Charade clues

In a charade, the answer is built from smaller pieces spelled out one after another, like the parlour game where you act a word out syllable by syllable. It has the fewest tell-tale signal words of any device, because the word order itself does the joining.

How a charade clue works

The wordplay gives you two or more pieces in the order they appear in the answer, and you write them out one after another. The pieces are often short synonyms or standard abbreviations rather than words printed in full. There is usually no indicator, since the pieces simply sit side by side, though small joining words like "with", "and", "after" or (in a Down clue) "on" can link them or change their order.

Signals to look for

Charades are the quiet device: more often than not there is nothing to spot at all, because the pieces simply sit side by side. When there is a signal, it is a small joining or ordering word.

Signals usually none; the word order joins the pieces, so watch for "with", "and", "after", "on" (Down)

The knack is to stop hunting for an instruction and instead ask whether the answer could be two or three shorter pieces stuck together. That habit turns an ordinary clue into a solvable one.

A worked example

Vehicle pet makes a floor covering (6) → CAR + PET = CARPET

• a floor covering is the definition.
• Vehicle gives CAR; pet gives PET.

Join them in order: CAR + PET = CARPET. The (6) confirms it. ✓

More examples

The pieces can be plain little words or synonyms you work out. Once you have them, you write them straight into the grid in order.

A vehicle set to go with a load (5) → CAR + GO = CARGO

A load is the definition. CAR (vehicle) and GO join to make CARGO. ✓

Fellow with artistic skill shows this organ (5) → HE + ART = HEART

This organ is the definition. HE (fellow) plus ART (skill) spells HEART. Here both pieces are synonyms, not words printed in the clue. ✓

Common pitfalls

• There is rarely an indicator. A clue that is not obviously any other device is often a charade, so try breaking the answer into consecutive chunks.
• The pieces are frequently abbreviations (see the abbreviations guide) or short synonyms, not the exact words in the clue.
• Linking words can reorder the pieces. "A after B" means write B then A, and in a Down clue "A on B" means B sits above A, so B comes first.

Stuck on a clue in Decryptic? Tap ? Help and it will tell you when you are looking at a charade and how the pieces fit together, so you can see the pattern for yourself.