When the answer sounds like another word — listen carefully to these clues
In a homophone clue, the answer sounds like another word. The setter gives you a definition of the sound-alike word, plus a homophone indicator that tells you to think about pronunciation rather than spelling. The definition of the actual answer is given separately.
Homophone indicators are words related to hearing and speaking: "we hear", "reportedly", "on the radio", "sounds like", "they say", "aloud", "spoken". These tell you that the wordplay involves sound, not letters.
These clues rely on standard British English pronunciation (since most cryptic crosswords originate from British newspapers). Occasionally a homophone might not work perfectly in every accent, which can make these clues slightly contentious among solvers. Despite this, they are a staple of cryptic crosswords and well worth mastering.
These words tell you the answer sounds like another word. They all relate to hearing, speaking, or sound:
When you suspect a homophone clue, say the potential answer and its sound-alike out loud. Your ear will catch matches that your eye might miss when reading silently.
Most cryptic crosswords use British English pronunciation. Words like "clerk" (rhymes with "dark"), "lieutenant" (lef-TEN-ant), and "schedule" (SHED-yool) follow British conventions.
The indicator applies to the sound-alike word, not the answer. If the clue says "flower we hear", then the sound-alike word (not the answer) is the one "we hear". The answer is the word that sounds like the word described in the wordplay.
Some setters use words that are close but not perfect homophones. If a clue almost works as a homophone, it probably is one — accept slight pronunciation differences.
Homophones are one of several wordplay techniques. Learn the others to complete your toolkit.