Cryptic Crossword
Cryptic crosswords take the form of a normal crossword, but each clue is in itself a word puzzle. They first began to appear in various forms in the UK during the mid-1920s and are popular in a number of Commonwealth nations, as well as Israel and the Netherlands.
Cryptic crossword clues generally consist of two parts – definition (the answer) and wordplay (the rest of the clue). The wordplay uses a number of established cryptic devices such as Anagrams, Charades, Containers, Double Definitions, Homophones, Reversals and Subtractions. Each cryptic device poses its own challenge and helps to preserve the uniqueness of each clue given.
Like cryptic crosswords?
You could try Skeleton Crossword, which requires you to fill the virtually empty crossword grid with its black squares and clue numbers, as well as solving the traditional crossword clues.
Play cryptic crossword your way with Puzzler!
Online Cryptic Crossword
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Crossword Apps
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Cryptic Crossword Magazines on Subscription
Cryptic crossword puzzles are very popular with our readers, and so feature in a number of our magazines, including:
Cryptic Crossword Books, Printables and Other Products
Fans of cryptic crosswords may be interested in the following printable puzzles and books:
