Homophone clues
Cryptic Crossword clue guide · Updated 13 July 2026
A homophone clue plays on sound: the answer sounds like another word, even though it is spelled differently. An indicator to do with hearing or speaking tells you to listen rather than read.
How a homophone clue works
One side of the clue is the definition; the other gives a word that sounds like the answer, flagged by a "spoken" indicator. You solve it by finding a word that matches the definition and sounds like the clued word. Because it turns on pronunciation, the definition and the sound-alike sit on opposite sides of the indicator.
Signals to look for
Homophone indicators are words that point at hearing or speaking rather than reading. A few that Decryptic itself uses:
Signals we hear, sounds like, reportedly, said, on the radio, spoken, aloud, to the ear, by the sound of it, audibly, broadcast, announced, heard, out loud
The trick is spotting that an ordinary word (said, heard, broadcast) is really an instruction to listen. Whenever a word could mean "spoken aloud", read the word beside it with your ear, not your eye.
A worked example
Sounds like a flower, but the baker needs it (5) → FLOUR
- the baker needs it is the definition. A baker needs flour.
- Sounds like is the homophone indicator.
- a flower is the sound-alike: FLOUR sounds like FLOWER.
The (5) confirms the length. The definition and the wordplay agree. ✓
More examples
Read the clue out loud and listen for a second word hiding in the sound.
Consumed, we hear, gives a number (5) → EIGHT
A number is the definition and we hear is the indicator. EIGHT sounds just like ATE (consumed). ✓
A boat's cloth, so we are told, is on offer (4) → SAIL
A boat's cloth is the definition and so we are told is the indicator. SAIL sounds like SALE (on offer). ✓
Common pitfalls
- Accents differ, so homophones can feel loose. A pair that rhymes for one speaker may not for another. Decryptic checks every homophone against a pronunciation dictionary before using it, so its pairs are consistent, judged by US pronunciation.
- Pick the right side. Decide which side is the definition and which is the sound-alike. The indicator sits between them.
- The sound-alike may be a phrase, not a single word.
Stuck on a clue in Decryptic? Tap ? Help and it will tell you when you are looking at a homophone and which word to sound out, so you can see the pattern for yourself.