<aside> 💡 In this guide
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Most people look at cryptic crossword puzzles, shrug their shoulders and turn the page because the clues make no sense at first glance and newbie solvers have no clue where to begin. But once you learn crossword lingo and recognise the indicators, you can solve any cryptic crossword clue. They are, in fact, much easier to solve than ‘straight’ (coffee time, quick) puzzles because cryptic crosswords give you two bites at the cherry.
Straight crosswords might give you this clue: Cheese (4)
The answer could be FETA or BRIE or CURD or EDAM. You will have to solve other clues to get crossing letters to see what the answer is. But with cryptic clues, there can be only one correct answer.
Cryptic clues comprise two parts: the straight clue (the definition) and the wordplay.
Here’s a cryptic version of the same cheese clue: Cheese made backwards (4)
With this clue, there is only one possible answer – EDAM. It is the word ‘made’ in reverse (or backwards). You see, the clue itself tells you how to solve it. The straight part of the clue is ‘cheese’; the wordplay part is ‘made backwards’.
Cryptic crosswords are a battle of wits between compilers and solvers, but the compiler must lose in the end. Compilers try to mislead solvers with deception and sleight of words, but don’t fall into their devious traps.
When you solve a cryptic clue for the first time you become part of an elite club. It’s one you will never want to leave because each time you crack a clue, you’ll feel a tingle of magic.
I want to feel that tingle of magic! Where do I start?
First of all, you need to know that there are different types of cryptic clues: anagrams, hidden words, acrostics, charades, containers, deletions, substitutions, homophones, reversals, double definitions, cryptic definitions, spoonerisms and others.
Now you need to know that a cryptic clue is made up of three elements, except when it isn’t, but most have these three elements: