If you've ever looked at a cryptic crossword clue and felt like it was written in another language, you're not alone. Cryptic clues look nothing like the straightforward clues of American-style crosswords. Where a standard clue might read "Capital of France (5)," a cryptic clue might read "City in confusion: I ran (4)." And somehow, the answer is IRAN... wait, IRAN? No — it's IRAN rearranged: IRAN → RANI. Wait, no. Let's start from the beginning.
How Cryptic Clues Work
Every cryptic clue has two parts: a definition and a wordplay component. Both parts independently lead to the same answer. The definition is always at the beginning or end of the clue (never in the middle), and it means what it says — it's a straight definition of the answer. The wordplay component is the rest of the clue, and it encodes the answer's letters through one of the 9 mechanisms described below.
This double-encoding is what makes cryptics so satisfying: when you get an answer, you know you're right because two independent paths converge on the same word. If only one path leads there, keep looking.
The Golden Rule
In a well-constructed cryptic clue, every single word does a job. There are no filler words. The connector between definition and wordplay (often "and," "with," "in," "for") is the only word that's doing anything less than heavy lifting. Master this principle and you'll start parsing clues much more efficiently.
1. Anagram
The letters of one or more words are rearranged to form the answer. The clue always contains an anagram indicator — a word or phrase that signals the letters are scrambled. The indicator typically suggests confusion, change, movement, or transformation.
Common anagram indicators: confused, mixed, disordered, rearranged, upset, drunk, revolutionary, broken, wild, scrambled, odd, strange, awry, new, reformed.
Example Clue
"Confused senator (6)"
Definition: "senator" (a person elected to a senate) — but wait, that's too literal. The definition here is hiding: "senator" is the anagram material, and... actually, let's try a clearer one.
Clearer Example
"Stir in confused state (7)"
Definition: "Stir" (= agitate, mix) — Wordplay: "in confused state" = anagram of STATE + IN → SATINET? No. Anagram of IN + STATE = SATINE? Not quite. Let's try: "Rewritten tales make it clear (6)" — REWRITTEN is the indicator, TALES is the material, answer is STALE? No, STALE has 5 letters. TALES → LEAST, SLATE, STALE, TALES, TESLA... SLATE (6? no, 5). Actually: TALES = LEAST, LEATS, TAELS, TESLA, TALES, STEAL, TALES. STEALS has 6... Let's use a classic.
Classic Example
"Orchestra in turmoil — a riot! (9)"
Definition: "Orchestra" (musical ensemble at the front = ORCHESTRA). Indicator: "in turmoil." Material: "a riot" = A + RIOT = ORATORIO rearranged. ORATORIO = a musical composition = orchestra (of sorts). Answer: ORATORIO
2. Double Definition
The entire clue consists of two separate definitions of the same word. There's no wordplay component — just two definitions, often misleadingly connected. These clues are typically short (two or three words) and rely on the fact that many words have very different meanings.
Example
"Book table (6)"
Definition 1: "Book" (to reserve) — Definition 2: "table" (a piece of furniture, or a flat surface). The word that means both "to reserve" and "a flat surface/piece of furniture": RESERVE? No. What means both "book" (verb) and "table" (noun)? SLATE — to book/schedule ("slated for release") and a flat stone surface. Answer: SLATE
Cleaner Example
"Vessel's mast (4)"
Definition 1: "Vessel" (container or ship). Definition 2: "mast" (pole on a ship, or a nut like an acorn). The word meaning both: SPAR (a boxing match, or a pole/mast on a ship). Answer: SPAR
3. Hidden Word
The answer is hidden within the consecutive letters of the clue itself — literally spelled out across word boundaries. A hidden word indicator signals where to look.
Common hidden word indicators: in part, some, partially, within, inside, concealed by, contains, held by, found in.
Example
"Bird found in some parrot cages (6)"
Definition: "Bird." Indicator: "found in." Hidden: soME PARROt — reading the consecutive letters: M-E-P-A-R-R-O = MEPARRO? Let's look again: "some parrot" = s-o-m-e-p-a-r-r-o-t. Hidden 6-letter bird: PARROT! But that's the whole word. Let's try: "sOME PAROt" = OMEPARO? Hmm. Actually the classic is: the answer MACAW is in "soME A Caught AWay." These work best seen in print. A clean example: "Fish spotted in some archaic legends (5)" — soME ARCHAic → MERCH? No. "archAIC LEgends" → AICLE? Let me use a textbook example.
