Play Crípticos

How to play

How to play

Seven short lessons, from your first clue to combined devices. Each one has an example to solve.

First steps

What a cryptic clue is

A clue with two faces. One part is a plain definition; the other is wordplay that reaches the same answer. When both agree, there is no doubt.

Cheater reformed as an educator (7)

Hint
The definition is "an educator".
See the solution

TEACHER

  1. "an educator" is the definition.
  2. "reformed" signals an anagram of CHEATER.
  3. CHEATER rearranged → TEACHER.
The key

How to find the definition

It is always at one end: the start or the finish. Try splitting the clue in two and ask which half sounds like a dictionary.

Garden wrecked: that's a risk (6)

Hint
The definition is at the end.
See the solution

DANGER

  1. "a risk" is the definition, at the end.
  2. "wrecked" signals an anagram of GARDEN.
  3. GARDEN → DANGER.
Device

Anagrams

A word suggesting disorder tells you to rearrange letters already in the clue. The letters must match exactly.

Words that signal it

  • scrambled
  • reformed
  • wrecked
  • arrangement

Runes scrambled for a carer (5)

Hint
Rearrange R-U-N-E-S.
See the solution

NURSE

  1. "a carer" is the definition.
  2. "scrambled" signals an anagram of RUNES.
  3. RUNES → NURSE.
Device

Hidden words

The answer is written, letter by letter, inside the clue — often across the gap between two words.

Words that signal it

  • hides
  • partly
  • in
  • some

Sailor Ryan hides a British truck (5)

Hint
Look across "Sailor Ryan".
See the solution

LORRY

  1. "a British truck" is the definition.
  2. "hides" signals a hidden word.
  3. saiLOR RYan → LORRY.
Device

Reversals

A word is read backwards. The indicator suggests a return or a turn.

Words that signal it

  • turned back
  • returned
  • sent back
  • over

Evil turned back to exist (4)

Hint
Read EVIL backwards.
See the solution

LIVE

  1. "exist" is the definition.
  2. "turned back" signals a reversal.
  3. EVIL reversed → LIVE.
Devices

Containers and deletions

In a container, one piece goes inside another. In a deletion, you remove letters from a word: the first, the last, or a specific one.

Words that signal it

  • holding
  • around
  • loses
  • without

Beer holding a coat (5)

Hint
A glass of beer is a…
See the solution

PAINT

  1. "coat" is the definition.
  2. "holding" signals that A goes inside a word for beer.
  3. PINT holding A → P(A)INT → PAINT.

Grain loses west for warmth (4)

Hint
West = W.
See the solution

HEAT

  1. "warmth" is the definition.
  2. "loses west" means remove W.
  3. WHEAT without W → HEAT.
Advanced

Pieces that add up

In a charade the answer is built from pieces, each with its own mini definition. The hardest clues combine several devices at once.

Words that signal it

  • and
  • with
  • by

Floor covering: vehicle and animal companion (6)

Hint
Vehicle = CAR.
See the solution

CARPET

  1. "Floor covering" is the definition, at the start.
  2. vehicle = CAR; animal companion = PET.
  3. CAR + PET → CARPET.

What is a cryptic clue?

A cryptic clue has two parts: a plain definition and some wordplay that leads to the same answer. The definition is almost always at the start or the end. The number in brackets is the length of the answer; several words appear as (3,4).

Common devices

Anagram
Words like wildly, reformed, scrambled tell you to rearrange letters. Cheater reformed as an educator (7) → TEACHER.
Hidden word
partly, seen in, hides: the answer is spelt out inside the clue. World seen in clear theory (5) → clEAR THeory → EARTH.
Reversal
sent back, returned: read it backwards. Prize from drawer turned over (6) → REWARD.
Container
holding, around, in: one piece goes inside another. Beer holding a coat (5) → P(A)INT.
Deletion
beheaded, cut short, loses: letters are removed.
Charade
Pieces joined together: Floor covering: vehicle and animal companion (6) → CAR + PET.
Homophone
we hear, on the radio, so to speak: the answer sounds like another word. Some depend on accent: FATHER and FARTHER only sound alike in non-rhotic British speech.
Double definition
Two definitions of the same word side by side.
Abbreviations
Conventions such as N = north, R = river, B = born, I = one.

How play works here

  • There is no daily limit. Ask for another clue whenever you like; we avoid repeating ones you've seen.
  • Progressive hints reveal, in order: the device, the definition, the first letter and a letter pattern.
  • Case, spaces and accents don't matter.
  • The daily challenge is optional and the same for everyone playing in that language.
  • Found a mistake? Use "Report a problem" during the game.

Language and country

They are independent. Your country is used for overall statistics and to suggest a variety; it never changes your language on its own.

Where the clues come from

An original catalogue written for this site, external sources that granted permission or use a reuse licence (always credited), and community submissions approved one by one by a person. Nothing is published without automatic checks that the wordplay really produces the answer.