Solving Cryptic Crosswords: Mixed Devices
Many answers require a crossword setter to use more than one device in order to write a viable clue.
Any combination and number of devices may be used, but, as always, if a device is used it must be
accompanied by a suitable indicator, which means multiple indicators may appear in a clue.
Key Points
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Multiple-device clues tend to be longish
The most common device used with others is the anagram
Including abbreviations and letter gathering as many as four devices may be used
Harder clues are usually multiple-device clues
Normal rules apply: the definition is at one end or the other
Examples
a)
b)
c)
d)
Poison absorbed by eels affected some west Asian people (8)
Ignorant peacekeepers are redeployed by Gillard finally (6)
One depicted badly in series, like Simba maybe (7)
Books for each academic stored in bundles (10)
Solving Cryptic Crosswords: Odds & Ends
Apart from what we've learnt so far, there are a number of devices used by setters, and more waiting
to be discovered, no doubt. Some of these are used regularly, but due to their nature, become instantly
identifiable. Always be aware that the setter knows what he/she is doing, and may well be using the
solver's expectation to deceive.
Foreign words
The setter uses the foreign equivalent of an English word
Key Points
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Always indicated by a location, language
Generally restricted to common foreign words
Always part or all of the secondary indicator
Examples
"the" in French: le, les, la
"in" in French: en
"of" or "from" in French: de
French numbers
"the" in German: der
German numbers
"the" in Spanish: el
"yes" in French: oui, Spanish: si, Russian: da
&Lit
The setter constructs a clue that may be read entirely as a secondary indicator, or read entirely as a
definition.
Key Points
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The hardest of all clues to construct
Hard to identify
Examples
a)
b)
c)
d)
I'm one involved with cost! (9)
Farewell to the French, about to depart! (5)
One is sitting in a part of the theatre reserved for musicians (7)
A dock's location undergoing restoration (8,6)
Quirky Words
Setters take common words/language and apply different meanings to them. Everyday words and
terms take on new meaning when in the hands of a cryptic crossword setter. Never take anything at
face value.
Key Points
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To a certain degree, there are a limited number of such deceptions
Common ones are easily spotted
May be used as part or all of the secondary indicator or as the definition
Examples
Social worker
Flower (‘river’)
Six-footer
Banker (‘river’)
Worker (all ‘ant’)
Number (numbing drug)
Watch-out Words
There are some words that turn up all the time in cryptic crosswords. Unfortunately, these words have
many meanings to a solver and it's usually only the context in which they are used that tells you how
to proceed.
Examples
About and around may be "on", "regarding", "re" etc (abbreviations), an anagram indicator, a
positional indicator (both around and reversing)
Put and set are tricky words because they are the same in the present and past tense. This means a
definition or secondary indicator that uses them may end in an -ed, where the context suggests
otherwise.
Eg Set apart = isolate, isolated
Analysing techniques
Finding the break
Once the theory has been absorbed, it's time to start solving. As you know, finding the division
between definition and secondary indicator, is the best way to attack a clue. As we've been going
through the different devices, we've noticed that some only occur in the secondary indicator, so being
able to spot them is important.
Remember the basic rules:
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Look for a definition that will be at either end
As there should be no surperfluous words in the clue, look for an obvious break
A poorly-designed clue will not hang together properly, making identification of the break
easy
Proper nouns and foreign words are almost always part of the secondary indicator
Help yourself
Most people solve crosswords in an orderly fashion. Try the following to make your life easier:
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Look to solve the clues that contribute the most letters to other answers
Attempt to get the first letters of answers
Very long answers tend to be anagrams or a wordplay of some sort, so do them first
Short answers also tend to be easier as the setter has fewer options, so attempt them early on
Once you have contributing letters to an answer, work at getting others
The position of just one letter in an anagram is really helpful: work at getting a contributing
letter
Remember to use a pencil and put in parts of words that you think you know (like plurals)
If a first reading of a clue brings nothing to mind, move on, however…
…don’t give up – give your mind a rest and return
Finally
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Never assume you know the meanings of all the words in a clue. Even though the context
suggests a meaning, it might be the wrong one
Remember that you are solving a formula that consists of many different parts. In theory, the
parts don’t have to make any sense as a whole. Therefore, treat every word as a unit, ignoring
the context in which it's been placed
Consider a word in all its forms, as a noun, verb or adjective
Use crossword aids like dictionaries, thesauruses, anagram books etc when you get stuck.
Crosswords are a great teaching tool, so don’t be afraid to learn from them
Answers: Mixed
Lebanese - Poison (bane) absorbed by [inside] eels affected / some west Asian people
Unread - Ignorant / peacekeepers (UN) are redeployed by Gillard finally (6)
Leonine - One depicted badly in [inside] series (line), / like Simba maybe (7)
Paperbacks - Books / for each (per) academic (BA) stored in [inside] bundles (packs) (10)
Answers: Odd & Ends
Economist – anagram of: I'm one cost
Adieu – to the French (au) about [outside] to depart (die)
Pianist – One (an) is sitting in [inside] a part of the theatre reserved for musicians (pit)
Cockatoo Island – anagram of: A dock's location