In cryptic crosswords a clue generally has two parts – a hint about the answer and a cryptic element (trigger) that also points you to the answer. Clues can take several forms. The most common forms are summarised below:
Anagrams
These clues require you to rearrange part of the clue. The clue consists of a definition, wordplay, and a trigger.
Make available only a brew (3,2) LAY ON
Perfectionist novel italicised (10) IDEALISTIC
Reposition posts near liquid (9) TRANSPOSE
There are far too many triggers to list here.
Among the most frequently used are:
about, afresh, at, sea, awry, bananas, corrupt, criminal, dreadful, ground, liquid, novel, scrambled
Hidden Words
The answer sits between two or more adjacent words of the clue. Triggers include:
in, hide, include, part, piece, some, little
EXAMPLES
Time to take part in flower arranging (3) ERA
In idle gossip, they love to be flattered (4) EGOS
Bird included in home museum (3) EMU
Reversed Hidden Words
As for HIDDEN clues, but reading from right to left or bottom to top
ACROSS CLUE TRIGGERS
back, rearing, retreating, going west
DOWN CLUE TRIGGERS
up, climbing, rising, taken up
EXAMPLES
Piece of equipment returned in shame tiredly (4) ITEM
Mistakes made as pupils rise up (4-3) SLIP-UPS
What was in Internet formally returning frequently? (5) OFTEN
Homophones
Homo means 'same', and phone means 'sound' — so homophones sound alike but differ in meaning:
praise, prays
seller, cellar
sight, site, cite
right, rite, wright, write
Triggers used to signal homophones include:
• on the air
• on the radio
• reported
• for the audience
• uttered
• pronounced
EXAMPLES
Refer to a place, reportedly (4) CITE (sounds like site)
Reportedly perceived setting (5) SCENE (sounds like seen)
Wine store in which retailer is reported (6) CELLAR (sounds like seller)
Double Definitions
These clues ask for a word which can define each of the words listed. There are usually two terms listed but three or even four is quite common. Usually, these clues are very short, though they can be longer. Watch out for words being used in a different way – one as a noun and the other as a verb.
EXAMPLES
• movie coating - FILM
- a film in the cinema; a layer (film) of something
• list of teams to place on the agenda (5) TABLE
- league table; to table a motion
• smuggle vehicles? (7) TRAFFIC
- to traffic drugs; a lot of traffic on the road
Charades
Charade clues are named after the parlour game in which we guess the name of a book, or a movie, by acting out parts of the name either syllable by syllable, or word by word.
CUP + BOARD = CUPBOARD
S + TART= START
MAN + AGE = MANAGE
D + RAM = DRAM
Single letters are often represented by a word e.g.:
Daughter - D
Son - S
The NATO alphabet (A = Alpha, B = Bravo, C = Charlie etc.)
Chemical element symbols (C = Carbon, N= Nitrogen, O= Oxygen etc..)
Charade clues do not usually contain triggers. However, a word such as with, and, before, next to, on, or below may be used.
EXAMPLES
Bird to join son at rear of vessel (5) STERN
After addition of daughter one who has property is depressed (5) DOWNER
Son adds pie for a kick-off (5) START
Containers
Containers are frequently used in cryptic crosswords.
As the name suggests, letters or words are inserted into or added around other letters or words to produce a new word.
L(ION)ESS = ION inside LESS or LESS around ION
R(AMP)AGE = AMP inside RAGE or RAGE around AMP
SK(IMP)Y = IMP inside SKY or SKY around IMP
Abbreviations are often used:
F(L)ITTER
TA(M)PER
S(W)ERVE
Triggers
clutching - consumed by - interrupting
devouring - held in - imprisoning
enfolding - inside - trapped in
grasping - hugging - wrapping
Examples
Action interrupted by nocturnal creature discussed (7) DE(BAT)ED
Large feline is good trapped in row (5) TI(G)ER
Husband consumed by unmarried people gets disease (8) S(H)INGLES