To learn how to solve cryptic crosswords, know that nearly every clue has two parts: a plain definition at the start or end, and wordplay that builds the same answer another way, such as an anagram, a hidden word or a sound-alike. Find the definition first, spot the wordplay type from its indicator word, then check both halves agree.
What is a cryptic crossword?
A cryptic crossword is a puzzle in which each clue is a small word puzzle in itself. Read on the surface, a clue looks like an odd sentence. Read the way the setter intends, it splits into a definition and a piece of wordplay that both lead to the answer. Cryptic crosswords are a staple of British newspapers, and they are popular in Australia, Canada and elsewhere too.
The good news is that setters follow a fairly small set of rules. Once you know the main clue types, clues stop looking like nonsense and start looking like instructions.
How a cryptic clue is built
- The definition is a normal crossword definition of the answer. It is almost always at the very start or the very end of the clue.
- The wordplay is everything else. It builds the answer a second way.
- Link words such as “for”, “is”, “gives” or “in” sometimes join the two halves.
- The number in brackets gives the length, with commas for separate words, such as (3,4).
The surface reading, what the clue seems to say, is designed to mislead. Ignore it, and read each word for what it could mean in wordplay.
The main clue types, with examples
All the example clues below were written for this guide.
1. Anagram
The letters of some words in the clue are rearranged. An indicator suggests change: broken, wild, mixed, novel, poor, odd, out, perhaps.
Pay attention to broken tinsel (6)
Definition: pay attention. “Broken” tells you to rearrange TINSEL. Answer: LISTEN.
2. Hidden word
The answer is written inside the clue, across word breaks. Indicators: in, found in, some, part of, holds.
Plant found in sweet reed (4)
Definition: plant. Look inside “sweeT REEd”. Answer: TREE.
3. Charade
The answer is built from smaller parts placed one after another, like syllables in the game of charades.
Vehicle with favourite floor covering (6)
Vehicle = CAR, favourite = PET. Definition: floor covering. Answer: CARPET.
4. Container
One part goes inside another. Indicators: in, holding, around, about, eating, keeps.
Father in wrong country (5)
Father = PA, wrong = SIN. Put PA in SIN: S-PA-IN. Definition: country. Answer: SPAIN.
5. Reversal
A word is read backwards. Indicators: back, returned, reflected, up (in a down clue).
Snare part sent back (4)
PART sent back is TRAP. Definition: snare. Answer: TRAP.
6. Homophone
The answer sounds like another word. Indicators: we hear, reportedly, on the radio, they say.
Bloom from flour, we hear (6)
FLOUR sounds like FLOWER. Definition: bloom. Answer: FLOWER.
7. Double definition
Two definitions of the same word sit side by side, with no other wordplay.
Long for a tree (4)
To long for something is to PINE for it, and a pine is a tree. Answer: PINE.
8. Initial letters
The first letters of several words spell the answer. Indicators: initially, first of, leaders, heads.
Planet initially exploring all regions to hunt (5)
The first letters of Exploring All Regions To Hunt. Definition: planet. Answer: EARTH.
9. Deletion
A letter or letters are removed. Indicators: headless, endless, heartless, without, losing.
Hearing organ is headless bear (3)
BEAR without its head is EAR. Definition: hearing organ. Answer: EAR.
10. Abbreviations and code words
Setters use standard abbreviations: “quiet” for P, “sailor” for AB, “about” for C or RE, and so on. They are used inside almost every clue type. See our list of cryptic crossword abbreviations.
A method for every clue
- Check the first and last words. One of them is very likely the definition.
- Look for an indicator. Words like broken, in, back, we hear or initially tell you the clue type.
- Count letters. If a group of words beside an anagram indicator has exactly the right number of letters, it is probably the fodder.
- Try the parts. Translate short words into likely abbreviations and see whether they combine.
- Check both halves. The answer must match the definition and the wordplay exactly. If only one half works, keep looking.
Tips for your first cryptic puzzles
- Start with anagrams and hidden words. They are the easiest types to spot and to check.
- Read the answers the next day. Most newspapers publish solutions, and working out why an answer is right teaches you more than anything else.
- Stick with one setter or paper. Each has a style, and you will learn their habits.
- Do not expect to finish at first. Getting four or five clues in your first few puzzles is normal.
Getting help with a clue
The cryptic crossword solver reads your clue for anagram indicators and hidden words, and lists every word that fits your letter pattern. Try it with the first example above. It does not understand meaning, so you still choose the answer that fits the definition, which is the satisfying part.
Questions and answers
What is a cryptic crossword?
It is a crossword where each clue is a word puzzle with two parts: a definition of the answer and wordplay that leads to the same answer another way.
Where is the definition in a cryptic clue?
It is almost always at the very start or the very end of the clue. The rest of the clue is wordplay.
What is an indicator in a cryptic crossword?
An indicator is a word that tells you the type of wordplay, such as broken for an anagram, in for a hidden word, or we hear for a homophone.
What is the easiest type of cryptic clue?
Anagrams and hidden words are usually the easiest to spot, because the letters you need are written in the clue.
How long does it take to learn cryptic crosswords?
It varies, but many people finish their first full grid after a few weeks of regular practice and reading the published answers.