Cryptic Crossword Hints & Tips

Cryptic crosswords are a great challenge for the brain, but they needn’t be scary. They’re not as deadly as the puzzles in the Exxilon City! Below are some hints and tips on how to complete them – Code Nine

Anagrams: If a clue contains a word meaning “change”, such as “upset”, or “disturbed”, that means there is an anagram to solve. The words which require your attention are usually right next to the indicator word. For example, “Kaled upset by travel machine” = Dalek (an anagram of Kaled). As these crosswords are about Doctor Who, sometimes, I use “regenerate” or “orbit” to indicate an anagram.

Sounds like: “We hear” means that the answer (or partial answer) sounds like something described in the clue. For example, Canoe is a country, we hear = Canader (because it sounds like Canada).

Initials: When a clue contains “initially”, you’re looking for an initial or an acronym. For example, Tissue Compression Eliminator, initially (1,1,1) = TCE.

Numbers and elements: Roman numerals (IV, V, VI) sometimes make their way in as “four, five, six” to form letters in words, such as “Vivien Le Fey.” Elements such as AU meaning gold can also feature, such as “Gold heavyweight aliens” = Autons… Gold = Au, and heavyweights = tons… AUTONS!

And watch out for red herrings too!