Cryptic crosswords are a notoriously difficult variation on the classic crossword format, combining complex wordplay and misleading clues to test even the most talented solver. While they are considered the gold standard for crossword enthusiasts, this level of challenge can also make them inaccessible to a newcomer.
Reading down a list of clues can feel like you’re reading complete nonsense. However, they are not as mysterious as they may first appear, and with the right knowledge and a bit of practice, anyone can solve cryptics.
Since emerging in the early twentieth century, cryptic crosswords have developed a distinct set of rules and conventions regarding how to create and solve clues. Most clues follow the same basic structure (we’ll come to the exceptions later), consisting of two parts:
1. The definition, or ‘straight’ clue.
2. The wordplay, or ‘cryptic’ clue.
The former is the standard type of crossword clue, a word or phrase synonymous with the answer. The second is where the true challenge of cryptics lies.
For example, take a look at this clue:
Hit by small vehicle (6)
In this case, the definition is ‘hit’, and the rest of the clue is wordplay. Small can stand for ‘s’, and a type of vehicle is a truck, so the answer is STRUCK. Words, like ‘by’, often connect the two parts of the clue, though there can also be nothing but a space, e.g. the clue ‘Hit small vehicle’ would also be an acceptable clue for STRUCK. Or, alternatively, ‘Small vehicle hit’, as the two parts can appear in either order.
Now you know to look for a definition and some wordplay, it’s important to recognise the different kinds of wordplay you can find in a cryptic crossword.
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)
The words ‘ruined men’, when ‘spoilt’ (or rearranged), can form UNDERMINE, a synonym of ‘hurt’. Cryptic crosswords feature a great variety of words used to indicate an anagram, such as: about, confused, new, mad, off, perhaps, shaken, upset, wrong – almost anything that can suggest change or difference.
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)
In this clue, ‘A French’ can be ‘UN’ (a French translation of 'a') and a kind of tournament is an ‘OPEN’ forming UNOPEN, a synonym for ‘close’.
Clues like this often rely on abbreviations or other shorthand indicators to build up a completed word.
Ulster church combines details (8)
In this example, ‘Ulster’ is being used to represent NI (for Northern Ireland), ‘church’ can be CE (for Church of England), and ‘combines’ can be ‘TIES’, leading to NICETIES.
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. As with anagrams, many different words can indicate that letters should be placed inside or around each other.
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). Depending on the wordplay, deletions can occur at the start, end, or in the middle of a word.
Double definition
These tricky clues rely on the English language’s wealth of synonyms to mislead the solver, featuring two very different definitions for the same word. Take a look at these examples:
Little bit of fish (3)
Man’s understanding (3)
The first is DAB, a type of fish and a small amount of something. The second is KEN, a slightly uncommon word for knowledge or understanding, and a man’s name.
Hidden words
In these clues, words are simply hidden within others, across spaces and punctuation.
Man in his leisure (4)
The answer here is ISLE (ie, Isle of Man), hidden across ‘his leisure’.
Homophone
Rather than synonyms, these clues rely on homophones, or words that sound the same as other words in English.
By the sound of it, food would be welcome (4)
Another term for food is ‘chow’, which sounds just like CIAO, a word of greeting. Given the many different accents and pronunciations of words people employ, these clues tend not to be too strict in what words they consider homophonous.
Initials
The first or final letters of words are isolated, revealing the answer.
Every seventh person starts with sixth sense (3)
The ‘starts’ of the first three words here give the answer, ESP.
Reversals
Words written backwards become other words.
Monster is turning so (4)
An ogre, a type of monster, in reverse is ERGO. These clues work for both across and down answers, although the word indicating a reversal may change accordingly. Were this a down clue, it might read ‘Monster is rising so’ instead, as ‘ogre’ would read up in the answer grid.
These nine categories cover the main types of wordplay you’ll find in cryptic clues, but as indicated above, there are exceptions to the ‘two-part’ rule.
Cryptic definitions
These clues have their wordplay and definitions mixed up together, to form a misleading or humorous definition for a particular word or phrase. These clues occasionally appear in non-cryptic crosswords too.
Mug with a mug? (4)
In this example, the answer is TOBY, a type of drinking vessel (‘mug’) with a face (‘mug’). A question mark is often used in this type of clue to suggest that the two-part rule has been bent.
&lit
Short for ‘and literally’, in these clues the wordplay and definition are one and the same.
An orderly mixture of berry bush! (9)
An anagram (‘orderly mixture’) of ‘berry bush’ is SHRUBBERY, which could be defined as ‘orderly mixture of berry bush’. The entire clue can be read as both wordplay and definition, and again, this unusual cluing style is suggested by the exclamation point at the end.
1 Across: Master Cryptic Crosswords With Our Cryptic Clue Breakdowns
