Cryptic

HOW TO SOLVE CRYPTIC CROSSWORDS

By Richard Blake

It’s like learning a new language, but not so hard.

One way to learn the logic is to compare some set clues with their solution words. Easy crosswords, e.g. in women’s magazines, are best for this. But the following should save you a bit of time.

Example: The gift of the gab is a mixed blessing. (8) Answer: GLIBNESS (I won’t insult you by explaining it!).

You’ll notice that this clue has a definition part and a construction part. About 80% of clues are of that general type. The construction here is an anagram. The other main construction types are (what I call) “string”, “inclusion” and “reversal”.

Example of string: Business in time to make money. (7) Answer: COINAGE (Business = company = CO) (in = IN) (time = AGE).

Example of inclusion: The university is in shape for a conference. Answer: FORUM (shape = FOR_M) (university = U).

Example of reversal: Sections of belt turning round. (5) Answer: PARTS (belt = STRAP).

Note that the connection between the definition and the construction is expressed above in various ways, the connecting words being “is”, “to make”, “for” and “of”. Other common connecting words are: “gets”, “getting”, “gives”, “giving”, “has”, “having”, “and”, “by”. Phrases often occur.

Words signifying anagrams are not usually as simple as the above “mixed”. Over the years, setters have invented countless fanciful ways of conveying that letters have been, can, or need to be moved around. Typical mixer words are: “move”, “shake”, “stir”, “shocking”, “terrible”, “out”, “surprising”, “wonderful”, “mess”, “trouble”, “badly”, “awfully”, “amazingly”. Phrases often occur.

In strings, connecting words within the string may be thrown in such as: “with”, “before”, “after”, “and”, “on”, “to”, “by”. Phrases sometimes occur.

Inclusions can say that one thing is inside another (“in”, “inside”, “cutting”), or that one thing surrounds another (“holding”, “round”, “around”, “about”).

For reversals, look for: “back”, “turn”, “around”, “about”, “return”.

Combinations of the construction types can be used.

Example: The pictures are awful nice when taken by mother. (6) Answer: CINEMA (awful = mixer) (nice, mixed = CINE) (mother = MA).

Example: Gripped by a nasty infection, backing out seems good. (8) Answer: VIRTUOUS (nasty infection = VIR___US) (backing = reversal) (out, reversed = TUO).

Actually, the most common way of connecting the definition and construction is to have no connecting word at all! If they are simply separated by a comma, the logic is that they are in apposition, e.g. like “Joe Bloggs, President”.

Example: The gift of the gab, a mixed blessing. (8) Answer: GLIBNESS (See first example above).

However, there is usually not even a comma. The logic then is after the style of a newspaper headline or placard, e.g., “Joe Bloggs President”, which would mean that Joe Bloggs is (now) president. I.e., in symbolic form, “AB” means “A = B”. In accordance with the newspaper analogy, it is also usual in this system for the articles (“a”, “the”) to be left out of both definition and construction.

Example: Information line electing to play up. (8) Answer: INTELLIGENCE (split the clue between “Information” and “line”) (line electing, mixed = INTELLIGENCE) (to play up = mixer).

It is the quintessence of the game that the setter contrives to disguise where the “split” comes in this type of clue, and the solver then uses ingenuity to locate it.

Here are examples of the other main types of clue:

Example of Double Definition: Sentence with no term satisfactory. (4) Answer: FINE (split the clue between “term” and “satisfactory”).

Example of Disguised Definition: One who stands, then sits, but may lie! (10) Answer: POLITICIAN.

Example of Misdefinition: Does it race on one leg? (7-5) Answer: QUARTER-HORSE.

Example of Sound: Lift up, or tear down, say. (5) Answer RAISE (say = sound) (tear down = RAZE).

Example of Subtraction: Get in touch with shrink, right away. (7) Answer: CONTACT (split the clue between “with” and “shrink”) (shrink = CONTRACT) (right = R) (away = subtraction).

Example of Runthrough: Poor man’s lodged with tigers at zoo! (6) Answer: ERSATZ (tig ERS AT Z oo).

Well, if you’ve kept with me this far, you may be a fine potential addict! Good luck!