A cryptic crossword puzzle is just like a “regular” crossword (the kind you find in the New York Times) except that every single clue is a riddle.
A cryptic clue is made up of two halves:
- The definition – which follows the same rules as a “regular” crossword puzzle clue
- The wordplay – a kind of riddle using a variety of wordplay tools.
A variety crossword contains at least one gimmick – usually some sort of transformation to the clues and/or grid entries – that leads to a final, additional puzzle, called a “meta.” Each of my crosswords on this site have at least one meta-puzzle (and one of them has four).
Here are a few how-to guides and aids I’ve created over the years to teach you the basics of how cryptic crossword puzzles work.
The Basics of Cryptic Crossword Solving — a one-page primer on the 8 main building blocks for creating cryptic clues.
Cryptic Crossword Sampler — a simple (six-clue) cryptic crossword, designed for brand new solvers. This page also includes a cheat sheet on the eight types of cryptic clue.
Essay: “Demystifying the Cryptic Clue“ — a guide on how cryptic crossword puzzle clues are made, which in turn will help teach you how to solve them. (Originally published in the August 2017 issue of The National Puzzlers League‘s monthly magazine The Enigma.)
If, at this point, you want to try it out for yourself, here is a link to a sample copy of the National Puzzlers League‘s Enigma magazine, including a small, simple cryptic crossword on page 4.
And here are some of my own smaller, easier puzzles:
Hollywood Adaptation (Solution)
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