How to Solve Cryptic Crosswords

A beginner-friendly guide to understanding and cracking cryptic clues

Contents

  1. Anatomy of a Cryptic Clue
  2. Anagrams
  3. Hidden Words
  4. Double Definitions
  5. Reversals
  6. Containers & Insertions
  7. Homophones
  8. Deletions
  9. Charades
  10. General Tips
  11. Indicator Word Glossary

Anatomy of a Cryptic Clue

Every cryptic clue has two parts that both lead to the same answer:

1. The definition — a straight synonym or description, usually at the very start or very end of the clue.

2. The wordplay — a coded set of instructions that builds the answer through letters, sounds, or word manipulation.

The number in brackets at the end, like (7), tells you the answer length. A comma like (4,3) means two words.

"Crazy paving material (3)"
MAD
Definition: "Crazy" = MAD. Wordplay: "paving material" = tarmac... but here "Crazy" directly gives you the answer. This is a simple example — most clues are more complex!
The biggest secret: find where the definition ends and the wordplay begins. That split is the key to every cryptic clue.

Anagrams

The letters of a word or phrase are jumbled to make the answer. Look for an anagram indicator — a word suggesting disorder, change, or rearrangement.

"Altered taste is from a particular region (5)"
STATE
"Altered" is the anagram indicator. Rearranging the letters of TASTE gives STATE (a particular region).
"Criminal stole new items (6)"
STOLEN
"Criminal" signals an anagram. STOLE + N (new) rearranged = STOLEN (items that were taken).
Anagrams are the most common clue type. Once you spot the indicator, count the letters to see which word(s) to rearrange. Our anagram helper tool on the puzzle page can shuffle letters for you!

Hidden Words

The answer is hidden inside the clue text itself, spanning across one or more words. Look for indicators like "in", "part of", "some", "held by".

"Part of the festival (4)"
FEST
"Part of" tells you to look inside the words. "the FESTival" contains FEST.
"Some scuba diving gear is waterproof (5)"
BADGE
"Some" is the indicator. Look inside: "scuBA DGE..." — wait, actually: "scuba diving" doesn't work. Let's reconsider: hidden in "scuBA DIving GEar". Actually the hidden word would be found in consecutive letters across the clue text.
Hidden words are the easiest clue type to spot. If you see "in", "some", "part of", or "held by", scan the clue text for consecutive letters that spell a word.

Double Definitions

The clue gives two different definitions for the same word. These clues are usually short — often just two or three words.

"Flower stream (5)"
BROOK
"Flower" = something that flows = BROOK. "Stream" also = BROOK. Two definitions, one answer.
"Left harbour (4)"
PORT
"Left" (as in the left side of a ship) = PORT. "Harbour" = PORT. Two meanings.
Watch for "flower" — in cryptics it often means a river (something that flows), not a plant!

Reversals

A word is spelled backwards to make the answer. Indicators include "back", "returned", "up" (in down clues), "leftward", "reflected".

"Returned beer container (3)"
TUB
"Returned" signals reversal. BUT (a type of beer/cask connection) reversed = TUB (container).

Containers & Insertions

One word or set of letters goes inside another. Indicators: "in", "around", "outside", "holding", "swallowing", "embracing".

"Put copper in boat to make an overcoat (5)"
CLOAK
"Copper" = Cu (chemical symbol). "Boat" = OAK? Actually: C(u) in CLOAK... The idea is one element wraps around another to build the answer.
Look for words like "in", "inside", "around", "holds", "contains". One piece goes inside another to build the answer.

Homophones

The answer sounds like another word. Look for hearing indicators: "we hear", "reportedly", "on the radio", "they say", "sounds like".

"Herb we hear is patient (5)"
THYME
"We hear" signals a homophone. THYME sounds like TIME (being patient). Definition: "Herb" = THYME.

Deletions

A letter is removed from a word. Indicators: "headless" (drop first letter), "endless" (drop last letter), "heartless" (drop middle letter).

"Endless pain is a window section (4)"
PANE
"Endless" means drop the last letter. PAIN(e) without end... actually PANE can be derived: "pain" minus the last letter? PAIN → PAI... Hmm. Better example: "Endless planet is flat (5)" → PLANE (PLANET without the last letter).

Charades

The answer is built by stringing parts together, like the party game. No special indicator — the pieces just sit next to each other.

"Strike weapon (6)"
WALLOP
WALL (a structure) + OP (operation) = WALLOP (to strike). Each part of the wordplay contributes a chunk.
Common abbreviations in charades: "nothing" = O, "love" = O, "first lady" = EVE, "doctor" = DR or MO, "king" = R, "queen" = ER, "sailor" = AB or TAR, "direction" = N/S/E/W.

General Tips

1. Ignore the surface meaning

Cryptic clues are designed to paint a misleading picture. The sentence might tell a little story, but that story is a red herring. Focus on the structural parts.

2. Find the definition first

It's almost always the first word(s) or the last word(s) of the clue. Start there and work backwards.

3. Count the letters

The enumeration (the number in brackets) is your best friend. If the answer is (4), you can eliminate most wrong guesses immediately.

4. Learn common abbreviations

Setters use a standard vocabulary of abbreviations. "Nothing" = O, "right" = R, "left" = L, "queen" = ER, "king" = R, "article" = A/AN/THE, "note" = musical notes (DO, RE, MI...), "one" = I or A.

5. Cross-check with crossing letters

Fill in what you can from solved clues. Even one or two crossing letters dramatically narrows the possibilities.

6. Use our hints!

That's what Cryptic Hints is for. Start with Hint 1 (just the definition part), and only go deeper if you need to. You'll learn the patterns over time.

Indicator Word Glossary

These are the most common words that signal which clue type you're dealing with. Learning to spot these is the single biggest step to cracking cryptics.

Anagram Indicators

about abroad adjusted altered amended around arranged awful bad bizarre broken changed chaotic cocktail confused converted cooked corrupt crazy criminal crude crushed dancing demolished designed destroyed different disturbed doctored drunk edited erratic exploding fantastic fixed free fresh funny ground jumbled mad mangled mashed messy mixed modified muddled new novel odd off out peculiar perhaps playing possibly rebuilt recycled reformed remodelled reshaped revised revolutionary rotten rough ruined running scattered scrambled shaken shifting shuffled silly smashed sorted spinning strangely swimming tangled terrible troubled twisted unfortunately unusual upset volatile wandering wrecked wrong

Hidden Word Indicators

Reversal Indicators

back backwards brought back climbing (down) flipped going up (down) in reverse leftward mirrored over raised (down) recalled reflected rejected retired returned reversed rising (down) turned up (down) upside down

Container / Insertion Indicators

around clutching consuming containing covering eating embracing holding housing in inside into outside surrounding swallowing within wrapping

Homophone Indicators

aloud audibly broadcast by the sound of it heard in conversation on the radio orally out loud reportedly say sounds like spoken they say to the audience vocal we hear

Deletion Indicators

beheaded curtailed cut endless headless heartless lacking limitless losing missing not starting short shortened topless trimmed without

Common Abbreviations

article = A, AN, THE bishop = B copper = CU direction = N, S, E, W doctor = DR, MO fifty = L five = V gold = AU, OR hundred = C king = K, R learner = L left = L love = O nothing = O, NIL one = I, A point = N, S, E, W queen = ER, R right = R, RT sailor = AB, TAR silver = AG ten = X thousand = K, M worker = ANT, BEE
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