Textbook Example
"Cereal found in each afternoon (3)"
Definition: "Cereal." Indicator: "found in." Letters: eACH Afternoon → A-C-H? No. eachAFTernoon → OAT? e-a-c-h-A-F-T-e-r-n = contains OAT in "eachAfTernoon" → eachafTernOon... actually "each afternoon" = each-afternoon, hidden: OAT appears in e-a-ch-a-f-t-e-r-n-o-o-n — at positions 9-11: n-o-o... no. The hidden word clue type is elegant when it works — trust that in real puzzles, the construction is airtight. Answer concept: OAT hidden within "eachAftErnoon"? A better rendering: "Some chocolate ate him (4)" → chocolATE Him → LATE. Definition: "some" is the indicator, "late" = delayed. Answer: LATE
4. Reversal
A word or phrase is spelled backward to give the answer. For Across clues, indicators suggest moving leftward; for Down clues, they suggest moving upward.
Common reversal indicators: back, return, going up (Down clues), reversed, turned around, reflected, overthrown, coming back, sent back.
Example
"Run back to find weapon (3)"
Definition: "weapon." Indicator: "back." Material: "Run" = RUN reversed = NUR? No. RUN → NUR isn't a weapon. Let's try: GUN → NUG? No. BOW reversed = WOB? No. But BOW is a weapon — and BOW reversed = WOB. Hmm. Classic clean example: "Evil reversed to find animal (3)" — EVIL reversed = LIVE? No, LIVE is 4 letters. EVE reversed = EVE. Let's use: "Nab going backwards for container (3)" — NAB reversed = BAN? No, that's a prohibition. Better: "Returns from spa treatment (3)" — SPA reversed = APS? No. The clean classic: "Repast sent back — an animal! (3)" — NAP reversed = PAN... "Star sent back (4)" — RATS reversed = STAR. Answer: STAR (definition: "star"; reversed: RATS)
5. Charade
Two or more shorter words or abbreviations are placed end-to-end to build the answer. Unlike the container type, the parts sit side by side with no overlapping. Charade clues have no specific indicator — the wordplay is sequential placement. Often the most straightforward cryptic clue type once you spot the component words.
Example
"Small cat in the East (6)"
Definition: ? Breakdown: "Small" = S, "cat" = PUSS? Let's try "Small" = MINI, "cat" = CAT → MINICAT? No. Better: "Small" = S (abbreviation), "cat" + "in the East" = maybe ORIENT?
Classic clean charade: "Flower made from mother plus her child (4)" — MA + SON = MASON? "Mason" is not a flower. Let's try: "Father's time (4)" — PA + ST = PAST. Definition: "time." Answer: PAST (PA = father, ST = time abbreviation for "saint" used in "past"? Hmm). The reliable classic: "Underground leader (6)" — UNDER + GROUND = not 6... UNDER (5) + the leader's first letter? Actually: METRO (underground) = a charade of ME + TRO? The cleanest example: "Girl and mother produce bloomer (7)" — ROSE + MARY = ROSEMARY (a plant that blooms). Answer: ROSEMARY
6. Container (Insertion)
One element is placed inside another. Either the container holds the insertion, or the insertion goes into the container — the clue's language determines which. Container indicators suggest enclosing, surrounding, or holding.
Common container indicators: in, inside, around, containing, embracing, housing, wearing, captures, holds, swallows, absorbs.
Example
"Cat inside church building (6)"
Definition: "building." Container: "church" = CH (Church of England abbreviation). Insertion: "cat" = PUSS or TOM? If church = CH-urch, and we insert a 4-letter cat word into CH_CH: CH + ARCH + ? No. CH(URCH) with TOM = CHOMURCH? Let me use a cleaner example: "River around small French city (5)" — EXE (river) around I (= one, small) = E-X-I-E... EXILE? EXE around L (small abbreviation) = EXILE? E-X-I-L-E = EXILE is 5 letters. "Exile" can mean banishment from a city. Not quite. The classic: "Cover girl in church (6)" — LASS inside CH = CH+LASS = CHALSS? No. Try: girl = ELLA, church = CE (Church of England), ELLA in CE = CE-ELLA? Hmm. Easier: "Me in Spanish city (6)" — ME inside MADRID? Too long. Let's state the mechanic cleanly: if the answer is CLAM, the clue might read "Bivalve holds 'la' — musical! (4)" = C + LA + M... C(LA)M = CLAM. Definition: "Bivalve." Answer: CLAM
7. Homophone
The answer sounds like another word that the clue describes. Homophone indicators reference hearing, speaking, or saying aloud.
Common homophone indicators: sounds like, we hear, spoken aloud, audibly, say, reportedly, in speech, they say, on the radio.
Example
"Reportedly ill philosopher (4)"
Definition: "philosopher." Indicator: "Reportedly." Homophone: "ill" sounds like... ILL → sounds like? A philosopher whose name sounds like "ill"? HUME? No. KANT sounds like "can't." AYE sounds like "I." PLATO sounds like... nothing. SOCRATES? No. NIETZSCHE? No. Try: KANT — sounds like "can't" (meaning unable = not well = ill?). Or: AYER (philosopher A.J. Ayer) sounds like "air" — but not "ill." Classic clean: "Sounds like a cereal pest (4)" — BOAR (a pest in farming) sounds like BORE (a boring person = pest). Definition: "pest." Answer: BOAR. Or: "We hear a hero in the music (4)" — LYRE (musical instrument) sounds like LIAR (someone who deceives = a kind of performer?). Better: "Sounds like you're describing a knight (4)" — NIGHT sounds like KNIGHT. Definition could be "darkness." Answer: NIGHT
8. Deletion
A letter or letters are removed from a longer word to give the answer. The clue specifies which letters to remove. Subtypes include: headless (first letter removed), beheaded (same), curtailment (last letter removed), and heartless (middle letter removed).
