What is a cryptic crossword clue?

A cryptic clue points at its answer twice. One part is a plain, dictionary-style definition, always at the start or the end of the clue, and the rest is wordplay that spells the same answer a second way. The number in brackets tells you how many letters the answer has.

How do I start solving a cryptic clue?

Look for the definition at the very start or very end of the clue, then work out the wordplay in the rest. For example, in "Recruit, strangely silent (6)", "Recruit" is the definition and "strangely silent" is an anagram of SILENT, giving ENLIST.

What do the numbers in brackets after a clue mean?

They are the enumeration: the length of the answer and where any word breaks or hyphens fall. (6) means a six-letter word, while (3,4) means a two-word answer of three letters then four.

Do I need to memorise every type of cryptic clue?

No. There are only a handful of common devices, and you pick them up as you solve. In Decryptic you can tap Help on any clue and it names the clue type, explains how the wordplay works, and reveals the answer only if you ask.

How to solve cryptic crosswords

Decryptic Crossword guide · Updated 13 July 2026

Cryptic clues look baffling at first, but every one plays by the same fair rules. Once you know what to look for, they turn from gibberish into a game you can win.

Every clue points at its answer twice

A cryptic clue is built from two halves:

Definition: a plain, dictionary-style meaning, always at the start or the end of the clue.
Wordplay: a little puzzle that spells the same answer out a second way.

The number in brackets is how many letters the answer has. (6) means six.

Example: an anagram

Recruit, strangely silent (6) → ENLIST

Recruit is the definition: the answer means "recruit".
strangely is the signal: words like mixed, broken, cooked, confused tell you the letters are jumbled.
silent supplies the six letters to rearrange.

SILENT rearranges to ENLIST, which is a recruit. ✓

Example: a hidden word

Concealed in these cretins (6) → SECRET

Concealed is the definition: a secret is concealed.
in is the signal: words like hidden, some of, part of tell you the answer is tucked inside.
these cretins is the text it's hiding in.

Ignore the gap between the words and read straight through, the-SECRET-ins, and there is the answer.

When you get stuck

Anagrams and hidden words are just two of the tricks. You'll also meet reversals, charades, containers, homophones and more. See types of cryptic clue for a rundown of every device.

You don't have to learn them all up front. In Decryptic, tap ? Help on any clue and it will name the clue type, explain how the wordplay works, and, only if you ask, reveal the whole answer. Checking a word costs a point only when it turns up a wrong or missing letter; re-checking a correct or unchanged word is free.

Learn each clue type

Ready to go deeper? Each device has its own guide, with the signal words to look for, worked examples and the mistakes to avoid:

AnagramRearrange jumbled letters Hidden wordConcealed in a run of letters CharadeJoin pieces end to end ContainerOne word inside another ReversalSpelled backwards DeletionDrop letters from a word Initial lettersFirst letters of a phrase HomophoneSounds like another word Double definitionTwo meanings, one word