How to solve cryptic crosswords

Cryptic clues look baffling at first, but they follow a strict, fair pattern. Once you see it, they become 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 by these cretins (6) → SECRET

• Concealed is the definition — a secret is concealed.
• by these cretins is the signal — words like hidden, in, some of mean the answer is sitting in plain sight.

Read straight across the letters — theSECRETins — and the answer is buried inside.

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 type of clue, explain how the wordplay works, and reveal the whole word only if you ask. Checking a word is always free.