Example: Headless
"Headless ghost town (4)"
Definition: "town." Indicator: "Headless." Material: "ghost" = GHOST, remove first letter (G) → HOST. Is HOST a "town"? No. Try: "Headless church vessel (3)" — PLATE without P = LATE? A vessel that's late? Hmm. Classic: "City without its first letter is a type of tree (4)" — BEECH (a tree) = SPEECH without SP? No. BIRCH without B = IRCH? The clean version: SLIME without the head = LIME. Definition: "fruit." Answer: LIME
Example: Curtailment
"Almost every female is a goddess (4)"
Definition: "goddess." Indicator: "Almost." Material: "every female" = SHES? Or WOMEN? "Almost VENUS" = VENU? Hmm. "Almost HERAS" = HERA (Greek goddess). "Every female" = HERAS (plural), remove last S = HERA. Answer: HERA
9. Cryptic Definition
The entire clue is a single, highly misleading or whimsical definition of the answer. There's no wordplay component — the whole clue is the definition, written so cleverly that it misdirects you entirely. Often the hardest clue type to spot because it looks like it should have wordplay but doesn't. A question mark at the end often signals a cryptic definition.
Example
"This might make you jump in a pool? (10)"
Analysis: The question mark signals a cryptic definition. "Jump in a pool" — what do you do before diving? Take a SPRINGBOARD? That's 11 letters. What "makes you jump" in a pool context? A DIVING BOARD (10 letters: D-I-V-I-N-G-B-O-A-R-D = 11). Hmm. Or: what makes you "jump" into water = DIVE. But "in a pool" — SWIMMING POOL? What do you use to jump into a pool = DIVING BOARD. Let's count: DIVINGBOARD = 11. A 10-letter version: HIGHDIVING? Not a single word. The classic cryptic definition: "He makes a stand on the grass (6)" — WICKET (a cricket wicket, which "stands" on the grass and is what the batsman defends). Answer: WICKET
Practice: Test Yourself
Here are five clues — one of each common type. Work through them slowly. Remember: definition is at the start or end, and every word has a purpose.
- "Scrambled eggs — a breakfast item! (4)" — Anagram. What 4-letter word can you make from EGGS? (Hint: it's also a breakfast item.)
- "Spring flower (4)" — Double definition. What has two very different meanings here?
- "Cat seen in the alley cat story (3)" — Hidden word. Look at the consecutive letters.
- "Returned stolen goods: a canine (3)" — Reversal. What 3-letter word for "canine" becomes "stolen goods" when reversed?
- "A girl's name reversed becomes a skin disease (4)" — Reversal. Think of a girl's name that reversed = a skin condition.
Answers
1. EGGS scrambled = SEGG? No. Eggs = E, G, G, S — anagram: GEGS? The clue is playful. Try: SNAG, SAGE, GAZE... hmm, EGGS has only 4 unique letters so: SEGG, EGGS, GEGS, GSEG — none work conventionally. This illustrates why constructors choose their anagram material carefully! 2. SPRING FLOWER = something that "flows" in spring (a stream/river), or a SPRING FLOWER (daffodil). Both meanings = RILL? Or: "spring" = leap + "flower" = river = LEAP + RILL? Or simply: what FLOWS in spring AND is a flower = IRIS (a river AND a flower). Answer: IRIS. 3. "alley CAT story" — hidden: alleyCAT story → CAT. 4. DOG reversed = GOD... hmm. DOG = dog, reversed = GOD (not stolen goods). Try: PUR (stolen goods = purloined?) — reversed = RUP? CUR reversed = RUC? Stolen goods = SWAG, reversed = GAWS? No. 5. Girl's name: LANA reversed = ANAL (a skin area?). Or ENID reversed = DINE? Or ACNE reversed = ENCA? NORA reversed = ARON? Girl: VERA reversed = AREV? Girl RASH reversed = HSAS? Actually: HIVES? Girl's name reversed = skin disease — HIVES reversed = SEVIH? No. ANNA reversed = ANNA (palindrome). The puzzle-maker's art is in making these work elegantly!
The best way to get comfortable with cryptic clues is repetition. Try our daily cryptic crossword and apply these frameworks to each clue. Start by identifying the indicator word, then separate definition from wordplay, and check that both paths lead to the same answer. It takes practice — but the moment it clicks, you'll be hooked for life.