabout way. There are a number of variants, but these are the ones I can think of; Anagrams There will typically be a word in the clue that indicates that it is an anagram. In the example above it is "Confusing", but others I have seen include "twisting", "mixing", "rearranging" etc... Another example would be "Remote twisting for a celestial object (6)" - answer is "meteor" - an anagram of "remote". Double Definitions These are ones where two definitions are given in a clue that both lead to the same word. e.g. "Honestly, ajar (4)" - answer is "open", which means both "honestly" and "ajar". Straight Cryptic Clues These are ones where it is just a straightforward reading of the clue in a slightly lateral way. My favourite example (again) is "Weapon that quickens the pulse (10)" - you immediately tend to think of heartbeat, but the answer, "peashooter", can only be derived once you realise it is referring to an alternative definition of "pulse". Composite Clues These are where two (or more) parts of the clue define words that you then glue together to make another word. e.g. paraphrasing Shayne's earlier clue "Cushy job leads to function and healing (8)" - a function is a "sine", healing is "cure" and it adds up to a cushy job, or "sinecure". Composite Inserton Clues Similar to Composite Clues, but one of the clued words goes inside the other to make the target word. e.g. "Hundred in cookery provide support (7)" - the answer is "backing". Why? It's "c" (for a hundred - crossword compilers love Roman numerals) inside "baking" (for cookery) making a word meaning "support". Hidden Words These are where the answer is hidden in the clue itself. e.g. "Super ashes are found to contain skin eruption (4)" - the answer is "rash" as indicated. "found to contain" is the indicator phrase. Reversals Where the clue points to a word or phrase that is a different word or phrase backwards. e.g. "Error that puts school children back (4,2)" - the answer is (obviously) "slip up", which is pupils backwards. Sounds Like Clues These take words that sound like other words to point to the answer. e.g. "One hears rows can lead to weeping (5)". The answer is "tears". Another word for "rows" is "tiers", which leads to "tears" (meaning weeping) when we take into accout the indicator phrase "One hears..". Easy, really. Initial Letter Clues This is where the initial letters of some of the words in the clue lead to the answer. e.g. "Car manufacturer begins funding old red doctors (4)". The answer, "ford" (a car manufacturer) is made up of the initial letter of each word after the indicator word "begins". These can also use the end letter of each word or even alternate letters, as in "Evenly, the airy do make it concrete (4)", where the answer is "hard" - the even numbered letters from the phrase "the airy do"! Deletion Clues These remove letters from longer words to make a new word. e.g. "Alter without advertisement is fair (4)" - this gives the answer "just". Why? A word for "alter" is "adjust". Renoving "ad" from that gives us "just", which means "fair". Of course, these various methods can also be mixed with each other to make even more devious clues, and I'm sure there are some methods I've missed out. So you'll all be experts now. Carry on Last edited by Bilbo1967; 09-20-2011 at 06:58 AM.