Kalle Rantaaho


To break the the rules you need to know (some of) them first.
 

• A wicked thing? (6) = Saxon
• A jammed cylinder (5,4) = Judas Preist
• Presumably one doesn't run after it? (4,5) = Stiff Little Fingers
• He was rushed almost from the start (5) = Stranglers
• 014? (6,5) = The Clash

SteveStrummerUK

I once pondered for days over this beauty that appeared in a Times (Jumbo) puzzle:

• The inner state of the sausage (3,6,6,2,7)

 
 
 

SteveStrummerUK

craigb

I love puzzles of this type, but am not familiar with this exact type.  Got a simple example?  I don't know what's implied by the numbers in parenthesis either...  Guess I'll go Google "Cryptic puzzles" while I wait to see your reply...

Craig, the numbers in brackets are just there to tell you the number of letters/words in the answer.
 
e.g: hair (4); Great Britain (5,7); low-budget (3-6) etc.
 
There are quite a few conventions and types of cryptic clues.
 
Here are a few examples:

• Multiple definitions - two or more words that all mean the same as the answer, but are written in such a way that you are misled:
  • Broken statue (4) = BUST (Broken = BUST; Statue = BUST)
  • Take notice of Gospel (4) = MARK (Take notice of = MARK; Gospel = MARK)
• Anagrams - the setter must always indicate an anagram, and which words/letters are to be anagrammed:
  • Weapon destroyed gnu (3) = GUN (We are told to 'destroy' gnu to find a weapon)
  • Neat prose translated into a universal language (9) = ESPERANTO (If we 'translate' the letters of neat & prose we will find a universal language)
• Bits and pieces/Additions/Subtractions - this can include literally putting together and/or removing bits and pieces of words/phrases/abbreviations to form the answer:
  • Finishing with a boxed ear - charming! (9) = ENDEARING (the word ear is literally 'boxed' inside a word for 'finishing'; i.e. ending to reveal: ENDEARING
  • Rubbish outside lair may suit this creature (6) = RODENT ('rubbish' = ROT is literally placed 'outside' 'lair' = DEN to reveal the creature RODENT
  • Headgear on communist invokes intense dislike (6) = HATRED ('headgear' = HAT is literally 'on' 'communist' = RED to get 'intense dislike' - HATRED
  • Endlessly talk about the field event (6) = DISCUS ('talk' = DISCUSS; we are told that it is literally 'endless' so we knock off the final 'S' to reveal the field event - DISCUSS
• Reversals - letters that you are told to reverse right to left (for across clues) or upside down (for down clues):
  • Have a little look round part of the fortification (4) = KEEP ('have a little look' = PEEK is [turned] round to get KEEP)
  • Exist the wrong way? That's bad (4) = EVIL ('exist' = LIVE, the wrong way [round] gives you EVIL)
• Hidden words - the word is literally written in front of you:
  • Some overenthusiastic kissing - one draws blood (4) = TICK ('some' [letters] of the phrase 'overenthusiastic kissing' reveal something that 'draws blood')
  • Powder used in ancient alchemy (4) = TALC (similarly, 'used' tells us that the phrase 'ancient alchemy' 'uses' the letters of TALC)
• Puns, homophones and soundalikes - words that sound similar:
  • Such a range of food is said to be satisfactory (4) = FARE ('satisfactory' = fare, which, when 'said', sounds like FARE = 'range of food')
  • Shakespeare in speech? It should be precluded (6) = BARRED (similarly, 'in speech', we hear BARRED as well as 'bard')
• Abbreviations/Numbers etc:
  • Miss West embraces novice man (4) = MALE (Miss West = MAE 'embracing' a novice 'L' [for learner] to give us our 'man' = MALE)
  • One hundred, very old and shut in (5) = CAGED ('One hundred' in Roman Numerals = 'C' + 'AGED' = 'very old' to give CAGED)

 
There are others types, and some clues may include more than one of the devices listed above.
 
What they all have in common, in keeping with the 'fairness' aspect of composing clues, is that somewhere in the clue there will be a 'straight' definition of the answer, even if that definition is itself 'cryptic'; the rest of the clue will be there only to show you how to get to the answer. The key in writing a good clue is in how well you can disguise the 'real' meaning. Punctuation is generally allowed to go out of the window, providing the sentence still makes sense. You're not permitted to write gobbledegook (the clue must be grammatically correct) or have a different tense between the clue and the answer; for example, you can't include "reversed into a space" as the definition part of a clue if the answer is "parking" - you would have to use "reversing into a space".
 
It's generally accepted that the 'better' clues are often the 'simplest'.
 
I once pondered for days over this beauty that appeared in a Times (Jumbo) puzzle:

• The inner state of the sausage (3,6,6,2,7)

 
 
 

Jonbouy

• A wicked thing? (6) = Saxon
• A jammed cylinder (5,4) = Judas Preist
• Presumably one doesn't run after it? (4,5) = Stiff Little Fingers
• He was rushed almost from the start (5) = Stranglers
• 014? (6,5) = The Clash

Am I right?

bapu

Jonbouy


Don't we have this debate every few days now?

I've so gotten over it by now I'm going to set this one out.

Can I get a hooya for Jonbouy's post?


Or could y'all care less?