How to Solve a Cryptic Crossword Puzzle

Cryptic crosswords are trickier than regular crossword puzzles because every clue in a cryptic crossword is a puzzle itself. Each clue contains some sort of wordplay in addition to the definition itself. Because cryptic crosswords make you use your brain in a different way, they can take some time and dedication to solve. Here are some tips to help you solve a cryptic crossword puzzle.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Look for anagrams. Sometimes answers may appear in anagrammed, or scrambled form. Usually, these types of clues are preceded or followed by a word or phrase indicating the anagram to come, such as "mixed," "changed," "wronged," etc. For example, with the clue "Grant, a noted mess," the answer would be DONATE because DONATE is an anagram of "noted," as well as a definition of "grant."
2. Keep an eye out for hidden answers. Sometimes, the answer may be intact, just hidden in the clue. For example, the clue "English snack offered in disco nearby" leads to the answer SCONE, which is an English snack spelled out within the clue (diSCO NEarby).
3. Be aware of homophones. Homophones are words that sound like the answer. Homophone clues are often indicated by the use of a phrase such as "we hear" or "they say." For example, the answer to the clue "counted chickens out loud" is NUMBERED (a homophone of "numb bird").
4. Watch for reversals. A synonym for any word like "backwards" or "reversed" in a clue indicates a reversal. A sample reversal clue would be "returned beer fit for a king." The answer is REGAL, or LAGER reversed.
5. Search for deletions. With this clue, one or more letters is removed from the answer to reveal the final answer. So, the answer to the clue "fiery bird without a tail" would be FLAMING, or FLAMINGO without a tail.
6. Consider charades. Here the answer is broken into smaller words that are given individual clues. For example, the clue "auto animal" would be CARPET.
7. Find containers. Containers are when words are placed within other words to reveal the answer. A common container clue is "My holding? One dollar." The answer here is MONEY (which is MY "holding" ONE).
8. Hunt for double definitions. Double definitions don't contain a wordplay half. Rather, the clue has two definition halves, for example, "Gertrude's mug" for STEIN.

Tips & Warnings

• When solving a cryptic crossword puzzle, keep in mind that many clues will contain one or more different clue types.
• Practice. The best way to learn how to solve a cryptic crossword puzzle is simply to practice. The more you practice, the easier it will get to spot clues and recognize common clue indicators.