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How do you solve a cryptic crossword puzzle?
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Nov 15, 2023 · To solve a cryptic crossword, try to identify what type of clue you’re dealing with. For example, if you have a clue with a word indicating change, like “transfer,” “lost,” “moved,” or “cook,” it may be an anagram, in which case you need to rearrange the letters.
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- Anagram. Also seen in a regular crossword, these involve the rearrangement of letters in one word (or words) to form another (or others). Ruined men spoilt and hurt (9)
- Charade. Like the game of charades, these clues involve stringing together several smaller elements to make the complete answer. A French tournament is close (6)
- Container. These clues involve placing words or letters inside other words or letters. Wild animal eats organ of saviour (9) An organ, LIVER, is placed inside a wild animal, DEER, to make DE-LIVER-ER.
- Deletion. By removing one or more letters from a word, another word can be made. Drunk without end? That’s a problem (6) A word for ‘drunk’, PICKLED, without its end letter becomes PICKLE (as in, to be in a pickle).
This will hardly ever give you the right solution. One tip when learning how to solve cryptic crosswords is to try solving a crossword puzzle with a friend in the first instance – it can help to have someone to have ideas you can bounce off. Another one, which may seem slightly odd initially, is to actually try and set a few clues yourself ...
- Anagram Clues. In an anagram clue, the subsidiary indication contains the letters of the answer and an indication that the letters should be rearranged or are not presently in the right order.
- Charade Clues. In charade clues, two or more words run together to form the solution. To tantalise the left is a plant (6) Another way of saying ‘to tantalise’ is ‘TEASE’ and a common abbreviation for ‘left’ is ‘L’.
- Container Clues. In these clues a single letter or the letters of one word are inserted into another. Widest and best way inside (8) The answer is BROADEST. ‘
- Double Definition Clues. Here the subsidiary indication is replaced by a second definition. Often these clues are short, perhaps two or three words. An example
How Do You Solve Cryptic Crosswords? Cryptic crosswords are like normal crosswords, but the clues tend to involve wordplay and also have very convoluted, intentionally confusing hints. If you’re doing a cryptic crossword, know that the definition is typically hiding in plain sight, and don’t lose heart!
Mar 1, 2024 · Learn how to solve our wiliest word puzzle with this beginner-friendly collection of cryptics—with some added hints—by Paolo Pasco, Trip Payne, Rachel Fabi, and Neville Fogarty.
It’s like an equals sign. It may be a phrase like is, yields, leads to, with or even just ’s . Note the use of the word “might” several times above. A good part of the trick to solving a cryptic clue is figuring out which part of the clue is the definition and which part is the wordplay.
