Cryptic Crossword Clues

[Domino]

Most of you may well have tackled a simple crossword at times. You get a simple definition and the answer fits in the number of letter squares to hold it.

For example:

COLOUR (6 letters)

+ R + + G +

I've shown two of the letters in the word to represent what you have worked out from down clues already solved. There is, of course, more than one name of a colour which has six letters, but (usually) only one that will fit in the grid with the known letters.

The answer here is O R A N G E.

The cryptic clue is not so straightforward. It is deliberately ambiguous and should (for the most part) not be read at face value. There are several types of clue that are used and you need to be able to identify them. Let's start with the anagram.

For example:

CHANGING TIMES FOR THE LITTLE ONES (5 letters)

+ + + + S.

It's all in the way you read the clue. CHANGING TIMES FOR THE LITTLE ONES where the first word indicates an anagram, but the fact that 'changing times' is a common expression in English throws you off the scent.

The answer here is M I T E S.

Here's one for you to try:

GET ON A BIT SOMEHOW! (Six letters)

+ + + + + +

Sorry, you don't know any letters yet.

[snugglepot]

I am terrible at cryptic crosswords and other puzzles.
My brain is too logical.
I will watch in fascination as you all solve the clues.

[Courtenay]

Is it OBTAIN? (a synonym for "get" that's an anagram of ON A BIT)

I'm not brilliant at cryptic crosswords and don't think I've ever completed one all on my own, but I do enjoy the challenge every now and then. Years ago we had a family friend who was an aficionado — she ran an antique shop and when we went to visit, she'd usually be doing the cryptic crossword from the Saturday paper at the shop counter. She used to let me help her with it sometimes, provided I didn't fill in too many of the words for her! More recently, I boarded for a while with a couple who were also huge cryptic fans and would print out a copy each of the Times or Guardian crossword each evening and race each other to see who could complete it the fastest. I think the wife usually won!

[Domino]

You are right, Courtenay.

GET = OBTAIN which is an anagram of ON A BIT. The presence of an anagram is indicated by SOMEHOW.

Anne, having a logical brain is no bar to solving a cryptic clue. What it does require is lateral thinking. As I said, you should never take it at face value, even though the compiler will try to mislead you into doing so. He (or she) often does this by using a familiar phrase. To 'get on a bit' is often used to mean someone is growing old. You have to forget that and think how else you can read the sentence. It's still logical, just different.

When I was younger, I hadn't got any idea as to how to tackle a cryptic crossword and didn't have until I was over 30.

Now before we start playing this game the way we normally do, I need to run through the other types of clue that will be encountered.

The next type of clue is one that should be familiar to all Blytonians: the hidden word clue.

For example:

IF YOU GO TO SEE THE RONETTES, IT'LL BE YOU WHO GETS THE BIRD. (5 letters)


IF YOU GO TO SEE THE RONETTES, IT'LL BE YOU WHO GETS THE BIRD.

Try this one:

IN HER MOHAIR DRESS, ERICA REVEALS HER OCCUPATION. (11 letters)

[Daisy]

Hairdresser!

[Domino]

Exactly, Ilsa. That wasn't too difficult. Of course, a compiler won't always make the fact that it is a hidden word clue quite as obvious as that. Nevertheless, when tackling a cryptic crossword, they are usually the easiest clues to tackle to make a start, so it is always worth seeing if you can spot one.

Now lets consider the double definition clue.

Quite simply, the clue has to be broken into two parts. The compiler may or may not do this for you with a comma.

For example:

SUMMER SNAKE (5 letters)

The answer is ADDER. An adder is a snake and, mathematically speaking, a summer is an adder. Of course, the compiler hoped you would think of summer as the opposite of winter.

Some more:

SMOOTH WOOD FLYING MACHINE (5)

= PLANE

TIME OF YEAR TO USE SALT AND PEPPER MAYBE (6)

= SEASON

Get the idea?

Try this one.

MELODIES CAN BE PUT ON (4)

[Eddie Muir]

Is the answer AIRS?

[Eddie Muir]

How about the following one, Dave?

BOAT IN WATERS GOING WEST (5)

[Domino]

You pre-empted my reply there, Eddie. I'll need to think about your one.

Meanwhile:

Quite right, Eddie.

AIRS = MELODIES and they CAN BE PUT ON (usually with graces).

Another type of clue is the 'sounds like' or pun clue.

For example:

TO BE HONEST, I HEAR IT'S OLD FRENCH CURRENCY

TO BE HONEST = FRANK which sounds like (indicated by 'I hear') franc.

The most common type of clue is the Charade clue, which breaks the answer up into parts and clue each bit separately.

For example:

A LISTENER BY THE BIRD'S HOUSE, THAT'S SERIOUS. (7)

A LISTENER = EAR by THE BIRD'S HOUSE = NEST thus EARNEST = SERIOUS.

or

YOU AND I GET OLDER, BUT STILL HAVE A FUNCTION. (5)

YOU AND I = US + GET OLDER = AGE thus USAGE = FUNCTION.

Then there are clues which use abbreviations.

For example:

THE PRIME MINISTER WENT ROUND THE QUEEN FOR A HAIRDO. (4)

PRIME MINISTER = PM THE QUEEN = ER thus P+ER+M.

Or Roman numerals:

NOTHING ONE TAKES TO FIFTY WILL LUBRICATE (3)

NOTHING = O + ONE - I + FIFTY = L thus OIL which will lubricate.

Try these, where I do not tell you which type of clue they are:

MARK ALLOWED A SHADE OF RED (7)

BABY AND LITTLE ALAN ALTOGETHER (5)

FINISHING WITH A BOXED EAR - CHARMING! (9)

[Domino]

I think yours is SLOOP, Eddie. POOLS going west i.e. reversed.

[Eddie Muir]

Brilliant and perfectly correct, Dave. I must admit that I found the clue in a magazine.

I’ll try to solve your latest offerings later or maybe someone else will want to have a go:

MARK ALLOWED A SHADE OF RED (7)

BABY AND LITTLE ALAN ALTOGETHER (5)

FINISHING WITH A BOXED EAR - CHARMING! (9)

[Eddie Muir]

Is the first one SCARLET?

Mark = scar, allowed = let, shade of red = scarlet.

[Domino]

Definitely. It is. Well done.

[Daisy]

Is the second one TOTAL?
TOT+ AL

[Courtenay]

And the last one — ENDEARING? ("Finishing" = ENDING, "boxed" around the word EAR, so END-EAR-ING, which is a synonym for "charming".)

Here's one I remember from my stay with my crossword-obsessed friends:

A LITTLE HOME COOKING? (7, 3)